Real Life with Toni Reece and Guest Kimberly Fies

When most people think about agriculture, they picture tractors, barns, and fields.  But agriculture is much more than that.  It’s food.  It’s family businesses. It’s technology.  It’s economics.  It’s innovation.  And ultimately, it’s about the future of our communities.  Berks County has long been recognized as one of Pennsylvania’ agricultural leaders.  Through decades of land preservation efforts, more than 80,000 acres of farmland have been protected for future generations.  But preserving the land is only part of the story.  The bigger question is how do we preserve, protect, and support the people who farm it?  Kim Fies, Executive Director of the Berks County Department of Agriculture talks about the economic impact, the challenges and the opportunities happening in agriculture and why it is so much more than cows and plows.