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Montgomery County Agricultural Land Preservation Program

The Montgomery County Agricultural Land Preservation Program leads the county in its efforts to preserve important farmland for generations to come. By electing to participate in the program, property owners agree to keep their land in agricultural production in perpetuity and agree to prohibit any future non-agricultural development on the property. In 2015 Montgomery County will have preserved 154 farms through agricultural easements, totaling nearly 10,000 acres of preserved open space.

Montgomery County Farm Bureau

The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s Montgomery County chapter is a member-based organization that provides support to member farmers and the Montgomery County farming community at large through advocacy, policy work, education and opportunities for engagement, and a range of other services.

Penn State Extension – Montgomery County

Penn State Extension and its county offices allow farmers, families, and businesses access to all of the university’s resources relating to agriculture. These resources include not only research and data but access to courses and workshops, events, and much more. The Montgomery County Extension office helps residents navigate and connect to these resources, with a specific focus on the county’s unique agricultural community.

Montgomery County Conservation District

The Montgomery County Conservation District’s agricultural program works in tandem with other state and county departments to provide farmland owners with planning and technical assistance. It offers guidance to farmers on how to best manage and protect the natural resources on their farm, specifically in regards to water and soil quality, while ensuring that all farms are compliant with agricultural policies and regulations.

Food Systems Planning at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC)

As the designated metropolitan planning agency for the Philadelphia area, the Delaware Regional Valley Planning Commission (DVRPC) addresses a range of important planning issues, including food systems planning. The studies, reports, and events provided by DVRPC offer a uniquely regional perspective of the production, distribution, processing, and consumption of food products across greater Philadelphia, including Montgomery County.

Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA)

Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) is the largest member-based sustainable agriculture organization in the United States. Since 1992 the association has been offering support to farmers across the state who are particularly interested in non-conventional approaches to farming. With an emphasis on sustainability in agriculture, PASA organizes programs and services across all of Pennsylvania.

Buy Fresh Buy Local

The Buy Fresh Buy Local campaign was launched by the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) and the Food Roots Network, a national organization, to provide resources to farmers and to those interested in eating locally. The Buy Fresh Buy local brand helps shoppers identify trusted producers and retailers who are committed to supporting local food in our region.

Fair Food Philly

Operating in and around Philadelphia for over ten years, Fair Food Philly works to connect regional farmers with consumers and businesses, coordinating a range of services and programs throughout the year. Fair Food Philly emphasizes the benefits of a local and sustainable food system to the greater Philadelphia region. The organization furthers its mission through programs and events, such as the Fair Food Farmstand in the Reading Terminal Market and the annual Brewer’s Plate event.

AgConnect

Since 2009, AgConnect has helped connect farmers, agriculture business owners, and service providers in Southeastern PA, including Montgomery County, with the business resources, training, and financing to grow their business and promote agriculture as a viable career option.

The Food Trust

The Food Trust has spent over two decades working to improve residents’ access to fresh and nutritious foods across the Philadelphia region—and now across the country. The organization works with communities, families, schools, farmers, retail market owners and operators, and policymakers to address healthy eating education and fresh food access and affordability.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

The Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (PHS) and its many programs focus on a broad range of horticultural issues, including food production and food access, in greater Philadelphia. Since 1827 the PHS has worked to promote gardening education, training, and projects throughout the area, and today its programs also address issues such as land vacancy and urban gardening, food access, gardening in schools, and inmate job-skills training and placement assistance.

Grid Magazine

Greater Philadelphia’s popular Grid Magazine is distributed monthly to highlight all things sustainable going on in and around Philadelphia. The magazine, available for free in print and online, focuses on local food issues as one of the many ways to look at sustainability in the area. A collection of Grid’s food-related articles is compiled in the Food section of its website, so you can stay up-to-date on the latest in local food in the Philadelphia region.

Greener Partners

Greener Partners is a Collegeville-based organization that works to improve access to farm fresh produce and to promote local food and farming education throughout greater Philadelphia. In addition to offering workshops and educational programs for children and adults, Greener Partners runs its own farms and farm markets, a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, and sells produce at local farmers’ markets.

Food and Sustainability Efforts - Local Institutions and Organizations

Many colleges/universities and a variety of organizations are keenly interested in local food. For example, Ursinus College in Collegeville has made the commitment to promote sustainability through various campus efforts. The Ursinus College Office of Sustainability addresses food and agriculture issues on campus and in the community through a variety of programs, including the UC Organic Farm, where students and faculty experience hands-on learning on a working farm.