The name itself describes the idea. To create a system that fosters and grows new farms/ farmers. Recently a group met in Montgomery County, Md to discuss what would be needed to start such a program. There where representatives from Whole Foods, the county council, the parks service,  and local farm operations as well as a group of aspiring farmers. The purpose of the focus group was to determine what would be needed in order to best fuel the growth of localized food production through a government sponsored incubator program.

    The discussion quickly identified the varying opinions and mentalities of all parties involved. One opinion that resonated among some of the aspiring farmers was the need for self-determination when operating a farm. Other themes of discussion where; amount of land needed, length of lease, soil quality, location, organic certification, terms of contracts, non-profit management and so on. For some it seemed frustrating and for others encouraging.

   Either way, to me the program will offer a great opportunity for education and long-term impact in reinvigorating the agrarian cultures in Maryland which have been decimated by destructive, unsustainable development. One point that stuck with me, was the fact that the cost of land has become so inflated from the  insatiable thirst for development that for the average young farmer, or any farmer for that matter, it is simply not feasible be a farmer.

    A solution that is a preached by the Urban Land Institute and many others is to halt development of rural areas and focus our attention to revitalizing despondent urban neighborhoods. Not only would it create a more sustainable socioeconomic structure, it would take the pressure off the demand for developing open land thus giving way to the agricultural community to once again take root. The biggest obstacle that will keep this model from becoming reality is the miles and miles of red tape and bureaucratic politicking which could snuff out the momentum created by the local food movement. I hope I'm wrong about that but unless a majority of the masses take it upon themselves to make it happen, it will remain just a discussion.

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