Local Media Covers Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer’s visit to Big River Chestnuts

Big River Chestnuts, led by Regenerative Design Group’s Jono Neiger, recently welcomed Massachusetts’ inaugural Climate Chief, Melissa Hoffer, as part of her tour of western Massachusetts farms. The visit, organized collaboratively by RDG, CISA, Berkshire Agricultural Ventures, Hampden-Hampshire Conservation District, American Farmland Trust, and Momentum Ag, highlighted the vital role of agriculture in meeting the state’s climate goals.

Hoffer’s visit was covered by the Greenfield Recorder and New England Public Media and focused on how farming can serve as a climate solution by capturing greenhouse gases and building resilience through techniques like agroforestry. As she explained, “As we take fossil fuels out of transportation, out of the power sector, and out of the building sector, it never really gets to net-zero unless you have the carbon drawdown from our agriculture sector.”

At Big River Chestnuts, Hoffer saw firsthand the potential of perennial crops like chestnuts, elderberries, and persimmons to build healthy soils and hydrology, support ecosystems, and strengthen community networks. NEPM’s The Fabulous 413 also joined the tour, recording conversations with Hoffer, CISA’s Stephen Taranto, and farmers like Jono Neiger about the challenges and opportunities of climate-friendly agriculture.