Her topic fit in nicely with the conference's overall theme of “New England: Feeding Ourselves”. With the steadily increasing demand for local foods and an increased interest in food safety and security, the New England Association felt it was appropriate to focus this year's conference on the region's local food system.

The keynote speaker, Mark Lapping, Professor of Public Policy and Management at the University of Southern Maine, provided participants with an analysis of the current food economy and what we can do to survive its effects. Professor Lapping is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture and recently completed a national study for the USDA on farm viability. He is currently completing a history of agriculture in Maine.

Other activities throughout the meeting included an Awards Breakfast, presentations from National and State officials, including lst District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, and sessions that provided opportunities to learn about and discuss the production, processing, marketing, transportation/distribution, financing, education, research and technology transfer of a local food system. Two walking tours provided a different type of education for the participants as they had the option of visiting the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to learn about the Sustainable Seafood Program or to travel to local restaurants and businesses that use and promote local foods.

“The participants were energized as they left the conference to travel back home”, said Mark Hews, Resource Conservation and Development Coordinator for the Threshold to Maine RC&D in Gray. “They left here with ideas, opportunities, actions and contacts that will help them address the local food issues back in their state. This conference was just the first step as we move towards a regional system that benefits both producers and consumers”.

The New England Association of RC&Ds consists of 15 RC&D Councils in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Each RC&D Council is organized and directed by local people to meet local needs.

RC&D, reauthorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, is a voluntary program that helps people protect and develop their economic, natural, and social resources. Program objectives address improving the quality of life, including social, economic, and environmental concerns; continuing prudent use of natural resources; and strengthening local citizens' ability to use available sources of assistance through USDA and other Federal agency partnerships. The program is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in cooperation with other USDA agencies.

Conference sponsors included the Focus on Agriculture of Rural Maine Schools (FARMS), Lincoln County Economic Development Office, Maine Association of RC&D Areas, Maine Department of Agriculture, Maine Farmland Trust, National Farm to School Network, New England Association of RC&D Areas, New England Farmers Union, Northeast SARE, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

For more information on the Resource Conservation and Development program, visit www.newenglandrcd.org.