Yolo Action
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Forum
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Yolo Regional Food Forum
2010. The Yolo Ag Futures Alliance hosted a Regional Food Forum in July 2010 to assess the challenges and barriers to building a strong regional food infrastructure. More than 65 participants, comprising 40 farmers/ranchers and 25 ag support representatives from Yolo and Solano Counties, gathered to recommend specific actions towards enhancing the local economy and viability of regional agriculture. Attendees included the Yolo Ag Commissioner, Cooperative Extension, Economic Development, bankers, distributors, a farmer’s market manager and the Health Department. You may download Shermain Hardesty’s Regional Food System Economics presentation (pdf). In Feb. 2011, the report detailing the forum’s goals, processes and outcomes was published.
Download: Yolo Regional Food Forum Report, Feb. 2011
Land Use
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AB 2881 Success
2008. When the Yolo AFA set out to better protect ag land in the County, it did not expect to become the main proponent for a change in State Law, but that is exactly what happened this year. After hearing increasing reports of conflicts between rural residences and production farming, the group saw an opportunity to avoid conflicts by giving new home buyers clearer information about the life near farms. The group got together with local State Representative Lois Wolk and crafted AB 2881, which strengthens California’s Right to Farm laws by assuring that all buyers of property in ag areas understand the nature of having a working farm as neighbor. The bill passed 34-2 in the State Senate and 54-0 in the Assembly and on September 30, 2008 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law. You can read the press release from Lois Wolk which cites the work of the Alliance as well as press coverage from the Davis Enterprise.
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Preserving farmland and agriculture countywide
2007. Yolo County has been considering implementing the concept of agricultural districts in the county to preserve important farmland. The Yolo AFA believes that many of the measures proposed under this scheme should be applied more broadly in order to better protect agricultural land in the county. The Yolo AFA called on the Yolo County Board of Supervisors to consider taking action to protect farmland across the county.
Download: Recommendations on Agricultural Districts Policy, Dec. 2007 -
Ag Economic Development Recommendations
2007. One of Yolo AFA’s top priorities has been to develop and promote policy that will ensure the viability of agriculture in the county into the future. These recommendations summarize three key policy recommendations and associated implementation measures, developed by the AFA during the first half of 2007.
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Ag Land Mitigation Principles
2006. Mitigation for loss of habitat or agricultural land can be a boon or a burden for a sustainable agricultural community. The Yolo AFA spent nine months developing these principles to best guide mitigation programs in the County. This thinking and work can be applied wherever mitigation programs are in place or are being designed.
Download: Ag Land Mitigation Principles, Oct. 2006 -
Ag Conservation Easement Ordinance Recommendation
2006. The Yolo AFA developed a detailed set of recommendations for the County of Yolo on how to create Ag Land Conservation Easements that would support the long-term viability of agriculture in the County. This letter to County Planning staff captures those recommendations.
Download: Recommendations on Ag Land Conservation Easement Ordinance, Nov. 2006
Vision
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Vision for Agriculture in Yolo County
2007. This document summarizes almost a year’s worth of work developing a simple, but compelling vision for the future of agriculture in Yolo County. A broad vision statement is coupled with policy recommendations that would put agriculture in the County on a positive path for generations to come.
Download: Yolo County AFA Vision for Agriculture in the County, Mar. 2007