Agricultural Resources

Transcription

1 Agricultural Resources 2017 Annual Report

2 What We Do O U R M I S S I O N The Agricultural Resources Division partners with 65 tenants to manage public land, maintain and improve infrastructure, increase water efficiency through improved water measuring and delivery systems, engage the community in agriculture, and explore opportunities for our producers to meet local demands for food, fiber, forage and fuel. T H E L A N D Boulder County owns and manages 25,000 acres of agricultural land comprised of: 16,000 acres of cropland - growing a number of commodity crops and vegetables: 13,000 irrigated acres 3,000 acres of dryland 7,000 acres of rangeland - grazing approximately 1,900 head of livestock in ,000 acres out of production (roads, ditches, riparian areas, lakes, etc.)

3 Agricultural Revenue A g r i c u l t u r a l R e v e n u e Ag Resources is the only Parks & Open Space Division that is self-funded. Gross income from ag leases totaled $1,128,419 in This is down from a high of $1,603,234 in 2012 and from $1,291,989 in There were 92 cash leases and 36 crop-share leases in Cash leases totaled 45% of income, with crop-share leases making up the balance. Revenue has been declining since 2014 due to historically low commodity prices, high input costs, water availability, subsidized organic rent rates, and changes in the Cropland Policy. Water assessments increased $55,840 due to infrastructure loan repayments resulting from damages caused by the 2013 flood. The division renewed 45 leases and four new leases went out to bid Gross Revenue by Category Net Revenue in Dollars Gross Revenue 1,603,234 1,465,826 1,428,012 1,217,689 1,291,989 1,128,419 Crop Share Expenses 524, , , , , ,724 Water Assessments 324, , , , , ,156 Net Revenue 754, , , , , ,539

4 Project Management P r o j e c t M a n a g e m e n t The project management team completed 61 projects in 2017, totaling $119,436 from the Ag Division Operating and Maintenance (O/M) budget. Combined with Parks & Open Space Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) funding and EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) funding through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the total spent on projects amounted to $674,046. Of this amount, $266,739 (39%) was spent on organic and market farm operations. Total Cost Breakdown of All 2017 Agricultural Resources Projects PROJECT CATEGORY # O/M AG FUNDED AG CIP FUNDED EQIP FUNDED TOTAL COST PER CATEGORY % Irrigation 24 67,325 99, , , % Livestock 10 4, , % Organic or Market Farms 19 42,986 87, , , % Land Maintenance 8 4, , % TOTAL SPENT $119,436 $187,508 $367,103 $674, % Five of these projects were large irrigation sprinkler systems which increase water use efficiency on county-owned ag land. There are typically three funding sources for these capital improvement projects: Parks & Open Space (both O/M and CIP), Ag tenant cost share, and EQIP. These large projects are often funded over the course of two years. Total project cost is represented below.

5 Cropland Policy The Cropland Policy, originally adopted in 2011, links the goals of the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan with the operational activities of Parks & Open Space on agricultural properties. The policy addresses a number of elements including administration of ag leases, development of market and small acreage farms, management of the department s extensive water portfolio, livestock management, insuring the economic vitality of operations, and monitoring of soil health, agricultural inputs, and water quality. O r g a n i c T r a n s i t i o n Included in Cropland Policy was a goal to transition 20% of county-owned ag properties to certified organic by That goal was later increased to 25% by 2020 in the department s 2020 Vision. Approximately 2,517 acres, or 15.7% of the 16,000 acres of BCPOS cropland, were certified or transitioning to organic under 21 leases by the end of Of these leases, 10 were certified organic and 11 were in the transition process. Organic Transition in Context A 2015 survey by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service indicated that 0.48% of cropland nationwide is certified organic. BCPOS organic acreage is almost 33 times the national average.

6 Cropland Policy M o n i t o r i n g P r o g r a m s Ag staff began monitoring programs for various elements outlined in the Cropland Policy. In 2017, monitoring programs included: Soil Health Water Quality Eight properties were assessed using a soil health card known as a Cropland Resource Concern Assessment, modified for Boulder County Three of the eight properties were further analyzed under two laboratory tests: Haney Test by Ward Laboratories Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health (CASH) by Cornell University Monitored the Dry Creek Watershed between 95 th Street to County Line Road in Longmont Samples taken from both field and stream sites Monitored attributes included standard water quality parameters and specific herbicide/pesticide residues Pollinators and Pesticides Rangeland Soil pesticide monitoring Test results neither exceeded anticipated concentration levels nor presented any exposure concerns Pollen neonicotinoid monitoring Pollen samples taken from three different corn fields Neonicotinoids were not detected in any of the three pollen samples Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Volunteer pollinator monitoring Photo Monitoring Three volunteers monitored 75 locations on 22 properties Vegetation Monitoring Contractor monitored 18 properties on a three-year cycle

7 Community Engagement The Ag Division engages in a number of outreach avenues, including hosting tours, presenting at conferences, publishing articles, posting on social media, and initiating local food efforts. Below are two examples of this work. Locally Grown Pinto Beans Beginning in 2013, Ag staff worked with two tenants to grow pinto beans which could then be sold to local buyers and donated to area food banks. The first two attempts at growing pinto beans were unsuccessful, but in 2016, the Ag Division entered into a 1/3: 2/3 crop share agreement with a tenant to grow beans on a section of the Ludlow property. The crop was very successful, resulting in approximately 150,000 pounds of beans harvested, with 50,000 pounds dedicated to Parks & Open Space as its share. The Ag Division, in keeping with the spirit of the original project, donated 10,000 pounds of beans to Community Food Share (CFS) to distribute to their clients. Ag staff volunteered to package the beans at CFS at the end of Meanwhile, the tenant grew beans again in 2017 on private land in the county, and sold 34,000 pounds of beans to CFS and another 40,000 pounds of beans to the Food Bank of the Rockies, ensuring that a healthy, locally grown food is available to families in need. Soil Revolution Conferences The Soil Revolution, March 9, 2017, and The Soil Revolution Digging Deeper, December 7, 2017, were two successful community engagement functions co-hosted and sponsored by the Ag Division, Colorado State University Extension, USDA NRCS, Boulder Valley and Longmont Conservation Districts, and the City of Boulder. The conferences engaged over 400 attendees and focused on creating and maintaining healthy, resilient agricultural soils. Conference attendees learned the five principles of soil health, including maintaining a continual live plant root, increasing diversity, covering soil, minimizing soil disturbance, and integrating livestock. These principles can be applied in innumerable ways on every different farm and ranch.

8 2017 End of Year Summary Accomplishments Gross rental income from cash leases and crop share leases totaled $1,128,419, with a net revenue of $270,539. Approximately 2,517 acres, or 15.7% of county-owned cropland is certified or transitioning to organic. The Ag Division co-hosted two Soil Revolution conferences that focused on creating and maintaining healthy, resilient agricultural soils. AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES STAFF Blake Cooper Division Manager Rob Alexander Senior Resource Specialist Barbara Brooks Administrative Technician Richard Dabbs Organic Specialist Chase Dryden Resource Specialist Jennifer Kemp Local Food & Outreach Specialist Phill Leffler Resource Specialist Vanessa McCracken Resource Specialist Jim Michal Project Manager Levi Priest Technician Jason Sauer Technician II Amy Schwartz Wildlife Technician Karen Martinez Senior Water Specialist Audrey Butler Water Resources Specialist Photos (clockwise): Sugar beet harvest on Ludlow; hens at Harney-Lastoka; pumpkins and squash gleaned from Darby; soil health volunteers on Swanson