Brown Bag Series, January 26, 2012

Partners: University of Idaho Boise State University COMPASS Idaho Center for Sustainable Agriculture Treasure Valley Food Coalition Idaho Smart Growth

Presenters: Erinn Cruz, University of Idaho Helen Ubic, BSU/ U Space Diane Kushlan, AICP, ULI Idaho Panel: Janie Bern, Meadowlark Farms Diane Norton, Idaho Department of Commerce Leah Clark, Idaho Department of Agriculture Rachel Winer, Idaho Smart Growth John Starr, Colliers International Moderator: Robert Taunton, ULI past Chair

 In May ULI Idaho received a $25,000 grant from the ULI Foundation.  Grant was to research the relationship between sustainable agriculture and land use  Build upon earlier research  Focus on Canyon and Ada County Background on the Research

9 What we learned big ideas for the future

Agriculture is an important and valid land use. 1  Good Agriculture land is a finite resource  How has this change of attitude to land-use happened?  Good News

Sustainable local food is a key to sustainable cities. 2  Large scale Agriculture is crucial to the Treasure Valley  What’s wrong with this picture? It’s working now!  What Could Farmers do?  Health

Agriculture must be economically viable to be sustainable. 3

Local Share for Farmers’ Markets  Per Capita Spent on Food = $16.28  Estimated Annual Attendance = 528,581  Annual Expenditures on Food at Farmers’ Markets = $4,302,  Avg. Person Spends $3, on Food per Year Annual Food Expenditures in Treasure Valley: $2,031,746,882  Farmers’ Market Local Share = 0.2%

Local Share for Grocery Stores Annual Expenditures on Local Food Divided by Total Spending of $2,031,746,882 = grocery store local share of 1.8%

Using prime farmland for subdivisions has grave unintended consequences. 4

5  Conflict of land use.  Land- use planning and Farmers Most good building land is also prime agricultural land in the valley.

Resource uses need to be balanced to sustain agriculture and communities 6  No shortage of Agricultural land yet.  465,000 acres n 2011  196,000 acres Irrigated, 2011  This farmland resource could disappear in next 40 years.  We know how to preserve land.

Imagine a different future. 7

Agriculture has many faces 8

Planning for a sustainable future requires good data. 9

Indicator: a measurement Benchmark : a starting point Target: an quantifiable outcome the measure progress

IndicatorBenchmarkTarget

Next Steps...

Questions ?