Agriculture and food systems were one of the only growing sectors in the North Country economy over the past 10 years, and the COVID-19 pandemic has increased interest in local food production and the need for resilience in our food supply. Your participation is important for creating an updated strategic plan for agriculture and food systems for Essex County (the last plan was published in 1997).  The Strategic Plan’s purpose is to shape the actions and priorities of the many organizations that support Essex County agriculture and the food system. The Plan will be signed into law by the Essex County Board of Supervisors and used to shape actions that affect agriculture and land use in the county.

This is a survey for residents actively farming in Essex County and farmland owners. If you have any questions, please contact Carly Summers, Cornell Cooperative Extension at cfs82@cornell.edu. All individual-specific data from this survey will be kept confidential. Only summary information will be shared publicly in the final strategic plan report. All results will be stored securely.