FARMS Report Offers Blueprint For Growing King County’s Agriculture Business

To ensure agriculture remains a vibrant part of the King County’s economy and cultural fabric, County Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Agriculture Commission announced last week in a news release that they are recommending a series of actions to ensure the health of farming for generations to come.

Constantine submitted to the County Council a report, the “Future of Agriculture, Realize Meaningful Solutions” (FARMS), which offers recommendations on how to help resolve challenges related to water, including flooding, drainage and irrigation; economic development; keeping farmers farming; farmer succession; developing a farm-city connection and financial support for the county’s agriculture program.

“As farmers ourselves, we believe these recommendations can help ensure the future of farming in King County, and we are pleased with the commitment that Executive Constantine and the County Council are demonstrating on agricultural issues,” said Nancy Hutto, chair of the King County Agriculture Commission.

The report was created in response to an ordinance passed by the County Council in 2008 that directed the Agriculture Commission and King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks to prepare a report on the future of agriculture in the county.

King County has preserved more than 42,000 acres of the richest land in Agricultural Production Districts (APDs) – areas designated for agriculture. While the report focuses on agricultural issues in the APDs, as called for by County Council, there is recognition of the importance of agriculture in the broader rural areas as well.

Featuring several recommendations for strengthening farming in King County, the FARMS Report was developed after an extensive public process that included a series of community meetings and discussions with a variety of stakeholders.

Report recommendations include:

- Addressing the need for agricultural irrigation by working with Washington Department of Ecology, fisheries interests, and others to develop policies and, if needed, recommend legislative changes that could increase access to water for farmers in King County while improving the efficiency of water use;

- Continuing implementation of the Farm Flood Task Force Report recommendations to help farmers cope with the persistent threat of flooding in agricultural areas;

- Promoting a farm-city connection that fosters a better understanding of the food system; and

- Developing a regional public-private coalition to guide and promote the next generation of farmers.

The recommendations would enhance King County’s ongoing agricultural commitment to support marketing of local farm products and farmers markets, preserving farmlands, and providing assistance to farmers in areas such as farm planning, flood protection, livestock management and weed control.

Constantine noted that many of the challenges identified in the report do not have easy solutions.

“Keeping farmland affordable, decreasing risks to local production, ensuring there will be a new generation of farmers, and reducing impacts from adjacent urban land uses are all tough hurdles to clear, but none are insurmountable” he said. “We need a regional discussion and a plan for public-private regional funding to address these problems.”

The popularity of farmers markets has never been higher, with more than 40 farmers markets across King County – and many of them are selling products that are grown just miles from the markets.

The report was written by staff from the King County Water and Land Resources Division and the King County Agriculture Commission, with input from the Department of Development and Environmental Services and the King Conservation District.

Learn more about King County’s agricultural program, click here.

Related posts:

1. King County Updates Farmland Preservation Program
2. King County Comprehensive Plan and How it Relates to Food
3. King County Conservation District On-Line Voting Now Open

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