County-Wide Agricultural Representative - Pam Moore

Sundaes at the Farm

Tioga County Agricultural Resource Group (TC ARG)

Mission Statement

Tioga County Agricultural Resource Group is
farmers, agencies and others working together to develop and support a
thriving rural community and promote agricultural viability.

What Agencies & Groups are involved?

Participating agencies and groups include Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tioga County, Tioga County Economic Development & Planning, Tioga County Soil & Water Conservation District, Tioga County Tourism, Tioga County and New York Farm Bureau, Tioga County Legislative Agriculture Committee, Tioga County Agricultural & Farmland Protection Board, USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Tioga County Rural Economic Area Partnership.

How did TC ARG get started?

TC ARG began meeting in October 2003 when the Tioga County Rural Economic Partnership (REAP) convened a forum for agency leaders that work to promote the social, economic, and environmental viability of agriculture in Tioga County.  REAP sponsored this forum as follow up to its April 2003 Agriculture and Environment Roundtable, a public meeting organized in response to community interest expressed during REAP’s county wide visioning process. The forum provided agency representatives the opportunity to engage in dialogue about agricultural issues as well as the opportunity to share information and resources. 

Based on the success of the initial forum, participants agreed to meet on a monthly basis to give agency updates, to complete an inventory of local resources and to review the elements of Tioga County’s Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan. The group viewed assessment of this plan as a proactive step towards its overall mission.  Formation of TC ARG implements a goal identified and realized from REAP’s Strategic Plan.

What has TC ARG done to date?

Since its inception, TC ARG has evolved into an ad hoc group organizing and supporting agricultural projects in the county. Their productive track record has made them a model for other communities.  REAP continues to facilitate TC ARG’s meetings and is the lead coordinating agency for the group.

TC ARG also serves as an ad hoc working committee for the Tioga County Agricultural & Farmland Protection Board, and has implemented a number of priorities identified in Tioga County’s Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan.  Their accomplishments include:

• Created, published and distributed the Tioga County Agricultural Resource Directory, an agribusiness services & resource guide for farmers
• Created, published, and distributed multiple updates of the Tioga County Agri-guide, which promotes local agri-tourism businesses and farms that host visitors
• Organized and lead Legislative Agriculture Tours
• Developed a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Application Process for Tioga County farmers interested in applying for public funding to preserve their farmland
• Organized and sponsored Sundaes at the Farm, a number of public outreach and education events held annually on farms throughout the county
• Participated in Farm Days at the Mall, a well attended, multi-county event held annually at a local shopping mall
• Participated in Ag Literacy Week, a statewide activity where volunteers read an agriculture theme books to 2nd graders and then the book is donated to the school
• Produced a series of feature articles about local farm operations published in local papers
• Participated in the Tioga County Fair

What are we going to do?

TC ARG members continue to meet monthly to identify and prioritize projects they would like to help implement while building public awareness and appreciation for local farms and agricultural resources.  Currently they are working to: 1) update Tioga County’s 10 year old Agricultural & Farmland Protection Plan; 2) plan this season’s Sundaes at the Farm events, 3) organize a Legislative Agriculture Tour of Tioga County farms this summer; and 4) update the Tioga County Agri-guide.

For more information, please contact
Martha Brennan, TC REAP Executive Director
56 Main Street, Owego, NY 13827
607-687-8258