Matt- Updated Thesis Statement

New Farmer Development Program:

Over the past 3 decades, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of farms within the tri-state region. Farms providing fresh produce are a necessity due to the ever increasing population growth. The effort to import crops from across the world to feed the population of NYC alone is a tremendous and expensive task. This cost and effort is an unnecessary factor that can be avoided through production of locally grown produce. At the same time, with the ever growing need for healthier food choices and the increase of immigrants entering into this country with an agricultural background and a need to earn an income, a solution to these problems are vital.

A response to these issues would be to develop a program that both creates new sources of locally grown produce but also provides an income for immigrant families looking for work in the agricultural field. The creation of the New Farmer Development Program satisfies these needs by identifying, educating, and providing disadvantaged immigrants with the tools necessary to become a regional farmer. By providing education, the NFDP ensures regional food security, preserves the economy of local farming communities, and increases the supply of high quality locally-grown produce.

The goal of this semester is to create a link between the urban and rural farmland by providing not only a space for the education of immigrant farmers but also the education of the general public about the benefits of sustainable agriculture in our society today. Interaction with the surrounding community is influenced by creating a marketplace where locally grown produce is sold. Therefore, the site chosen for the NFDP must relate not only to the community but also be in a geographical location where the transport of such goods must be feasible. The Haverstraw landfill became the ideal site because of its close proximity to NYC as well as easy access to the rural farmlands of the Hudson River Valley. A sustainable mindset is not only represented through the production of locally grown crops but also through the adaptive reuse of the landfill in order to give this wasted land back to the surrounding community.