The Farmland Values Project, a three-year research project supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and centered at UNC Asheville, is holding small community discussions with residents of Buncombe, Haywood, Madison and Henderson counties. The project hopes to meet with members of these four counties to record their thoughts about ways that local farmland contributes to their lives and communities.

Information and opinions from these meetings will be combined with other data to guide decisions about farmland use in rural communities.

These meetings, also known as focus groups, will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through June in locations throughout the region. If you are interested in participating, please contact Daniel O’Leary by phone at 828/250-3866 or by e-mail at doleary@unca.edu.
 

SIDEBAR:

The following Farmland Values community meetings will be held for specific audiences across Western North Carolina from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in various locations. For more information or to register, contact Daniel O’Leary by phone at 828/250-3866 or by e-mail at doleary@unca.edu.

• Focus group for northwestern Buncombe County residents: May 16
   
• Focus group for northwestern Buncombe, eastern Henderson, southeastern Haywood and central Madison County land developers: May 23
   
• Focus group for eastern Henderson County residents: May 25, 30 and June 1
   
• Focus group for northwestern Buncombe, eastern Henderson, southeastern Haywood and central Madison County Hispanic farm workers: June 6
   
• Focus group for northwestern Buncombe, eastern Henderson, southeastern Haywood and central Madison County retirees: June 8
   
• Focus group for Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood and Madison County city residents: June 13
   
• Focus group for southeastern Haywood County residents: June 15, 20 and 22
   
• Focus group for central Madison County residents: June 27, 29 and July 6