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Meeting Minutes

May 21, 2020 | 6:00 PM | Webex

Board Members in Attendance: Brett Kreher, Bryant Zilke, Diane Held, Rachel Chrostowski, Dan Castle, Mark Gaston, Dan Henry, Scott Bylewski

Staff in Attendance: Sarah Gatti

Guests in Attendance: Maria Whyte, Tom Hersey

  1. Consideration of the January 23 and April 22, 2020 Meeting Minutes

    Bryant Zilke made a motion for APPROVAL of the January 23, 2020 meeting minutes, seconded by Diane Held and carried by all voting members (Scott Bylewski rescued). Bryant Zilke made a motion for APPROVAL, of the April 22, 2020 meeting minutes, seconded by Rachel Chrostowski and carried by all voting members.

  2. Erie County Business Task Force – Update

    Dan Castle debriefed the Board, informing them two subcommittees had been formed focused on marketing and small business. 

  3. Agricultural Sector COVID-19 Recovery Support - Discussion

    Members of the Board summarized the issues they are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic:

    1. Labor Issues
      1. Delays in seasonal migrant workforce arriving and two-week quarantine period where they arrive
      2. Difficulty hiring local workforce because unemployment payments are so high – farms can’t compete
      3. Even when local workers can be utilized, they are inexperienced and not as efficient as seasonal workers
      4. Many farms have group living quarters that could become hotspots for COVID-19. These farms need to prepare a plan so their entire workforce doesn’t take ill.
    2. Shortage of Packaging/Equipment
      1. Shortage of egg cartons for grocery resale
      2. Inability to obtain Honduran pine planting stakes
    3. Supply and Demand
      1. Farm-to-Table suppliers may not have a market this summer if restaurants continue to be take-out only
      2. Cosmetically-defective (i.e., crooked cucumbers) food may not be able to get to market if restaurants continue to be take-out only
      3. Cancellation of festivals (i.e., Eden Corn Festival, Williamsville Strawberry Festival) will negatively impact sales – farmers typically see a big bump in sales at festivals.
      4. Nationwide meat shortages present an opportunity for local farmers to fill that void (at least regionally). However, there is a lack of livestock processing facilities in Erie County

Sarah Gatti then asked the Board on how the County would best be able to help during the COVID-19 pandemic and presented some “starter” ideas: engage a business consultant to help farms prepare reopening plans, fund an agency that is already doing relief work, or supply PPE to farms. Dan Henry agreed these ideas were on the right track. Rachel Chrostowski noted the American Farmland Trust has started a fund o help struggling farmers and suggested County staff get additional ideas from them. Diane Held suggested that some farmers may need assistance preparing a reopening plan. Ms. Held further suggested a specialized workforce development program to train local workers for agricultural positions.

  1. Erie Grown

    Update Ms. Gatti informed the Board the launch of Erie Grown has been met with positive feedback. The website is approaching 20,000 views and approximately 40-45 new growers have enrolled.

  2. Other Business

    Ms. Chrostowski informed the Board she would soon require a signed letter of support from the Chairperson for the 2020 round of farmland protection implementation grants. Such letters do not require oversight from the AFPB as a whole – just a signature from the Chairperson. 

  3. Adjournment

    The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 PM. Sarah Gatti

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