APB Meeting Summary 03192025 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 produce food, to find out why they choose to go into farming and to learn how farming works or doesn't work for them. Most of the ones they've interviewed are in 30s and 40s and have been farming for five or more years. They've found a broad range of reasons that folks go into farming. Many have college degrees but have chosen farming as a way to have meaningful work/life. They've often spent time working on other farms first, sort of as apprentices, to learn about farming. Challenges tend to focus on business management, access to labor, marketing and cost of land acquisition or leasing. They're looking at what other counties and areas of the country are doing in these areas. They'll be happy to share what they learn as they move forward with the project. c) Revised/updated draft of updated Ag Viability and Farmland Stewardship Plan: Saiers walked members through the new condensed version of the plan for the membership. This version incorporates recent input from David Stancil among others. The plan is organized around a set of goals, followed by recommendations for each goal, then lists of specific actions that need to be taken to implement the goals. In brief, the goals are: plan for agriculture, to make it a central planning consideration; conserve farmland through direct measures, like conservation easements; and last, to enhance the economic viability of agriculture. We will present this to the BOCC at their work session on April 8. They will be given the full version in advance. Discussion followed. Looking ahead, it's important to recognize that the goals of the plan will have to be implemented/carried out through specific requests that the APB and others will have to place before the BOCC for action/funding, and through the planning process and amendments to the LIDO. Chair Hughes suggested that a motion should be made from the floor to express support/endorse the draft. Discussion followed. The final plan that we present needs to be clear about our priorities, maybe in order, and it's likely that costs will be an issue too. Staff explained that we will present this draft to the BOCC at the work session, with the goal of soliciting their input and feedback. It's likely that the plan will need revisions to incorporate the BOCC's input. Ranells moved to endorse the draft plan, seconded by Hooten. Some discussion followed about the issue of defining agritourism. Motion carried unanimously. 7. Informational Items/Future Agenda Items: a. APB presentation at BOCC work session on April 8: Covered during discussion of draft plan. b. Ag Summit follow up: deferred in the interest of time. c. Extension and Ag Economic Development activities: Ortosky showed a new video about agrovoltaics and described the proposed demonstration project being planned for the Breeze farm, pending a grant from the Dept of Energy, which might be uncertain now. d. Membership: Staff reviewed the roster briefly, noting that four members will be retiring off the APB on June 30, 2025. So please start thinking about names of prospective new members and share that contact information with staff, who will reach out to these folks. 8. Time for Information Sharing: None 9. Adjournment: Sykes moved to adjourn, seconded by Hughes; meeting adjourned at 9:02pm.