Connecticut River Watershed Farmers Alliance
Who We Are
We are a farmer-driven 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to helping agricultural producers in the Connecticut River Watershed in VT, NH, and MA improve agricultural land stewardship practices for clean waterways, healthy soil, and productive landscapes through workshops, discussions, resource sharing, and education. We serve as advocates for our community, ensuring voices of farmers are well represented in legislative and policy initiatives affecting the agriculture industry.
Our Mission
The primary mission of the Connecticut River Watershed Farmers Alliance (CRWFA) is to improve and maintain the level of water quality in the eastern side of Vermont and the western side of New Hampshire by supporting agricultural producers in their conservation efforts. To further this goal, we host workshops, farmer-led discussions, and monthly meetings. Many of these workshops and events are co-sponsored by the White River Natural Resource Conservation District, the University of Vermont, University of New Hampshire, and the NRCS.
In addition to hosting events, we provide conservation tillage equipment for rent including two No-Till Seeders, which allow farmers to plant seeds with minimal disturbance to the soil.
We believe that by giving farmers a voice in discussions about water quality we can work together to develop policies that support our agricultural communities while maintaining our natural environment.
History
The Connecticut River Watershed Farmers Alliance began in 2015 when a small group of farmers from the same local area came together to discuss the critical importance of building a network of farmers and resources representing the watershed and the agriculture practiced in both Vermont and New Hampshire. Since then we have steadily grown our membership, purchased equipment for member use, and continue to provide educational resources to our community and our state government.
What We Do
On-farm educational workshops focused on innovative practices: cover cropping, reduced tillage, crop rotation, demos of Best Management Practices, and more;
Networking opportunities for farmers;
Educational resources on a variety of topics, including how to communicate with legislators and others outside the farming community;
Collaboration with other organizations throughout the watershed region including: UVM/UNH Extension, Conservation Districts, Citizen watershed groups, and others.