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7 <br /> FINAL DRAFT-5-27-26 <br /> Call to Action <br /> The challenges to farming in Orange County are real and growing: we lost 24% <br /> of our farmland to development and other non-agricultural uses between 2017 <br /> and 2022, decreasing from 69,908 to 53,068 acres, according to the most recent <br /> USDA Census of Agriculture statistics (carried out every five years). According to <br /> projections by the American Farmland Trust, we are on a trajectory to lose as <br /> much as 20,000 more acres of farmland to development by 2040. Farm income <br /> likewise declined by 14% during the same period, from nearly $38 million to <br /> about $32.5 million. The ongoing loss of farmland has continued since these 2022 <br /> statistics were generated. Our own independent survey of the county's farmers <br /> and landowners confirmed these findings. <br /> In our current economic environment, the majority of the county's new <br /> development (outside of municipal boundaries) takes the form of large-lot <br /> subdivisions, often consisting of expensive custom homes sited on parcels of 2 to <br /> 10 acres. These houses are usually sited on the best prime farmland, which is the <br /> most level and possesses the highest-quality soils. For those same reasons, this <br /> land is the least costly to develop and performs best for septic systems. On many <br /> levels, this type of development runs counter to all the County's strategic goals. <br /> Not only is this type of high-end housing expensive, it also consumes large <br /> amounts of irreplaceable farmland, increases vehicle-miles traveled, and adds <br /> service costs to the county budget that far exceed the tax revenue they <br /> generate. <br /> As a result of these trends, agriculture in Orange County is approaching a <br /> tipping point. The sky-high property values generated by intensive development <br /> pressure are making it ever harder for landowners and producers to justify the <br /> long hours and uncertain paybacks of farming—especially when most can <br /> readily sell their land for $20,000 to $30,000 per acre, or double that if the land is <br /> close to our municipalities. Our younger new farmers find themselves priced out <br /> of the market as they seek to acquire their own farm. In addition, farming here is <br /> now experiencing a major generational shift, with older farmers unsure of what <br /> to do with their large landholdings as they prepare to retire. <br /> Orange County can be proud of being a statewide pioneer in land <br /> conservation, starting in 2000 when we started the Lands Legacy program. This <br /> initiative has made significant accomplishments by protecting over 4,200 acres <br /> through its conservation easement program, including 29 agricultural easements <br /> protecting 2,326 acres or about 4.5% of the county's active farmland. These <br /> 5 <br />