Policy

The Governance Working Group has been established to implement the regional goal and objectives developed at the Farm Route to Prosperity Summit, February 24, 2009.
 
At the August 2, 2011 the group was re-named the Policy Working Group in response to the interests that the group is interested in, particularly Farm Bill 2012 issues. 
 
The Governance Working Group will navigate ag issues related to government, regulations and zoning. A current issue of interest is food safety, and the impact that legislation currently under consideration at the Federal level could have on local growers.
 
Bridging the GAPs --Strategies to Improve Produce Safety, Preserve Farm Diversity and Strengthen Local Food Systems. This report begins with an overview of existing on-farm food safety policies and programs. It then analyzes the ramifications of existing and proposed protocols, and offers recommendations for improving produce safety while preserving the diversity of farm sizes and production methods present in the U.S. food system.