Agendas & Minutes:

Agendas are available before each meeting.
View the Agendas

Minutes are available following approval.
View the Meeting Minutes

Members:

View the Committee Membership List

Overview:

The commission will consist of 5 full members and up to 2 associate members. A majority of members shall be Acton residents who may be farmers or employed in an agriculture-related field, or people with knowledge of agricultural practices. Associate members may be a non-resident and must actively farm in Acton or be employed in an agriculture-related field, or people with knowledge of agricultural practices. In the event a quorum must be reached and a non-resident associate member(s) is promoted by the Chair to full member, the Chair of the Commission must ensure any vote/motion that includes a non-resident member must also include a majority of resident members participate in the vote/motion; otherwise the vote/motion cannot take place. Each member shall serve for a term of 3 years; provided, however that the initial members appointed under this section shall serve for terms of 1, 2, or 3 years and the terms shall be arranged by the appointing authority so that the terms of approximately 1/3 of the commission’s members shall expire each year.

The Agricultural Commission will:

• Promote and develop the agricultural resources of the municipality
• Educate the public on agricultural issues
• Advocate for farmers, farm businesses and farm interests
• Assist farmers in resolving municipal problems or conflicts related to farms
• Seek to coordinate agricultural-related activities with other governmental bodies or unofficial local groups or organizations that promote agriculture
• Prepare a comprehensive local agricultural plan which shall be, to the extent possible, consistent with existing town master plan and Open Space and Recreation Plan.
• The plan will show or identify:
  • Agricultural land areas and facilities
  • Matters which may be shown on a tract index under Section 33 of Chapter 184
  • Acquisitions of interest in land under this section
  • Municipal lands that are held as open space
  • Non-municipal land subject to legal requirements or restrictions to protect that land or use it for open space, conservation , recreation or agriculture
  • Land that should be retained as a public necessity for agricultural use
  • Any other information that the commission determines to be relevant to local agricultural land use.