AFA promotes agricultural viability in General Plan update
November 2007
The Yolo AFA has been working consistently throughout the year to see that its recommended measures to support agricultural economic development efforts are adopted in the update of the county’s General Plan. Among its recommendations are:
(a) the implementation of a farmland mitigation bank to replace the need to charge in-lieu fees for farmland mitigation. A farmland mitigation bank would help build more coordinated farmland conservation.
(b) the development of farmland preservation zones, which are important because resources to protect farmland and encourage agricultural economic viability are limited. Simply zoning for agriculture is not enough; Yolo County needs to identify the most productive agricultural areas in the county and direct resources to those areas. The AFA encourages conservation based on more than just soil characteristics – factors such as distance from urban areas and rural residential housing, the amount of land available for farming, habitat value, and crop value are also important.
(c) the creation of a farmland prosperity fund – a dedicated funding source for efforts to support agricultural economic development. The establishment of a farmland prosperity fund would address the cumulative impact of development projects by strengthening the remaining agricultural industry and supporting a critical mass of producers and infrastructure necessary to sustain a productive, vibrant, and thriving agricultural economy.