11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Impacts of Sprawl -NRI vs Conversions up from  1.2 Million Acres per year to  2.2 Million Acres per year

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture National Map

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Conversions American Converted 6,000,000 Acres from  (=~12Alabama Counties) Conversions are a one time crop

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Alabama Map

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Alabama’s Standing State ranks 13 th in total conversions ,000 Acres (26K/yr) ,000 Acres (63K/yr) State ranks 10 th in Prime Farmland losses to development

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Top 20

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Growth Factors Population Growth & Migration 0.96% population growth Cheaper Land Transportation Corridor Development Spreading Infrastructure Larger Lots 2% / yr lot size

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11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Lot Size 1950’s Average < 1.0 acre / home site 1997 Average > 1.8 acres / home site

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Other Factors Absentee Ownership Farm Revenue decreases Off farm employment Cheaper imports

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Cost of Community Services

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Hidden Costs Emergency response time increases Fire response time increases Insurance (ISO) ratings decrease School bus route time increases (Police response time decreased)

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Other Considerations Smell Dust Slow vehicles Chemicals

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Environmental Impacts Farmland / Open land Storm water sponge Heat Island sink Air Quality buffer All of these factors will have to be mitigated upon conversion

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Food Production

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Opportunity Lost Eco Tourism Heritage Trails MicroFarm Enterprises Anything other than Impervious Surfaces

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Help? Land Trusts Up from 1 in the ’90’s to 7 in ’02 Farmland Protection Program $900,000 Forever Wild The Nature Conservancy

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Options Brownfield redevelopment Greyfield redevelopment Tax breaks Mitigation Banks

11/21/2002Sustainable Agriculture Sloss Phytoremediation

Paul Kennedy USDA-NRCS x135