MEET FARM FRIENDS STAFF
|
Henry Bierlink - Executive Director Mobile: 360.815.9117 |
Hannah Coyne - Office Manager |
Whatcom Farm Friends
1796 Front St. Lynden, WA 98264-1714
Office: 360.354.1337
Fax: 360.354.0948
]]>MEET FARM FRIENDS STAFF
|
Henry Bierlink - Executive Director Mobile: 360.815.9117 |
Hannah Coyne - Office Manager |
Whatcom Farm Friends
1796 Front St. Lynden, WA 98264-1714
Office: 360.354.1337
Fax: 360.354.0948
]]>Whatcom Farm Friends Members
As of May 1, 2012
| PRODUCERS Farmers actively involved in Agriculture |
AG BUSINESS Agriculture related business who support producers |
FRIENDS All who support Ag Education, Awareness & Promotion |
|
BERRY PRODUCERS DAIRY PRODUCERS CATTLE PRODUCERS NURSERY / GREENHOUSE SEED POTATO TREE FRUIT ORGANICS HEIFER OTHER PRODUCERS |
PLATINUM ($10,000+) TITANIUM ($5,000 TO $9,999) GOLD ($1000 TO $4,999) SILVER ($500 TO $999) BRONZE ($100 TO $499) OTHER AG BUSINESSES |
BARN RAISER ($5,000+) RANCHER ($1,000 TO $4,999) HARVESTER ($250 TO $999) CULTIVATOR ($100 TO $249) GARDENER ($25 TO $99) IN-KIND MEMBERSHIP TRADES |
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Whatcom Farm Friends Goals & Objectives
Agriculture in Whatcom County needs and deserves a unified and powerful voice to protect and sponsor its interests. Whatcom Farm Friends is comprised of two companion non-profit organizations governed by the same board. Farm Friends focuses their Programs, Projects and Activities through the following Mission, Purpose and Objectives.
Read our accomplishments in 2011 in relation to these goals
To preserve and enhance agriculture as an important industry and to be a good steward of our natural environment through policy management, advocacy, business improvement, education and outreach.
Goal 1 |
| Foster fair and fact-based public policies for the agricultural industry with respect to land, water, and labor. |
| Objectives |
| 1. Ensure that all farmland has adequate access to legal water. |
| 2. Ensure that all farmland has proper drainage, erosion control, and flood protection |
| 3. Educate policymakers to ensure well reasoned agricultural policies that minimize the negative impact of regulations on farmers |
| 4. Preserve the necessary land base (100K acres) of productive farmland, while protecting the economic value to the farmer and ensuring a sustainable agricultural industry in Whatcom County. |
Goal 2 |
| Improve the economics of farm operations to assure sustainability and prosperity. |
| Objectives |
| 1. Facilitate the creation of new profit opportunities for local farmers. |
| 2. Provide a structure for direct service programs for farmers. |
| 3. Facilitate the development of succession plans with farmers, and programs that assure the continuance of farming and farmland. |
Goal 3 |
| Build county-wide communities of support for agriculture. |
| Objectives |
| 1. Develop positive, productive relationships and partnerships with other agencies and groups such as other Ag partners, environmental groups, economic development groups, and higher education. |
| 2. Educate the general community about: a. Where our food comes from. b. Common misconceptions about farming. c. Farmers' role as environmental stewards. d. The value of Ag in our local economy. e. How Agriculture contributes to our quality of life. |
| 3. Advocate for the role of all Whatcom farms, large and small, in effectively and efficiently feeding the community and the world. |
| 4. Build relationships between farmers and the general community. |
| 5. Educate the farm community about what the broader community expects of farmers. |
Please join us in supporting agriculture and our natural resources that help define the place we call Whatcom County.
Questions? Seeking more information? Click here to submit an inquiry or contact us at the phone number or email below.
Meet our Board of Directors
| Name |
Affiliation | Term (serves through) |
| Nathan Smit, President |
Dairy |
Dec 2013 |
| Marty Maberry, Vice President |
Berry |
Dec 2013 |
| Chuck Antholt, Secretary |
Misc/Ag/Natural Resources | Dec 2013 |
| Todd Burgers, Treasurer | Ag Business |
Dec 2012 |
| Paul Grey | Technology | Dec 2012 |
| Sherm Polinder | Dairy | Dec 2012 |
| Dale Bedlington | Seed Potato | Dec 2012 |
| Debi Gavette | Tree Fruit | Dec 2013 |
| Aaron Bagwell |
Whatcom Farmers Co-Op | Dec 2012 |
| Brad Smith |
WWU/Environmental Studies | Dec 2012 |
| Don Eucker | Ag Business | Dec 2013 |
| Lesa Boxx | Berry/Ag Business | Dec 2013 |
| Open Position |
The Board of Directors meets on the second Friday of the month, 7:30 a.m., at Dutch Mothers Restaurant in Lynden
Contact through our office at 360.354.1337 or by email to farmfriends@wcfarmfriends.com
]]>Whatcom Farm Friends Advisory Board
In June 2010 the Farm Friends Board invited a group of respected farmers representing our diverse farm community to join us in an advisory capacity to our governing board. It is our sense that we need to be regularly checking with the constituents we represent so that our efforts are clearly focused and our voice is consistent with a majority of the farm community.
The advisory board will meet three times annually with the 4th Tuesday of October, January, and April from 12p-2p as the targeted time.
Advisory Board Members
Ed Blok, Ag Advisory Committee, Whatcom County
Brian Cieslar, Ag Advisory Committee - Whatcom County
Pete Dykstra, Row Crop
Greg Ebe, Seed Potato, Bertrand WID
Adam Enfield, Raspberry Commission
Derek Gavette, Farm Bureau
Randy Honcoop, Berry
Gretchen Hoyt, Organic
Wes Kentch, Cattle
Casey Lankhaar, North Lynden WID
Fred Likkel, Dairy Federation
Dan Noteboom, Farm Bureau
Jeff Rainey, Planning Commission
Greg Smit, Dairy
John Steensma, PDR Advisory Committee
Tom Thornton, Tree Fruit & Nursery
Paul Troutman, Nursery
Kim Vlas, WC Dairy Women
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Whatcom Farm Friends is comprised of two companion non-profit organizations that are governed by the same board:
Whatcom Farm Friends - Producers
WFF-P is a tax exempt 501(c)(5) organization advocating for the interests of farmers and agriculture related businesses. Contributions to WFF-P are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. A portion of your contribution is used to engage in political lobbying type activities on your behalf. Farm Friends estimates that 20% of contributions received will be used for lobbying type activities and thus 20% is not deductible. 80% of your contribution may be deducted as an ordinary and necessary business expense for farms and ag-businesses.
Whatcom Farm Friends - Community Education
WFF-CE is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization whose primary purpose is to educate the wider community about agriculture issues and the value of this substantial portion of our local economy and way of life. Contributions to WFF-CE are fully deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. One of the reasons Farm Friends maintains WFF-CE as a separate organization is that there are a significant number funding opportunities and benefits available to 501(c)(3)'s that are not available to 501(c)(5)'s.
History
WFF-P came into existence in 2007. Prior to 2007 it was known as the Whatcom County Agriculture Preservation Committee (WCAPC) or APC/Ag Pres, and it operated under a separate board of directors from Whatcom Farm Friends. The decision was made to consolidate the boards and rename WCAPC to Whatcom Farm Friends - Producers (and in turn add Community Education to the name for Farm Friends) in order to maximize administrative efficiency as well as to acknowledge that the two organizations serve in a complimentary role.
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