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9 sures are rapidly increasing, it is not enough just to set aside farmland. Thus the general plan also contains an innovative agricultural viability program that uses streamlined per- mitting for ag operations, a strengthened right -to -farm ordinance and new rules on clustered rural development to ensure that protected farmland remains economically competitive. "We're a major exporter of different crops you don't find in the Midwest," Colan- gelo said. "The crops we grow are very unique, and we need to make sure the types of products we grow remain viable :' The county's efforts are supported by private groups such as the Monterey County Agricultural and Historical Land Conser- vancy, which has protected some 11,000 acres of farmland in the county through con- servation easements since 1984. The conser- vancy, formed with encouragement and aid from AFT, has sought to accept or purchase easements close to city limits. Facilitating connected tracts of protected farmland has prompted such cities as Gonzales and King County planners and local farmers, who could contact AFT's Saratoga office for in- formation about land use policies and devel- opment issues. AFT also has hosted numerous farmland protection workshops in the county over the past 10 years. "In many ways Saratoga County is a good example of a county taking action," said David Haight, AFT's New York field manager who, along with other AFT staffers, has helped county and town leaders with public education, planning and policy meas- ures and by facilitating farmland protection projects. County officials take the economic devel- opment component of their plan seriously. With a neighboring county, Saratoga jointly hired an agricultural economic development specialist who promotes agriculture and forges economic opportunities for farmers. In past months the specialist has created a Farmer -to- Restaurant Networking Day to build direct sales potential; collaborated with others to plan the county's popular Sundae on the Farm tourism event, which brings about 2,000, people to a local dairy farm every year; helped the Saratoga Farmers Market Association revamp its marketing ef- forts; and applied for a grant to help Sarato- ga farmers better market their products to New York City restaurants and its popular GreenMarket farmers' market network. Salinas Valley, to update its general plan, a blueprint for future growth that dates back to the early 1980s. That's OK, according to Jim Colangelo, the county's assistant executive officer, because of what's at stake: some of the most unique farmland in the nation. Monterey County's, year -round sun- shine, climate moderated by Pacific breezes and fertile soil combine to create a prolific vegetable- producing region with $2.85 billion in agricultural sales, or 40 percent of the coun- ty's economy, according to die 1997 Census. "We're all working toward maintaining the No. 1 industry in Monterey County, but we still need to accommodate growth," Colangelo said. "Conservation of ag land is an important issue throughout the county. People living on the Monterey Peninsula or in urban areas talk about it as preserving open space, while people involved in farm- ing think about the viability of the industry and keeping it economically competitive:' County officials and interested residents are working together to identify Monterey County's most valuable farmland amid grow- ing cities like Salinas, Soledad and King City. The revision of the county's general plan calls for a formal farmland inventory, based on standards developed by the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, and main- taining "agriculturally designated" areas. However, in a county where growth pres- AMERICAN FARMLAND SUMMER 2003 16