Southwick Agricultural Commission Hears Regional Farmland Protection Plan, Schedules Garden Work Day

SOUTHWICK -- April 8, 2026, Southwick Agricultural Commission hears regional farmland protection pitch, plans May garden work day. Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Principal Planner Becky Basham presented a two-year MDAR-funded regional farmland protection planning initiative at the April 8 meeting, with Southwick and Hatfield selected as PVPC's two partner communities alongside efforts by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments and Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. The commission expressed informal support for participating, with stakeholder committee meetings expected to begin in the fall and run through October 2027. Martha Cain of the newly formed Open Space Land Management Committee attended to discuss coordination on overlapping master plan action items, including the annual farmer's forum already conducted by the commission, which member Jen DiPietro agreed to document in a completion letter to the master plan committee by June 30. The commission deferred a decision on joining CESA, which offers climate adaptation grants of up to $2,500 per farm, pending clarity on the town's budget amid a projected municipal deficit. Members set May 3, 10 a.m. to noon, as a community garden work day at the Sofonowski property.