Checklist

IS YOUR TOWN FARM FRIENDLY?
A CHECKLIST FOR SUSTAINING RURAL CHARACTER

Does your town... by Gary Matteson

Yes-O or No-O
• ...have a detailed section on agriculture in the Town Master Plan? The
Master Plan is the big picture view of what land uses are encouraged, protected,
or excluded within a town. Does your town's Master Plan refer to "maintaining
rural character", but overlook agriculture as the primary component?
Agriculture shouldn't be an afterthought!

Yes-O or No-O
• ...allow agricultural uses in more than one zoning district? Agricultural businesses
are not the same as other commercial development. Some towns confine agricultural
businesses to the commercial zone only, while other towns prohibit
such uses in the commercial zone! Farm enterprises are often hybrids of several
different uses; ordinances and regulations should allow farm businesses flexibility.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...allow simpler design standards for Site Plan Review regulations on agricultural
businesses limited to seasonal use? Simpler standards for certain
aspects of Site Plan Review regulations make sense for agricultural uses, such
as parking requirements for seasonal retailing or events. When agricultural
uses are limited in scope and impact, they need not be treated as if they
were year-round permanent businesses. Does your town apply the same
site design requirements to a seasonal farm stand as to a grocery store?

Yes-O or No-O
• ...allow flexibility in regulations to accommodate the unusual needs of
agricultural businesses? Both the land use impact and the off-site impact of a
seasonal farm business is much less than that of a full-time business. Pickyour-
own strawberries or Christmas tree farm businesses can't be viable in
a town that treats farms like all other retailers. Do your town's regulations
provide for reduced restrictions such as expanded hours of business operation,
temporary signs, parking near pick-your-own fields, or on street parking?

Yes-O or No-O
• ...require buffer zones between farmland and residential uses? The old saying
"good fences make good neighbors" has a modern corollary that says "good
buffer zones make new neighbors good neighbors." New development
should not place the burden on existing farms to give up boundary land as
a buffer zone between agricultural and residential uses. New residential
development should provide for its own buffer zone and/or landscape
plantings for screening when necessary.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...provide for the agricultural use of open space land created by innovative
residential subdivisions? Many towns have adopted innovative subdivision
regulations like cluster housing, which provide for setting aside open space
land within the subdivision. Ideally, such land should be the most valuable
agricultural land, be big enough for commercial agricultural purposes, and
specifically allow long term agricultural use to provide consistent resource
management. Smaller plots of set aside land could accommodate community
gardens. Land set aside for open space can stay productive agricultural land
and at the same time contribute to the ecological health and scenic quality of
the area -- instead of becoming grown over with brush.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...allow off-site signs to attract and direct farm stand customers? Farm
stands are often seasonal businesses that need to capture potential sales at
harvest time. Signs that give directions to the farm stand and let customers
know what's available (such as strawberries, corn, apples) are vitally important.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...allow accessory uses to agriculture? Remember, it's not just the farmland
that makes farming possible: businesses related to agriculture (veterinarians,
equipment and supply dealers, custom farm providers, feed milling and
delivery, etc.) have to be close enough to serve farmers' needs.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...have a consistent policy approach for local land use procedures that deal with agriculture?
Planning Boards, Zoning Boards, and Conservation Commissions have
different responsibilities, but a common regulatory outlook is possible. Update
your Master Plan to express the value agriculture contributes to your town’s quality
of life through open space, wildlife habitation, watershed purification and natural
resource preservation. Establish a policy presumption that agriculture is of
beneficial use in your town, and fairness will follow.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...have a good idea of how much agriculture there is in town? Consider having a
Town appointed committee formulate an Agricultural Profile to demonstrate the
economic, cultural, and resource stewardship value of agriculture in your Town.
People often carry the misconception that "there's no agriculture in our town" if
they don't see cows and red barns. Agriculture in New Hampshire stretches from
apples and bees to yaks and zinnias!

Yes-O or No-O
• ...allow roadside stands or pick-your-own operations by right? Consider amending
your Town’s zoning ordinance so that certain agricultural operations don't need a
Special Exception or Variance. Write flexibility into ordinances or regulations that
may apply to agricultural land uses so the intent is clearly to promote such use,
not to deny because the rules don’t fit the unique situations that frequently arise
with agricultural businesses.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...use zoning definitions such as “agricultural accessory uses” in a broad and
inclusive manner? “Agricultural accessory uses” refers to everything from
machinery sheds to housing for seasonal workers. Various agricultural businesses
have very different needs that can test the balance of rule and exceptions.
Flexibility written into the ordinances and regulations can prevent many denials of
the sort where “the rules don’t fit”.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...allow farm stands to sell produce purchased elsewhere? Many towns have rules
that a certain percentage of farm stand produce be grown on the farm. The unintended
consequence of such regulation is to penalize farm operators who have a
crop failure! The rational basis for allowing a farm stand shouldn't only be how
much is grown on the farm, but what benefit the farm provides to the town from
the open space, wildlife habitation, watershed purification and natural resource
preservation it accomplishes.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...properly assess specialized agricultural structures? Specialized structures such
as silos, milking parlors, and permanent greenhouses depreciate in value over
time. Providing assessors with depreciation schedules may enable more accurate
valuations, which can lead to lower assessments. If your town frequently
overvalues agricultural structures, this can have a chilling effect on all types of
farm investment.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...allow non-traditional or retail-based farm businesses in an agricultural zoning
district? Agricultural businesses don't all look alike. Trying to decide what constitutes
an agricultural business can involve splitting hairs to make unfamiliar distinctions
between what is “commercial” and what is “agricultural”. Ordinances
defining agriculture based on state law may be accurate, yet need local interpretation.
Your town should recognize that newer types of farm businesses such as
horse arenas, landscape nurseries, or greenhouses are more intensive in land use,
but still carry valuable elements of rural character that benefit the town.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...address agricultural structures in building and safety codes? Building practices
that are state of the art for a specialized use in agriculture may not fit the specifics
of codes meant for housing or commercial structures. Bringing up to code agricultural
buildings that are historic structures may destroy the very qualities that
make them special.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...consider farmland a natural resource and encourage conservation easements, discretionary
easements, and purchase of farmland? Easements and outright purchases of farmland
ensure preservation of the natural resource base for agriculture. Once a town has
applied these techniques, the benefits of keeping farmland in private ownership can be
more clearly appreciated. By understanding and allowing for the peculiarities of agricultural
land use, towns can encourage working farms that contribute to the town’s well-being at
no cost to the taxpayers.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...have any visible demonstration of the value of agriculture? Does your town have a county
fair, an apple festival, or an Old Home Day parade? Making agriculture visible to the
general public helps establish the economic, cultural, and resource stewardship value of
having active farms in a town.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...respect the state Right to Farm law, which has specific exemptions for odor and noise?
Local control is an important tradition for New Hampshire towns. The state Right to Farm
law provides a backstop to farmers if local officials overreach their regulatory authority.
Conflicts between agriculture and other land uses can be reduced when town officials are
informed about Best Management Practices (BMP’s) that may alleviate nuisance complaints.
University of New Hampshire's Cooperative Extension Service writes BMP's about various
agricultural practices based on sound scientific research.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...encourage farmers to use the Soil Productivity Index (SPI) calculations to reduce Current
Use tax burdens? Using Soil Productivity Index (SPI) information may reduce the Current
Use assessment on less productive agricultural land. By reducing the tax burden on agricultural
land, towns can encourage the maintenance of open space at a relatively low cost.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...have farmers serving on local land use Planning and Zoning Boards, Conservation and
Heritage Commissions? There are few better ways to incorporate agricultural concerns into
local land use ordinances and regulations than having farmers serve. Help your town’s land
use boards keep a broad perspective by asking “Have you thought of the consequences...?”

Yes-O or No-O
• ...have farmers serving on the local Economic Development Committee? Agricultural businesses
are frequently undervalued in terms of their effect on the community. Most of the
economic activity generated by farms stays within the community. Negative impressions
about the strength of New Hampshire agriculture may have a similar impact on the availability
of credit to viable farm operations. Having successful farmers on Economic
Development Committees can change these misperceptions.

Yes-O or No-O
• ...know where to go to get advice and assistance on farm questions? Make the connection
to resources such as the Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food (industry regulator,
statewide perspective); UNH Cooperative Extension (technical questions, BMP’s); New
Hampshire Farm Bureau (non-governmental farm lobby, broad experience); Natural Resource
Conservation Service (land and water resource management).

Your Results...
Total Your Score!
Yes on 20-23
• Your town is exceptionally friendly and helpful to its farmers.

Yes on 16-19
• Your town knows that farmers are good neighbors who provide lots of benefits to the quality
of life, but you’re not sure what to do to encourage them.

Yes on 12-15
• Careful! Your town may be less farm friendly than you think...even inadvertently unfriendly.

Yes on 8-11
• Time to get to work helping your fellow citizens understand the importance of protecting its
agricultural base.

Yes on 4-7
• Yours is not a farm friendly town, but there might still be hope. Seek help immediately from
farmers, farm groups and related organizations!

Yes on 0-3
• Ask yourself what you like about your town, and then what it would be like without any
agriculture whatsoever. If there are any farmers left in town, take them out to dinner and
ask them to help you turn over a new leaf.
Presented by The New Hampshire Coalition for Sustaining Agriculture
For more information, please contact Jean Conklin, 603-787-6944 or jean.conklin@unh.edu

CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM ALLIANCE CAPE FARM