APB meeting summary 03172021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 applications to the APB for approval. We will coordinate with the land records staff to track changes to ownership, now that we have so many farms in the program. We'll add an online application too. b. Membership: Staff noted that Vaughn Compton retired off the APB back in June, in his district position, so need a replacement. Members thanked Compton for his dedicated service. c. Meeting with BOCC to discuss annual report and work plan:There will be the usual annual meeting with the BOCC coming up later this spring. Staff will keep you informed.This will be virtual. d. Future presentation by Animal Services about livestock dog protection:Animal Services wishes to make a presentation soon regarding livestock dog care and treatment. e. Ag Economic Development report: No report tonight. f. Next Steps on milk processing feasibility study: McKnight provided an update/overview of the decline of dairying here.The new idea of cow shares has been gaining popularity. Consumers purchase a share of a cow and in return can get a regular allotment of raw milk.The use of raw milk presents some challenges but this does provide a way for existing dairy farmers to adapt and stay in the business. McKnight asked the members: 1) is there a demand for regional/group milk processing facility along the lines of PFAP, but just for dairy products? 2) is there a need for a testing program to support the increased production/consumption of raw milk?Can Orange Co. support a program of testing raw milk?This entails chain of custody and regulatory issues. Discussion followed.There is a general sense that raw milk does have a lot of interest, but brings challenges. We need to know how many people are really interested in producing. We got here over many years, starting in the 1940s using very local processing,then moving to regional,then almost national scale. So this would be going against the trends. Dairy farmers can't feed cows with price of feed and still make money. Are people who are not in cows right now willing to devote all the capital and time to developing a herd? Do we think it is important to maintain dairying in Orange Co. Sykes noted that 40 years ago there were over 90 dairies, but when he sold recently, he was only one of 4 active dairies left. He never would have started a conventional dairy farm unless it had been in his family already—it's too hard and takes too much capital. He moved to cow shares as a way to find a niche and gets good feedback, and is the only one so far doing this here. He offers shares for a yearly fee then you buy the product by the gallon.They market by Facebook,word of mouth, and their web site.The interest in raw milk is driven because this is the traditional way that cows were raised, in pasture, no processing, and they know where their milk is coming from. Raw milk can be easier to digest for some people, helped by the natural A-2 gene that is found in some Jersey cows. McPherson noted that if he could milk 40 cows and make money, he'd still be doing it. There are still people now in Orange Co who know the business, and still have the infrastructure,the barns etc. So we are in a time sensitive place in this discussion as folks will die off and/or sell their land. All agreed that dairying is a way of life that requires special dedication. Is the interest there for newcomers? McKnight asked members to mull over the concept of how/if it is going to be possible to have cows milked here in the long run? Dairying has a rich history here and she'd hate for all the citizens to have to be dependent on milk coming largely from Texas and California. 8. Time for Information Sharing: None 9. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 9:20 pm.