Agenda - 02-02-1999 - 10e - Laserfiche WebLink

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When asked which factors would influence the respondent's decision to discontinue their operation, 70% noted that more restrictive planning and zoning regulations would contribute to this choice. The other options followed closely behind, with increasing urban pressures and environmental regulations receiving 65% of the votes. The results under Section B -Environmental Regulations suggest that local planning regulations have a greater influence on the farmer's perception of the burden of environmental regulations than do state and federal requirements. Taxes and Profttability Nineteen percent (19%) of respondents report their agricultural operation is not profitable, while 38% report a profit and 35% indicated their operation broke even. When asked what factors limit profitability, most respondents indicated equipment and chemical costs as the major factors. As expected, a large number (79%) of respondents stated that their land is taxed at agricultural use value. A large majority of respondents (70%) also stated that taxes are a strong factor in the profitability of their operation. Although farmers participating in the Present Use program enjoy a significant tax break on their land, over 75% of the respondents would like to see a reduction in taxes on farm machinery, buildings, and residences. Taxes are a testy issue for farmers. In several conversations between active farmers and Planning staff, it became apparent that many farmers feel the general public misunderstands how tax issues affect the farming community. Without question, the present use program is a substantial benefit for farmland owners, greatly lowering their tax liability on large tracts of land. Clearly, this tax break allows many agriculturists to stay in business. The present use program also ensures an adequate land supply, as many non-farming landowners keep land in the program by leasing it to full-time farmers. Despite this advantage, however, even the reduced taxes on farmland must still be factored into the farmer's operational costs. Farmers pay taxes at full market value on their dwelling and houselot, the same as other Orange County citizens, and many farmers also pay property taxes on dwellings they provide for farmworkers. Furthermore, full time farmers pay taxes on equipment such as tractors, harvesters, and combines. Many farmers consider this particularly onerous, especially when other landowners -not full time farmers -can own tractors and other equipment without this tax liability. Proposed programs jor Orange County Agriculturists and Citizens Proposals for new agricultural preservation programs within Orange County were supported, while others received less favorable responses. Many people responded that they needed more information concerning the proposals, signaling a need for education programs if these options were further pursued. Survey respondents overwhelmingly supported the' idea of an Agriculture Advocate who would serve as a liaison between farmers and various government agencies. Seventy percent (70%) of farmers said they would be interested in seeing this position created. Many respondents stated the individual should have farming experience and be chosen by the farmers. Respondents also 1998 Orange County Agricultural Survey