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to meet the needs of different communi- ties," said AFT Assistant Vice President for Programs Bob Wagner, a 16 -year employee of the organization. "And these are methods that start at the grass- roots level, with people who are usually new to the land protection movement." One of the most effective techniques is Cost of Community Services studies, which drive home the economic benefits of agricultural land. These studies pro- vide a snapshot in time of current rev- enue and expenditures on a land use basis. They typically demonstrate that farmers pay more in revenue than they demand in public services. In other words, if you develop farmland into typ- ical residential housing, a community's taxes will have to rise. Also compelling are computer - generated maps that dra- matically illustrate how much agricultur- al land will be lost if sprawling develop- ment is allowed to continue, and data - rich profiles that paint a picture of the local agricultural industry. In Saratoga County, the dilemma was citizens not understanding the value of farming in their community. One of the first techniques used was: breakfast! But this was a breakfast unlike any other in the county. Held at a local dairy farm, not only did visitors receive a hearty breakfast for a few bucks —made with eggs, strawberries and other food pro- duced locally —they also had the oppor- tunity to tour the farm and hear presen- tations from AFT, Cooperative Extension and others. For many of the visitors, it was a first -time opportunity to find out where their food comes from and what kinds of programs are available for protecting farmland. "So many people who came walked up to me before leaving and told me what an amazing experience it was," said Wood, who hosts more than a dozen tours for school children at her farm every year. "They said they learned a lot and had fun." Almost 1,000 people —twice as many as were expected— attended the first breakfast. Now in its sixth year, the event attracts approximately 3,500 people a year. Any profits go into a fund used for agricultural promotion and farmland protection activities in the county. The core group that plans the event is still a dozen or so people. But it now takes almost 150 volunteers to help set up, run and tear down the event. Cornell Cooperative Extension covers the cost of the mail- ings and provides staff assistance on an in -kind basis. A local food chain, Stewarts, supplies food at a discounted rate. And AFT is there to make a presentation on farmland protec- tion techniques. "I taught high school for 12 years and, during that time, I realized that kids do not understand where their food comes from," said Wood, whose family has owned farmland in the county since the mid 1800s. "I knew we had to get them onto the farm. When I met a few other people who thought the same thing, and then saw a flyer about some farm breakfasts being done in the Midwest, we got the idea to do the breakfast here." The timing could not have been bet- ter. AFT had been hired by the county a few months earlier to develop a farmland protection strategy and to educate the general public about the need for the strategy. So, when AFT Northeast Project Specialist Teri Ptacek heard about the breakfast idea, she offered to help out with the event. She and Wood realized that it would be a mutually ben- eficial working relationship. Ptacek and others in AFT's Northeast Regional Office, which is based in Saratoga, have been providing Wood and her peers with technical assistance, guidance and moral support since the pre - breakfast days. It's all paying off. There's more sup- port for farmland protection in the county. For example, the county recently hired a full-time agricultural economic development specialist that it shares with neighboring Washington County. With the help of AFT, one of the towns 29 in the county has _created a conservation term easement program (reduces prop- erty taxes in exchange for an easement for a set period of time), another created a PDR program, and seven towns adopt- ed right -to -farm laws. In her own town, Wood is making progress as a town supervisor spreading the word about farmland protection. These successes are the result of a combination of factors — including AFT's expertise and com- mitment to the county, Wood said. "The presentations made by AFT at the breakfasts are always great," said Wood. "So was the farmland protection plan AFT wrote. With AFT, the issue of farmland protection is always brought up in a subtle, non - argumentative way. It's very important to work with that type of organization:' A different —but equally effective — approach is being taken in Oconee County, Georgia. Like Saratoga, this is a county with deep roots in agriculture that is experiencing growing pains. Located approximately one hour from Atlanta and a few minutes from Athens, it is in one of the fastest growing corri- dors of the state. The loss of farmland is obvious to anybody who has lived in the county for even just a few years. But lit- tle was done to slow it down until Charlie Meek, Oconee River Resource Conservation & Development (RC &D) Council coordinator, and his peers began brainstorming a few years ago about what they could do. They talked about it over lunch. They talked about it with their bosses. AMERICAN FARMLAND FALL 2001 19