Reception for New Commissioner of Agriculture, Lorraine Merrill

UNH Cooperative Extension, Rockingham County, hosted a reception on Tuesday, January 22 from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at the Rockingham County Complex to recognize the new Commissioner of Agriculture, Lorraine Merrill from Stratham. Approximately 85 people from the Rockingham County community were present including growers, legislators, former and current Rockingham County Advisory council members, local officials and Future Farmers of America and their vocational teachers from Coe-Brown Northwood Academy. The event started with social time, featuring New Hampshire locally grown products such as fresh apples, apple crisp made from local apples and maple syrup, and fruit punch with local strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Different types of cheeses, from cow milk and goat milk, were also featured. Local flowers (anemones, snapdragons, and lisianthus) cut that same morning decorated the refreshments tables. Gino Alibrio, Kelly Matteson, and their students from the UNH Thompson School of Applied Science, Restaurant Management, Food Service Management Program prepared the refreshments.

Dean & Director John Pike, UNH Cooperative Extension, began the program with a welcome and introduction to Lorraine. The new Commissioner gave a presentation on her vision for agriculture in New Hampshire. She spoke about how the face of agriculture has changed over the years and continues to change. She said that farms are part of our communities, and that growers are selling through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), where community members buy a share of the farm produce harvest. She also talked about the many agricultural products, the resurgent interest in local food, and the pressure from land development. She commented on how important it is that New Hampshire farms are located in close proximity to markets. Commissioner Merrill said that New Hampshire growers have good entrepreneurial skills in their greenhouses, nursery operations, farmstands, farmers markets, and small farms which are well diversified. She spoke about the interest of Regional Planning Commissions in the importance of agriculture. Merrill continued with the valuable role growers and farmers have in educating 98% of the population about agriculture, because less than 2% of the population is involved with agriculture. She concluded with suggesting that growers get involved in their town as part of an Agriculture Commission. Next Gail McWilliam-Jellie and Dick Uncles from the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food gave highlights of programs on promoting agriculture, best management practices, and nutrient management.

Phil Auger, Land & Water Conservation Educator, facilitated the question and answer forum that followed. Some concerns were raised about current land use assessment and interpretation of the law, the direct sales of milk, land conservation related to farmland and how conservation funds can be used to save farms, if conservation funds can be used for alternative energy, and agriculture education at the University level: how to attract students and retain them in New Hampshire, and the need for a livestock specialist at UNH. Juli Brussell, Program Leader, Agricultural Resources, and Tom Brady, Dean of the UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, made the closing remarks. “This was a great event well attended by a diverse group of growers from Rockingham County: fruit and vegetable growers, dairy and livestock producers, greenhouse and nursery  growers, wine producers, and many who sell at farmers markets, U-Pick, farmstands, CSAs, schools, and restaurants,” said Nada Haddad, Agricultural Extension Educator, UNH Cooperative Extension in Rockingham County. Nada also stated that “this event would have not happened without the help of all the staff at UNH Cooperative Extension in Rockingham County, as well as the staff at UNH.”