Where will our food come from? A discussion of the need to preserve farmland in the Central Valley of California. AGST 3000 Agriculture, Society and the Natural World

Population and Urban Growth 58 Counties in California Overpowering Factor affecting Farmland Preservation…

Central Valley: 18 Counties (Shasta –Kern ) 42,000 square miles 450 miles long (ex. Boston to Washington) miles wide over 5.5 million population (2000)

San Joaquin Valley: 8 Counties 27,276 square miles 270 miles long 1- Northern San Joaquin Valley: (San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced) 2- Southern San Joaquin Valley: ( Madera, Tulare, Kings, Fresno, Kern) Sacramento Valley: (2 parts) Sacramento Metro - urban in character North Sacramento Valley Land and climate changes – growing changes, uniqueness to valleys and areas

Air quality bases (air region-basin) Inversions and air flows Sacramento Valley Air Basin San Joaquin Air Basin Airflow/pollution…where?

Watersheds: (all rivers flow North) 1-Sacramento River 2-San Joaquin River 3-Tulare/Kings Where do they all end up?

Common characteristics of the valley region Agriculture- linkage Diversity 30% employment

Remember… California is the most productive ag state ( # 1 in production) San Joaquin valley produces ½ of states total in its 8 counties 6 of 8 counties produce more than a billion dollars/ year Entire Central Valley produces 2/3 of states production

Valley Characteristics Common Themes

1 – Fast paced population growth California – 220% Valley190.8% Stanislaus251.3% Madera233.1% Merced201.7% Kern189.8% Fresno189.1% San Joaquin180.7% Kings176.8% Tulare146.6%

2 – Increasing urbanization Bay Area commuters Prison Construction

3 – Increasing numbers of diverse populations Cultural differences Economic differences 4 – Increasing divergence Areas becoming different Diverging from coastal areas and the rest of the state 5 – Each county, city, and unincorporated community has a story to tell

Historical Growth in California 1950 – 1970 CA % Valley not growing as fast (only 44%) Bay area and coastal areas – incredible growth 1970 – 2000 CA. 69.8% Valley – 103.1% Highest growth in the valley – Stanislaus, Merced, Fresno Madera (prison) 196.5%

Population Growth 1990 – 2000 CA. 13.8% Valley20.5% Madera 39.8% Kings27.6% Kern21.4% Stanislaus20.6% Highest shift from North Valley to South valley

Population growth – consequence of economic change…opportunity for a better life 70’s – 2000 characterized by Technology advances Cold war ending Contributed to the expansion of exports Valley 1 – low cost of living affordable housing, inland movement from coastal areas, young families 2 – higher birth rates 3 – movement from abroad

Growth effects: More retail Crowded Pollution More consumer choices Faster population growth within cities Racially and ethnically changing Diversity increased in valley Highest in Tulare, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings

Urbanization in valley …migration from coast Future population projections in comparison … 2000 – CA. 15.3% 31.2% Valley24.1%51% double in valley (7 million) by 2040 What will that do to Agriculture in the Valley? Fresno is #1 Ag county in USA 3.4 billion

Should we protect our Ag Land? Preserve open space Pollution/environment By policy, farmland should be protected ( policy protects land, not farmer)

California Agriculture Urbanization Between 1997 and 2002 California lost 8,282 farms and 1,168,761 acres of farmland. Census of Agriculture, 2002

6 of the top ten fastest growing counties in California are in the Central Valley. All 7 San Joaquin Valley counties made it into the state’s top 20. California Department of Finance 2003 Central Valley Agriculture Urbanization

From , the San Joaquin Valley led the state as a region in conversion of irrigated farmland to urban land- 8,072 acres (5,610 acres were prime ag land). FMMP, 2002 Central Valley Agriculture Urbanization

At the recent rate of construction, the following percentage of housing needs will be unmet from 2000 to 2010 Central Valley Housing Unmet Housing Needs

$1.11 $.31 $.29 Cost of Community Services Studies Median cost--per dollar of revenue raised--to provide public services to different land uses. American Farmland Trust Saving American Farmland: What Works

Bitter Fruit of Sprawl

Low Density Versus Higher Density Scenarios

How much land is being lost statewide?  1992 – 1997…85,200 acres…Prime farmland  Increase from the previous 5 year period…15%  500,000 acres of total farmland lost from 1988 to 1998  Could lose a million more by 2040  Conversion of prime farmland is 30% faster than non-prime farmland

Statewide Farmland Loss...  AFT classifies the Central California Valley as the most threatened farmland in the country  Urbanization could consume or indirectly affect over 3.6 million acres of irrigated land, more than half of the 6.7 million irrigated acres in the 11 counties that comprise the Central Valley floor (AFT survey)  Land converted to urban uses was 87,000 acres over a two year period  22% of all land converted to urbanization is prime farmland

Regional Picture  Regionally – 10-11% of all prime farmland lost to urbanization in Valley  Converted to urban use! ( ) Point is:  Land is being developed at ever increasing rates---significant % of prime farmland is being destroyed

State mapping project  – designed to map California’s Land -- Used to determine 1 – how much Ag land is lost 2- what type of Ag land is being lost, quality of soil, access to water

Farmland Mapping  Assessment of farmland loss is for urban or other uses  48% (half) of all state land is mapped  98% of farmland is mapped  Have to break down – there are differences 1. Quality of soil for growing 2. Access to water (can land be irrigated?) 3. Topography (ex. Flat or sloped)

Water access for irrigation very important in classifying land.  Irrigation – best of best ( most useful )  1.5 million irrigated acres in California 62% (941,000) is in the Valley

Six categories of land: 1. Prime Farm land  most productive soil (highest quality) linked to higher yields and irrigation  precious commodity 2. Farmland of statewide importance  also irrigated land  Soil of slightly lesser quality 3. Unique Farmland  irrigated or non-irrigated  soil less productive

4. Farmland of local importance  each county can determine or have power to designate  board of supervisors can protect 5. Grazing land  livestock grazing  non-irrigated-poorest soil quality 6. Urban  built up land  was farmland and now is used for residential/commercial Six categories of land continued:

Prime Farmland  Best land is prime farmland  50% of whole state 4.3 million acres is prime farmland –  Out of 8.5 to 9 million acres of total farmland  In San Joaquin Valley – 49% of this prime farmland is in our 8 counties. (2.1 mil)

Farmland catagories… 1- Prime farmland- 4.3 million 2- Farmland of statewide Importance – 2 million 3- Unique – 1 million ½ of all #1,2,3 land is in our SJ Valley 8 counties! Why?...Soil, Water, Climate

As you recall…  CA. Valley is losing thousands of acres of prime farmland.  Same trend in Stanislaus County  Look at all the subdivisions  Commercial development  Retail  Patterns of growth pose a threat in the Central Valley.  Potential for urban/rural conflict  Controlled growth?  County must approve new cities, growth boundaries and annexations

Zone of conflict is urban edge…  For Example…N. Modesto- McHenry –  car dealer alley  ¼ community residential  ¼ transportation…roads  ¼ jurisdiction to point of sale…retail sales  ¼ Ag land now or ???

Interest statewide to protect prime farmland.. What are the options?  1. Use regulatory powers of gov. (police power) to conserve land available (Green belts, environmental sensitive areas, Ag buffer zones)  2. Use of special regional agencies that have control over boundaries of communities to protect farmland (Planning Commission).

More options?  3. Use tax incentives for landowners and local govs. to conserve local land (Williamson Act)   4. Use of innovative non-government tools to preserve land (transfer of developers rights/purchase of conservation easements).  Farmland Trust  5. Linking of ag conservation to local economic development clusters… promotes better economic value (business)

Even more options?  6. develop new ways of planning urban areas – smart growth into less “prime” land (General Plan)  7. Sustain environment, encourage greater public involvement…(initiatives on the ballot, Ag buffer zones, Green belts)  best prime farmland is on boundaries of cities.  It lands on the edge - “zone of conflict”  keeps pushing the line (who?)

Local Zoning  Divides jurisdiction into parts (zones)  Establishes what is permitted, prohibited, permitted with permits  What happens if you change zoning (rezoning) – controversial with property rights

How to zone to protect ag?  Set up special Ag buffer zones (typically in counties) ie. Turlock, Merced, Ceres  Set minimum parcel size, not to go below a certain acreage (1, 5, 10, 20, 40)  Minimum parcel sizes have increased over the years to restrict rural development and farmland conversion

Reading Assignments… Nicolai V. Kuminoff, Alvin D. Sokolow and Daniel A. Sumner; Farmland Conversion: Perceptions and Realities. University of California Agricultural Issues Center; Davis, CA; Agricultural Issues Center Issues Brief; number 16; Staley, Samuel R. The ‘Vanishing Farmland’ Myth and the Smart-Growth Agenda. Reason Public Policy Institute, January

After reading the articles from the web and considering our conversation in class answer the following… In your opinion, do you think we should be concerned about the loss of agriculture land and why? In your opinion, what are the most promising options or tools to deal with this issue and why? Do you think that it is a viable alternative to allow our food source to be outside the United States and why? What is your general opinion concerning the class discussion on this issue? Journal