PUBLIC INFORMATION 



To increase public awareness of Massachusetts agriculture 

 and the work of the Department, there were several new pro ejects 

 this year as well as the basic program to inform the news media. 



The first annual awards for news reporting on agricultural 

 topics were announced by the Department in cooperation with 

 a regional contest sponsored by the Northeast Communications 

 Officers of State Departments of Agriculture. State winners were 

 Howie Carr of the Boston Herald American, 1st prize; Marya Dantzer- 

 Rosenthal, Minute-Man Publications, Lexington, 2nd prize; and 

 Emilie Livezey, Christian Science Monitor, 3rd prize. Carr also 

 tied for 1st place in the Northeast regional contest. 



Weekly news releases explained various programs and meetings 

 of the Department, current farm issues, legislation, crop forecasts, 

 "best food buys," nutrition information and locally grown foods 

 in season. The news media were also assisted in any inquiries, 

 and this year there were more than 2200 newsclips concerning the 

 Department in newspaper across the state. 



In cooperation with the Massachusetts Federation of Farmers 

 and Gardeners Markets, listings of farmers markets across the 

 state were compiled and publicized throughout the growing season. 

 A new series of leaflets about Massachusetts grown vegetables 

 was developed for use at farmers markets, roadside stands and 

 retail markets. 



Public service announcements produced by WCVB-TV in behalf 

 of Massachusetts agriculture were used by TV stations across the 

 state. "Countryside," the Department's 25-minute radio program, 

 continued to be aired weekly on WBZ Saturday and Sunday mornings. 

 Current information on retail food prices and various agricultural 

 topics were broadcast regularly on WHDH and WEEI in Boston. Best 

 monthly food buys were featured on the WCVB-TV "Good Day" show 

 during the local growing season. 



The premiere of the film, "Crisis in Yankee Agriculture," 

 was attended by about 500 guests including legislators, farm 

 leaders and some 35 members of the press. A cooperative project 

 of the Department and the Massachusetts Society for Promoting 

 Agriculture and the Blanchard Foundation, the 28-minute color 

 film was written, produced and directed by Peter Feinstein of 

 Cambridge and Mark Kramer of Colrain, Mass. 



"Crisis" explores the multiple problems faced by local 

 farmers: development pressures on the land, sky-rocketing land 

 values, zoning, inequitable taxes and rising transportation 

 costs. Several Massachusetts farmers are interviewed, and 

 Department staff assisted in suggesting filming locations. 



The second annual "Massachusetts Agriculture Week" was 

 planned to coincide with the popular Farm Tour sponsored each 

 August by the Cooperative Extension Service and other agriculture 

 agencies. 



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