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Appreciating the Farmers Who Make District 7 Go
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
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Dear Friends,
I'm proud to represent many agricultural professionals who connect us to the land, foster appreciation of sustainable farming practices, support a growing local food network, and create community gathering places where we can enjoy what makes District 7 special.
Recently, I joined the Office of Agriculture to visit three local farms, where we learned in detail about the successes, challenges, and opportunities our local farmers are experiencing.
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We have large operations such as Sunny Ridge Farm in Gaithersburg, a multi-generational family farm where they're growing corn, wheat, soybeans and raising cattle using no-till techniques and the most modern and efficient management practices.
We visited Bella Vita Farm in Brookeville, where Amy Falcone and her team are doing aquaponics, hydroponics, growing organic table crops, and teaching and training students on these techniques.
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 Councilmember Luedtke with Amy Falcone of Bella Vita Farm. Click on the image to view the video.
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And we ended our tour at Lone Oak Farm Brewing Company, where they are growing barley and hops on-site to help create delicious local craft beer.
These are just three examples of the wide range of agricultural activities happening right here in Montgomery County that strengthen our community and help drive our economy. What all these farmers have in common is a deep commitment to our land, to sustainability, and to seeing agriculture thrive for decades to come.
Please watch the video to learn more - and to hear about some of the policy issues that we must address at the County Council.
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Post-budget legislative action is starting up. Today, the Council will have public hearings on two of our bills.
One will create an Airpark Community Advisory Committee made up of residents near the Montgomery County Airpark and Airpark users to discuss and make recommendations to the FAA and other stakeholders regarding community impacts. A Transportation & Environment Committee session is set for June 29. I'm thankful to Council President Evan Glass, an original co=sponsor, and Councilmembers Will Jawando, Gabe Albornoz, Sidney Katz, and Laurie-Anne Sayles, who are co-sponsorsoring this legislation.
I'm co-sponsoring legislation with Councilmember Katz that would sunset the County's Police Advisory Commission as the terms of the Commission's members wind down. The Police Advisory Commission was created before the Police Accountability Board, which was mandated by State police reform law and is now beginning its work. The goal is to create a single entity of County residents and stakeholders to discuss and make recommendations on public safety policy that is inclusive of the experience and views of public safety professionals. A Public Safety Committee session is set for June 29.
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Reminder: Join Our Public Safety Town Hall
7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. | June 29 | Sherwood High School
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Join me, representatives from the Montgomery County Police Department, and other local elected officials for a town hall, public safety update, and question and answer session from 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 29 at Sherwood High School. We look forward to taking your questions and talking about the public safety issues that matter most to you!
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