It is exciting to see so many members of the community in defense of open space, and in particular, productive open space such as that used in agriculture. As a second generation farmer from Santa Clara County it is great to see. But as a grower, I wish there was more understanding of how agriculture operates safely for our community and the consumers, as well as the diverse benefits it returns to the community.
A frequently asked question comes up: “What is the health of the agricultural community?”
At first thought, you may not believe farming and ranching are doing very well. Such endeavors are more and more hidden from Santa Clara County as open space is replaced by asphalt, concrete, roof lines and other structures.
The answer is more complex for urban edge farming; but, fortunately, the county has an Agricultural Commissioner—Mr. Joe Deviney—whose forward thinking has brought about great answers to this complex question. In collaboration with ERA Economics and help from local growers and ranchers, a good answer was brought forward through sound economic analysis to quantify Santa Clara County’s Ag Value. Ag’s valuation to Santa Clara County was 8,150 jobs and $1.6 billion in economic stimulus. That’s a lot more than any of us in the industry expected.
Agriculture is incredibly responsive to the needs of the community and is currently doing very well. That’s not to say there are some large threats to the health of these industries, but for now it is showing signs of stabilization. How well is well? Here are some highlights to the report:
• The resource base of agricultural land declined significantly in the 1980’s and 1990’s, but has recently stabilized. The value per acre and the value per worker created by Santa Clara County agriculture has continued to increase and has never been higher.
• Agriculture provides diverse, stable employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled laborers.
• Like the other high-tech industries in Santa Clara County, agriculture is growing in productivity per worker and per land unit.
• The Santa Clara County Open Space Authority estimated that the total value of Santa Clara County natural capital exceeds $45 billion. Agriculture preserves some of these vital natural processes and adds to the character of the county.
• Agriculture can be viewed as self-financing open space, providing important ecosystem service values to county residents.
Santa Clara County needs to continue with the stabilization of productive open space.
When asked about land use policies, mitigation and how best to use areas for productive open space such as farming, ranching and other agricultural uses, the California Farm Bureau Federation uses language in a way that best represents growers’ and ranchers’ thoughts in the following statement: “Proposals to use agricultural land for mitigation should be considered by each county farm bureau on their own merits on a case-by-case basis. CFBF supports the use of voluntary agricultural conservation easements, when mitigation is required for farmland conversion. We oppose government mandated deed restrictions or easements acquired by the use of eminent domain. Subsequent easements granted on lands with agricultural easements should not restrict or reduce the agricultural productive capacity of the land, including crop choice.”
The efforts of notable agriculture families, such as the Chialas, is generous and real. Many counties are discovering ways to integrate and weave agriculture into the community. Santa Clara County ought to do the same. Much applause and gratitude should be lauded on those—private and public—who entertain such ideals and work toward improving our community because the environment will benefit.
How you may ask? Equally important are the ecosystem benefits attributed to open space areas. And agriculture plays a role in delivering these benefits to surrounding communities, free of charge.
Ecosystem benefits include: flood control, groundwater recharge, water quality, pollination, biodiversity and open space. These benefits are easily overlooked but have measurable values for our community.
So the next time you visit your favorite local nursery, winery, pumpkin patch or farmers market, be sure to thank them for doing great things for the economy, environment and the community’s health.
We surely love to hear it! Working towards a balanced, healthy community benefits all.
Erin Gil is a second generation farmer and owner of the Grass Farm in Morgan Hill. To read the report “The Economic Contribution of Agriculture to the County of Santa Clara,” visit sccgov.org/sites/ag/news/Documents/AG_Economic_Report_WEB_Final.pdf.
