June 2021

The Washington State Agland Database, a comprehensive platform for understanding changes to agricultural ownership and land use, is a new tool to support science and research to inform public policy analysis, debate, and action. The Agland Database combines land ownership, land use, and assessment information with physical characteristics of the land to develop economic, social, and environmental metrics about the agriculture land base. This high-resolution dataset can produce maps, statistics, and models at multiple scales. To learn how to make the most of this resource, register for a webinar presentation from the team behind the database on June 21 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM.  

Farmland Protection Opportunity

Pierce County: Opportunity for Farmland Owners to Sell Development Rights and Conserve Farmland

Are you concerned about how rapidly farmland is disappearing in Pierce County? Are you a farmer or farmland owner interested in seeing your property conserved as farmland for perpetuity? A partnership between Pierce Conservation District, Washington Farmland Trust, Forterra, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and other local and state partners is working with local landowners to keep land in production. You can learn more at the Pierce Conservation District website.

Resources & Reports

Columbia River Basin Long-Term Water Supply and Demand Forecast

The Department of Ecology is seeking comment on the Draft 2021 Columbia River Basin Long-Term Water Supply & Demand Forecast. The forecast is one tool used to decide where to invest in water supply projects that have the greatest chance to meet demands and improve flows for fish under future conditions, as well as a range of other planning and water management actions. Learn more about the report and how to provide comment on the Department of Ecology website.

Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful 2021

Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful 2021, a preliminary report from four federal agencies to the National Climate Task Force, recommends a ten-year, locally led conservation campaign. “Incentivize and reward the voluntary conservation efforts of fishers, ranchers, farmers, and forest owners” is identified as one of the six early action priorities. The report states: “Federal agencies can and should advance conservation efforts and provide new sources of income for American farmers, ranchers, and forest stewards. Healthy rural economies are a key component of keeping working lands healthy, productive, and whole” (page 21). The report recommends creating the American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas to capture the baseline data and track progress. Future reports will include an assessment of land cover changes, including the loss of open space.

Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Strategy: 90-Day Progress Report. The report is in response to Executive Order 14008 Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. The report includes an overview of the common themes heard during the stakeholder comment period and next steps.

National Landscape Conservation Framework

Build Back A Better National Landscape Conservation Framework, a recent report by the Center for Large Landscape Conservation and Alaska Conservation Foundation, provides recommendations for “building back a better national framework that supports landscape conservation efforts across the United States.”

Guide to Expanding Mitigation

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 10’s Guide to Expanding Mitigation: Connecting with Agriculture and Food Systems provides information on preparing and planning for the impact of hazardous events on the food system.

Funding Opportunities

Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the availability of up to $4 million available for grants to support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production projects. USDA will accept applications on Grants.gov until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 30, 2021.

Federal Food Systems Investments

Citing lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and recent supply chain disruptions, the USDA recently announced plans to invest more than $4 billion to strengthen critical supply chains through the Build Back Better initiative. The new effort will strengthen the food system, create new market opportunities, tackle the climate crisis, help communities that have been left behind, and support well-paying jobs throughout the supply chain. Funding is provided by the American Rescue Plan Act and earlier pandemic assistance such as the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. For more information, read the USDA press release.

Job Announcements

Several Positions at Washington Farmland Trust

Washington Farmland Trust's mission is to protect and steward threatened farmland across the state. They currently have several open positions. Visit their website for information on how to apply.

Events & Webinars

The Challenges of Urban Agriculture Projects

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Urban Agriculture Conservation grant initiative is designed to enhance conservation districts' urban agriculture conservation technical assistance activities in developed and developing areas of urban and rural communities. This webinar will cover how the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District overcame some of the setbacks related to their urban agriculture project. You can register for the June 17 webinar here.

Local Planning for California Agriculture and Climate Resilience

California is experiencing a long-term housing supply crisis, with housing demand outstripping supply. At the same time, California is losing 50,000 acres of farmland annually, while also experiencing a changing climate and climate-related disasters. Register for a free webinar on June 25 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM PDT with subject matter experts and practitioners to learn about local planning for California agriculture and climate resilience. The webinar will provide:

• Innovative multi-benefit local planning for agriculture case studies 
• Resources for professionals to engage in local planning for agriculture 
• Local and state policy approaches
• Networking opportunities

Guiding Resilience: A Legal Workshop for Ag Service Providers

The Farm Commons is offering a five-week highly interactive and in-depth workshop for ag service providers interested in helping farmers create legal action plans and address legal questions. The course starts July 7, 2021. More information available here.

Agriculture in the News

COVID-19

• State relaxes some emergency COVID-19 rules for farmworkers (KOMO News)

Agricultural Viability

• By necessity, local farmers grow resilient to climate change (HeraldNet)
• Agencies, nonprofits help farms adapt to changing landscape (HeraldNet)
• Family farms are struggling with two hidden challenges: health insurance and child care (The Conversation)

Land Use

• Cattlegate: 2 Land Titans Vie for Massive Swath of Easterday Property in Southeast Washington (NW News Network)

• Bellevue’s History is Rooted in Rich Farmland (Sound Consumer)

Federal Government

• 21^st century conservation: A vision of collaboration across landscapes (The Hill)

• USDA Farm Service Agency announces CRP initiative (Agri-Pulse)

• In Historic Move, USDA to Begin Loan Payments to Socially Disadvantaged Borrowers under American Rescue Plan Act Section 1005 (USDA Press Release)

Innovation

• Apples thought to be lost or extinct rediscovered on Palouse (Moscow-Pullman Daily News/The Seattle Times)

Water

• State acts to finally settle disputed Nooksack River Basin water rights (The Bellingham Herald)

• State issues drought advisory for most of Washington (AP/The Seattle Times)

• Department of Ecology issues drought advisory for most of Washington (KEPR)

• Drought warning issued for Eastern Washington. What it means for wildfires and farms (Tri-City Herald)

• ‘Somber harvest’: Crops may fail, cattle sold as the NW descends into drought (KUOW)

• Amid Historic Drought, a New Water War in the West (The New York Times)

• Drought looms in Washington; relief fund dry (Capital Press)

• Long, hot summer: Drought looking likely for Columbia Basin (Columbia Basin Herald)

• Drought has these Eastern Washington farmers worried, but they ‘always plant with faith’ (The Spokesman Review)

• ‘It’s going to be a difficult year’: Local dryland farmers struggling with severe drought conditions (KXLY)

Fire

• 2020 wildfires left precious endangered species habitat in Central Washington ‘noting but ash and dust’ (The Seattle Times)

• High-risk fire season arrives in some of West (Capital Press)

Oregon

• Power Struggle: Competition between agricultural and solar energy facilities is heating up (Capital Press)

Subscribe to the Farmland Preservation Monthly Newsletter, brought to you by the Office of Farmland Preservation. 

The Washington State Conservation Commission administers the Office of Farmland Preservation to address the rapid loss of working farm and forest lands in our state. Learn more: www.scc.wa.gov/ofp.