Transcript No Slide Title

UCCE and County Government:
Collaboration Leads to Agricultural
Economic Development Benefits (1999-2005)
Rachel Elkins, County Director and Pomology Farm Advisor, UCCE Lake County and Kelly Cox, Administrative Officer, County of Lake
Collaborators: Lake County Board of Supervisors, Lake County Business Outreach & Response Team, Lake County Cattlemen’s Association, Community Development Services, Lake County Farm Bureau, Lake County Farmers and Neighbors
Planning Committee, Lake County Farmers’ Finest, Lake County Marketing & Economic Development Program, Lake County Chapter California Women for Agriculture, Lake County Winegrape Commission, UC Agricultural Issues Center, UC California
Communities Program , UC Center for Cooperatives, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Risk Management Agency, West Lake Resource Conservation District
There is a struggle to maintain viable
agricultural lands in Lake County
• Increasingly difficult for farmers to finance land and
operation
• More competition with imports
• More wholesale and retail consolidation
• Rising costs of inputs
STRATEGY 1: Strengthen Lake County
Agricultural Land Use Policy
1999 Strengthen Local “Right-to-Farm” Ordinance
Funding from UC California Communities Program for Intern Matt
Wacker. (Collaborator: UC Extension Specialist Al Sokolow)
• Affirms the value of agricultural activities
• Increasing regulations
• Primarily an educational tool
• Increasing “urban flight” in-migration
• Helps prevent small complaints from growing
into major lawsuits.
• Escalating land values
• Increasing conversion of land to non-farm uses
• Increasing conflict with non-farming neighbors
STRATEGY 2: Implement an Agricultural
• Useful for county officials dealing with
complaints.
• Increasing fragmentation of land
Economic Development Program
2002 Conduct Pre-Feasibility Study of a
Lake County Marketing Cooperative
Funding from UC Center for Cooperatives for Intern Andy Lucas
(Collaborator: Shermain Hardesty)
• History
• Satisfy the expressed need for alternative and
increased marketing avenues by individuals and
pre-existing organized groups
• Listings
• Assist in developing and enhancing services for
agriculture in financing, marketing, and alternative
crops
• Activities
Funding from CCP for Intern D’Arcy Dornan. Additional
funding from Lake County Board of Supervisors and local
grower entities. Funds for mailings and publicity were
contributed by UC Agricultural Issues Center & USDA RMA.
Orderly development of new economic sectors
Community values, unique identity, sense of place, tradition
Protects environmental values, provides open space
Maintain opportunity for future generations
2001 Develop & Present Community
Forum on Agricultural Conservation
Easements
Funding from CCP for lntern Nancy-Clair Laird
UC Extension Specialist Al Sokolow)
• Engage local planning committees
• Over 70 attendees
• Recipes
• Resulted in development of the
Lake County
Agricultural Easement Program (ACE)
managed by West Lake RCD
2005 Available online:
http://www.lakecountyag.com
• 2 plenary sessions with 8 speakers
and 9 workshops with 34 panelists.
• Lake County farm and food
products
• Over 125 attendees
• Inspiration for further collaborative
solutions
Kelly Cox, Lake County Administrative
Officer, answers the questions“How Are
Agricultural Marketing Issues and
Needs Being Addressed?”.
• Resources available online
Topics included:
•
crop diversification
•
organic farming
•
agri-tourism
•
marketing strategies
2005 Expand Lake County Ag Tourism Program
Funding from Lake County Marketing Program. Widespread
expansion of ag-tourism focused on Lake County Farmer’s
Finest (farmers and supporters) organization.
• Develop and maintain delivery systems
• Develop and use measurement tools
• Share successes!
• Tours
• A 1.5 day conference
• Experiences from other counties: Marin Ag
Land Trust, Sonoma County Land Trust,
Sonoma Open Space District
• Local panel: Grower, Appraiser & Lender,
County Community Development, Realtor
• Integrate strategies for solutions
• Events
Provided resources and ideas
(Collaborator:
• Develop & strengthen partnerships
• Develop funding sources
• Map
2004 Solutions for Today’s Farmers Conference
Role in local economy
• Find expert technical assistance
Includes:
2003/2004 Develop and Present
WHY do we care?
By Developing Collaborations for Mutually
Beneficial Solutions
Funding from the Lake County Marketing Program.
• Determine whether a local marketing cooperative
would be feasible or valuable
• Permanent loss of land
UCCE Responds to the Problem:
2004 Update California’s Lake County Farm
Trails: Backroads, Shopping & Tours
brochure
Samples of local products
4-H Youth volunteers
performed community
service assisting with
food service.
Surveying resources developed
for the conference.