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14 <br /> a vibrant, thriving local farm economy, allowing farmers to remain in business <br /> and thus preserving farmland and supporting local food production/food security. <br /> • Continue to collaborate and communicate with the Planning Department and the <br /> BOCC in matters relating to agriculture. <br /> • Continue to promote and recommend Voluntary Agricultural Districts and Enhanced <br /> Voluntary Agricultural Districts. <br /> • Support continuation of the successful Farm-to-Table Event for about 300 <br /> local 4th graders, held annually at Blackwood Farm Park. <br /> • Enroll additional farm owners in the Century Farm Program through assistance <br /> with applications and deed research. <br /> What are the concerns or emerging issues your board has identified for the upcoming <br /> year that it plans to address, or wishes to bring to the <br /> Commissioners' attention? <br /> • The APB believes that the ongoing loss of prime agricultural land is a significant <br /> threat to the future of agriculture in the County. Farmland continues to be developed <br /> at an alarming rate due to rising land prices. Existing farmers find it increasingly hard <br /> to justify staying in business, while the cost of establishing a new farm is prohibitive <br /> for younger farmers. As a result, farmland throughout the county is being taken out <br /> of production and converted to residential use, which requires expanded use of <br /> County services at additional taxpayer cost. The APB's new draft Agricultural <br /> Viability and Farmland Stewardship Plan proposes a wide range of strategies to <br /> enable the County to address the loss of farmland and enhance the economic <br /> sustainability of farming for both traditional and small-scale/intensive farms. The <br /> APB will present recommendations to the BOCC in early 2025. <br /> • Agritourism continues to be an important way for farm owners to maintain their farms <br /> and diversify. More than half of County farmers/landowners responding to the APB's <br /> 2023 survey indicated that they would consider agritourism as a means of expanding <br /> or enhancing their agricultural business. The APB supports policies to increase new <br /> agritourism opportunities to enhance/diversify farm income and attract visitors. <br /> • The average age of our farmers continues to increase. Our "senior" farmers control a <br /> large percentage of our open farmland. Their retirement will result in a significant <br /> decline in active farm acreage over the next decade. The APB's 2023 farm survey <br /> revealed that the majority of farmers/landowners plan to leave their farms to a family <br /> member, but many don't have a transition plan/estate plan. The APB will increase <br /> efforts to educate farmers/landowners about transition and estate planning, and also <br /> increase educational outreach efforts to inform landowners about conservation <br /> easements including those available through the Lands Legacy Program. <br /> • There is growing need for new local or regional processing facilities and cooperative <br /> marketing opportunities to enable our smaller producers to supply larger-scale <br /> customers, including local universities and schools—thus allowing them to grow and <br /> compete with larger corporate producers and enhance local food security. The <br /> majority of the new farm operations being started in the County are small market <br /> farms, where crops are grown intensively on smaller parcels, to be sold locally at <br /> markets. These farmers will thrive if they can aggregate produce for larger buyers. <br /> 3 <br />