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“observer” but if there ever was a conflict of interest this was it. The self-defined role of the American Farmland Trust is to protect the ever dwindling American farm and the way of life associated with it. In fact, the cover story of the most recent issue of Farmland, the magazine of the American Farmland Trust, is on sprawl.
I simply couldn’t reconcile why the American Farmland Trust would be involved in a subdivision that is so obviously in opposition to all that the AFT is supposed to be working to protect and I contacted AFT’s office in Washington the next day to talk with Mr. Daukas. Mr. Daukas admitted that he is an old friend of Mr. Epstein’s and instead of excusing himself from this entire matter, for the obvious conflict of interest, Mr. Daukas is helping facilitate and justify this development with his presence.
A farmers’ co-op or an agricultural center could be an important way to help protect the farms and farmers of Rappahannock County. But linking a housing subdivision and a developer whose only interest to establishing a farmers’ co-op is on the “concept” level with no real commitment in capital or land with the serious issue of sprawl that threatens our county’s farms is impossible.
They are in direct conflict with each other and it would be most helpful if the Rappahannock News would do a follow up article on the potential impact of this and similar development projects proposed just outside out county borders.
John Kirchner
Ragged Mountain
Resource Center
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