Panel Members Include: Adam Sharp, Ohio Farm Bureau Sr. Director Legislative and Regulatory Policy; Gale Betterly, Ph.D. Dairy Farmer; Tom Wiandt, Killbuck Valley Mushrooms; Eric Ross, Red Wagon Farm; and Tod Mogren, Millgate Farm.Moderator: Lia Lockert, Civic Commons The new buzz among Americans is all about eating healthier foods. But while demand for locally-grown food is booming, local farms simply can’t meet the growing demand.  North Union Farmers Market has been a pioneering advocate for local farmers, with a 16-year history of attracting more than 300 small farms to their seven “certified producer only” markets throughout Cuyahoga County. In surveying local farmers over the years, North Union has pinpointed the greatest threat to small farm business — overregulation by state and federal government.  The impact on local farms has been devastating — with more than half leaving the business of farming, due to the physical toll on farmers, the lack of funding and manpower, and the excessive cost of simply running the business. How can government protect the consumer and grow more small farms? Is it the job of the government to protect the consumer? What is the government’s role in protecting the consumer while encouraging local agriculture? Register

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