The world could use more farmers. It’s a statement that’s been true since I was a kid. It’s an honorable job that we need more people doing here in the United States, but with video game creation, becoming a social media influencer, or an athlete, it’s tough to sell kids on it. This new program hopes to show them a little more about what it means to be a farmer.

Erie County unveils the Erie Grown Passport

Erie County is starting a new program that hopes to get people excited about farming, or at the very least, help them understand a little bit more about what goes into making the food that you eat every day. It’s called the Erie Grown Passport and it’s underway right now.

How the Erie Grown Passport works

The program is simple. Adults and children can both participate. You can either use the online Passport or request a printable version of your own.

To use the online version, you’ll need to enter your contact information and proceed to the “Passport” page of the form to select locations you have visited. You can also upload images of your Erie Grown Passport images to earn extra points.

Press submit to save your Passport progress. An access link will be emailed to you. This link enables you to come back and update your Passport throughout the year.

To get the printable version, simply email agriculture@erie.gov.

When you’ve printed it out, you’ll see a list of farms or farm-related businesses that are participating. When you visit them, you’ll simply mark down the date that you’ve visited then scan and email it back to agriculture@erie.gov or mail to:

Attn: Erie Grown Passport
Erie County Department of Environment and Planning
95 Franklin Street
Buffalo, NY 14202

Here are the rules they’ve provided:

Passports must be marked between March 21, 2026 – December 31, 2026.One Passport allowed per person. One entry allowed per listing.Be kind and make a purchase.Passports must be received by January 15, 2027.

For any other questions, reach out to agriculture@erie.gov for questions.

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