Sustainable Agriculture

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1 Sustainable Agriculture Congress addressed Sustainable Agriculture in the 1990 Farm Bill Describes farming systems capable of maintaining their productivity and usefulness to society indefinitely Can sustainable and equitable food production be established when most consumers have so little connection to the natural processes that produce their food? And less than 2% of the population provides food for all U.S. Citizens USDA s Definition of Sustainable Agriculture Satisfy human food and fiber needs Enhance environmental quality and natural resource base upon which the agriculture depends Sustain the economic viability of farm operations Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole

2 In 10 years the population in the Washington DC Food Shed increased 14% from 5.6 to 6.5 million people. Does regional agriculture meet human food and fiber needs? d? Few food products meet the demand and market deficiencies provide opportunities for expanding small scale local food production $16.8 billion is spent annually on fruit and vegetables in the Washington DC, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia less than 7% of this expenditure represents local production (Slama et al. (2010) and National Capital Farms locally grown products made up less than one percent of the total sold in the Washington region Rappahannock County $ 7,539,000 Orange County $76,082,000 Madison County $20,223,000 Culpeper County $27,137,000 Fauquier County $47,981,000 Totals $~179 million USDA NASS 2007 agcensus

3 Rappahannock County $10,487,000 Orange County $50,804, Madison County $23,270,000 Culpeper County $29,991,000 Fauquier County $76,060,000 Totals Expenditures 2007 Census of Agriculture $191 Million

4 Orange County $ 52,723 (greens industry) Madison County $ 2,822 Culpeper County $ 642 Rappahannock County $ 3,841 Fauquier County $ 16, Census of Agriculture Percent Change in Virginia Farm Numbers based on Sales Category and Gross Annual Receipts, % 20% 23% 26% 10% 8% cent Change Perc 0% -10% < $2,500 $2,500 to $4,999 $5,000 to $9,999 $10,000 to $24,999 $25,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $99,999-11% -10% $100,000 to $499,999 > $500,000-20% -30% -24% -23% -40% -33% Farms by Sales Category and Gross Annual Receipts

5 In 2007, farms with sales less than $250,000 accounted for 58.2 percent of all farm related income, while farms with sales of $250,000 to $999,999 accounted for 23.6 percent and farms with sales of $1 million or more accounted for 18.2 percent. The activities providing the highest average income in 2007 were: agri tourism and recreational services crop and livestock insurance payments other farm related income sources, including custom harvesting, forestry sales and farmhouse rental 2007 Census of Agriculture State of Virginia $1.65 billion $638.3 million

6 Counties & Cities of the Rappahannock-RapidanRapidan Region Culpeper County $8,400,080 Fauquier County $12,759,240 Madison County $3,011,320 Orange County $6,861,920 Rappahannock County $1,857,440 Subtotal $32,890,000 Agricultural and Forestal Districts Program conserve, protect, and encourage the development and improvement of agricultural and forestal lands for the production of food and other agricultural and forestal products, and conserve and protect agricultural and forestal lands as valued natural and ecological resources which provide essential open spaces for clean air sheds, as well as for aesthetic purposes Land Use Tax This law allows a locality to assess real estate based on the use value instead of fair market value. Use Value is the productive potential of the land. For example, a field that grows $200 worth of corn has a use value of $200. Conservation Easement Programs including (TDRs, PDRs) Maintains open space and agriculture view sheds that promote agri tourism

7 Clear that agriculture and rural enterprises can be viable industries if sufficient resources exist for non agriculture related businesses. Food and fitness trails linking farms with residents and businesses Rails to trails programs Wine trails Civil war trails B&Bs Bike tours Food caterers Agriculture related tourism Restaurants Small scale entrepreneurs exist and can expand with the help of local governments promoting agriculture and rural economic development Chamber of commerce promoting local foods and tourism National Average Expenditure to Revenue Ratios in Dollars Residential 1: 0.87 residential land tax revenue doesn t cover cost of service Farms and Forest Land 1:2.70 American farm land trust, Dorfman et al., 2002

8 Aging Farmer population: PD 9 59 yrs old 2007 ag census; 65 today High land costs Water availability Labor (cost of housing and benefits) Zoning Loss of support services Regulations (Environmental and Health) Farmland fragmentation ROCKY MOUNT Thirteen years ago, Cecil Love was quoted in an Associated Press story about Franklin County's long history of producing corn liquor outside of government control. Love told the reporter he had made moonshine in the county for two decades before retiring. "It's kind of like the tobacco farmers once you get in it's hard to get out of it because it's profitable." Indeed, Love, now 84 and facing a felony indictment for illegal manufacture of alcohol, pleaded guilty Monday in Franklin County Circuit Court to misdemeanor possession of distilling apparatus without a permit. Love had never been charged with "so much as a speeding ticket" before and received a Purple Heart during his military service, according to his attorney, B.J. Jefferson. Love avoided any jail time when Judge William Alexander accepted the plea to the reduced charge and suspended a 12 month sentence on the condition that Love be on good behavior for two years. "I will add, because of your good name in Franklin County, that this agreement is appropriate," Alexander said. Agents from the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control caught Love stirring a stainless steel pot of corn mash with a wooden stick in a dried creek bed in June, according to Franklin County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Patrick Nix. Agents also found other distilling apparatus, including 55 gallon barrels filled with corn mash, coolers and propane tanks, Nix said. Love admitted at the time that he was planning to make liquor and had been selling it to friends and family, Nix said.

9 Aggregating of farmers and farm products (e.g., cooperatives, alliances, buying clubs, and food hubs) Controlling product quality and consistency Addressing issues of seasonality Matching supply and demand Retaining food and farm identity Differentiating food and farm products Building and expanding supply chain infrastructure Increasing and accessing capital Enhancing g the capacity of established farmers and beginning g farmer development Increasing and improving information flow and transparency among all participants in the food value chain from farm totable. Eating is an agricultural act

10 $100,000 to $249,999 $10,000 to $99,999 Less than $10,000

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