Regulations Affecting Agriculture
May 2013. Over the past year, Ag Innovations Network has heard from agricultural, conservation, and regulatory stakeholders about the challenges associated with regulations affecting agriculture. These conversations have been part of an effort to identify and help implement a broadly supported set of recommendations to simultaneously assure high environmental performance and the viability of farming operations at all scales.
Summit: June 12, 2013
This work will culminate in a Summit on Regulations Affecting Agriculture on June 12, 2013 in Davis, CA. You may register online.
Background
In early 2012, Ag Innovations Network began work on a project to examine the regulatory challenges related to California agriculture, and identify recommended solutions to solving those challenges.
The regulatory environment has been a longstanding concern for agricultural producers. From a farmer’s perspective, the montage of regulations affecting their business often is cumbersome and confusing, can stifle environmental performance, and can delay innovative projects. The cost of compliance with regulations is frequently cited as a major barrier to the viability and profitability of California farmers. However, both agricultural and environmental stakeholders believe that regulatory frameworks must be effective in protecting our environment and natural resources.
In response to demand from, and in partnership with our agricultural, environmental, and agency partners, Ag Innovations Network launched Toward a New Regulatory Compact for Agricultural and Environmental Health to identify and help implement a broadly supported set of recommendations to simultaneously improve environmental performance and reduce the cost of regulatory compliance in California. Multiple efforts within our network have demonstrated that there is a growing willingness among diverse stakeholders to explore and engage in a path forward, including the California Roundtable on Agriculture and the Environment’s landmark Permitting Restoration report.
Toward a New Regulatory Compact for Agricultural and Environmental Health expands upon existing efforts and works to foster communication and collaboration among agricultural producers and regulatory agencies. Through research, regional forums in Fresno, Ventura, and Yolo counties, and other targeted information collection efforts, the project has gathered data on key challenges and proposed solutions. This information has been synthesized and vetted by our Technical Advisory Committee, resulting in a Summit followed by final recommendations for wide dissemination and implementation. This project is funded through the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Program and, as such, focuses on the issues faced by specialty crop producers.
Project Goals
- DEVELOP: Contribute meaningfully to the process of developing a broad and transformative framework for 21st century environmental and agricultural performance that reflects all affected stakeholders.
- COORDINATE: Improve communication and coordination among stakeholders in the regulatory process.
- IMPROVE: Identify small changes in the regulatory system that will have the greatest positive impact for growers and maximize environmental health.
- IMPLEMENT: Work with stakeholders to turn recommendations for change into action.
- INFORM: Publish an online resource center on environmental regulation in agriculture with tools, solutions, case studies, and other useful information for both producers and agencies.
For more information on the project, please contact Serena Coltrane-Briscoe at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 707.823.6111 ×220.