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5 <br />f Agricultural Trends in Orange County <br />The Past Ten Years: <br />- Steady, continual decline in number of dairy producers (25 today, 48 in 1986). Attributable <br />to many factors, including declining profit margins, value of land for development, lack of <br />interest on part of succeeding generations. <br />- Increase in Nursery and Greenhouse production. A few full time, large growers. Many <br />small specialty nurseries. <br />- Large increase in the number of small horse farms (10 -20 acres) and horse owners, mostly <br />through subdividing larger farms. <br />- Decline in the number of swine producers. All feeder pig production has switched to <br />market hog production. Influenced by marketing changes and inability to adapt to current <br />large volume market conditions. <br />- Increased number of small vegetable growers selling locally through farmers markets and <br />local retail outlets and restaurants. Primarily part time growers. <br />- Tobacco producer numbers have remained fairly stable. There has been some consolidation <br />of smaller allotments into larger farms. Total pounds grown is dependent on adjustments to <br />allotments determined by supply and demand and regulated by USDA. A few have <br />diversified their operations (five new broiler- breeder poultry houses, turfgrass production). <br />- Beef cattle and other livestock operation numbers have remained fairly stable with only a <br />slight decrease in the numbers of beef operations and cattle. <br />- Timber sales and harvesting has increased dramatically in the last few years with the <br />opening of additional markets in surrounding counties. <br />- Continual increase in the number of landscape' contractors and landscape maintenance <br />operators associated with increasing population. <br />- Pressures associated with residential growth and accompanying increases in traffic and land <br />values, along with growth in tax rates on equipment and personal property shit harder <br />to farm. <br />- Increased governmental regulations related to environmental issues such as federal soil <br />conservation requirements, state laws such as .0200 regulations, and Senate Bill 1217 <br />• affecting confined livestock operations have required unplanned capital expenditures. <br />