Somerset County Government: Somerset County Ag Board Applauds Female Farmers For Successful Panel Discussion

Press release from the Somerset County Government:

10/13/2021 12:00 PM

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ – Recently, five influential local female farmers participated in an informative panel discussion “Influencing Agriculture’’ led by Somerset County Commissioner Melonie Marano. Five successful women shared their thoughts about the changes in agriculture, the future of farming, and how females fit into a male-dominated industry. Other topics discussed included the importance of sustaining local agriculture for the economy, supporting local businesses to help maintain agriculture’s infrastructure, land stewardship, what impact the global climate has on farming, and more. Click Here to hear the panel discussion.

“Thank you to the female farmers that participated in our discussion. Somerset County has the highest number of female farmers in the state, so it was interesting to hear from some of our top, local women in agriculture. The discussion gave us all greater insight into what it’s like to choose farming as a career,” said Commissioner Melonie Marano.  “After listening to the discussion, I think everyone comes away with new perspective of the agricultural industry.”

The free, outdoor event is the first in a series of future panel discussions. Sponsored by the Somerset County Agriculture Development Board (SCADB), the event was held at the Farm Fresh Café in the Farm Barn at Duke Farms located in Hillsborough. Panelists included co-owner, co-operator of Norz Hill Farm and Market, Debbie Norz; Professor of Animal Sciences at Delaware Valley University, Joanne Powell; Co-operator of Middlebush Dairy Farm and Co-owner of Big Cow Creamery, Erica Puskas; Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator for Duke Farms, Lauren Salvatore; and Executive Director of Duke Farms, Margaret Waldock.

To find out more about the Somerset County Agriculture Development Board, Click Here to view the Story Map.

Somerset County Agriculture Development Board (SCADB)
Since SCADB’s inception in 1983, over 8,400 acres of farmland in Somerset County have been successfully preserved, with the assistance of municipalities, the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners, and the State Agriculture Development Committee.

The SCADB works with farmers and residents to mediate Right-to-Farm matters throughout the County and assists farmers with implementing Best Management Practices for their operations, and also hosts seminars and workshops about pressing agricultural issues, pending legislation, and new practices and technology.

2022 National Agriculture Day
Join Somerset County on March 18, 2022, for the County’s celebration of National Agriculture Day. Each year, Somerset County celebrates the rich history of agriculture by educating the public about some of the more popular topics in local farming.

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This press release was produced by the Somerset County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.