The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) is launching NationalCapitalFarms.org, a new Web site aimed at promoting and protecting local agriculture in the metropolitan Washington region. It provides up-to-date information on locally grown food, farmers markets, wineries and much more. The site is hosted by COG on behalf of the Regional Agricultural Workgroup partners, which includes local governments, farmers, farmers markets, and other nongovernmental organizations. The new site is part of the partnership’s mission to promote agriculture in the metropolitan Washington region.
The site features an interactive regional map that helps browsers view, select and connect to agricultural producers and programs in their neighborhood. It serves as a central hub of information for marketing regional farm products. Additionally, the site links potential consumers with producers and vendors of farm products and informs consumers about the many benefits of buying locally grown products, including reduced transportation costs, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Features of the site include:
- Local government agricultural information
- A calendar of events at farmers markets
- An agricultural forum and classifieds for fruits and vegetables in season
- A seasonal food calendar
- Locations of pick-your-own farms
- Restaurants featuring local agricultural products
- Links to affiliate Web sites
- Regional agricultural statistics
- Educational programs