[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5241]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN 
      SUSTAINING AGRICULTURE (CISA) SOUTH DEERFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 15, 2013

  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding 
work of Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture throughout western 
Massachusetts for the past twenty years. The organization has grown 
from a small group of farmers to a community of restaurants, farmers, 
neighbors, and local businesses. CISA has increased the visibility of 
locally produced food through its highly successful ``buy local'' 
campaign--the longest running in the country--and supported the growth 
of farmers' markets in Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties to 
include over 50 local produce markets including seven winter markets.
  The Pioneer Valley, and the nation as a whole, Mr. Speaker, has 
benefitted greatly from the contributions of CISA. Over five years, 
CISA helped to increase the total acreage of farmland in Franklin, 
Hampshire, and Hampden counties by four percent and doubled the annual 
total dollar amount of agricultural products sold by local farmers to 
the community to nearly eight and a half million dollars.
  Mr. Speaker, western Massachusetts is blessed by some of the most 
picturesque landscapes in this country. Because of CISA's commitment to 
supporting farmers and preserving these farmlands, we can pass this 
incredible resource on to the next generation.
  Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues in the United States House of 
Representatives to join me in congratulating Community Involved in 
Sustaining Agriculture on twenty years of vital service to the 
community of western Massachusetts.

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