One of the first citizen task forces that we appointed was the Ag Task Force. This group has been meeting for approximately nine months and has recently presented their report to the Commissioners and the public. The charge for this committee was to seek out recommendations that would enable the county to not only maintain farmland, but also keep farmers by improving the economics of farming in the county.
Economic development is a major concern for the county.
Attracting new businesses is important, but maintaining existing ones is just as important. Farming is a business that provides many benefits to the county, while demanding little in services. It is good economics for the county to encourage farming to remain in the county and expand just as it makes good sense for the county when other businesses such as Gore, Tim Plastics, and DuPont Dow increase operations in the county. By December 20, there should be a copy of the complete task force report in every county library, and copies will be available in the courthouse. I would encourage people to read the report and respond to the Commissioners if you have comments or suggestions.