Agriculture has always been a large and important part of the region’s economy, even it is often overlooked. But this sector faces many stern challenges, everything from the rising cost of everything to issues with succession at family farms; from weather extremes like the current drought to workforce shortages. Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) works to strengthen area farms and engages the community to build the local food economy. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Jennifer Core, CISA’s executive director, talks with BusinessWest contributing writer George O’Brien about the agency’s broad mission and specific initiatives, such as its Senior Farmshare program, which serves more than 800 seniors in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. It’s must listening, so tune into BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest over both audio and video platforms, and sponsored by Greenfield Cooperative Bank.