June 2022

This month's newsletter includes job opportunities, including an exciting new position at the Office of Farmland Preservation, resources, and a rundown of recent agriculture related news stories. 

Job Announcements

OFP Specialist

The Office of Farmland Preservation at the Washington State Conservation Commission is adding a new position. The OFP Specialist will be responsible for a growing conservation easement portfolio, which includes project management of conservation transactions and easement stewardship; research and analysis on factors affecting farmland loss; communications on farmland preservation issues; and general support for the Office of Farmland Preservation. The position is set up for either hybrid work out of our Lacey office or for remote work.

WWRC Policy & Outreach Associate

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition (WWRC) is hiring a new Policy and Outreach Associate to advance their mission of creating a greener, healthier, more equitable, and better Washington for all through community outreach, network building, and advocacy for conservation and outdoor recreation funding.

Funding Opportunities

King Conservation District Regional Food System Grant

King Conservation District (KCD) is accepting applications for their Regional Food System Grant Program. A virtual grant orientation workshop is scheduled for Jun. 21, 2022, from 1-2 pm via Zoom. Applications are due July 18, 2022, at 4pm.

KCD's Regional Food System Grant Program was initiated to provide a catalyst for making local food production more ecologically and economically sustainable. The program funds projects that contribute to the economic viability of local farmers, encourage new farmers, expand acreage in food production, improve food access, and increase demand for King County farm products. Organizations seeking to make local food production more ecologically and economically sustainable, are encouraged to apply.

Eligible applicants include individual farmers, producer networks, marketing cooperatives, farmers markets, businesses, schools, special districts, nonprofit organizations, tribes, and jurisdictions within KCD’s service area.

Visit the Regional Food System Grant Program page for more information including details on how to apply. 

USDA Food Systems & Urban Agriculture Grants

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is supporting urban agriculture through including $43.1 million for grants and cooperative agreements. These actions support USDA’s efforts to strengthen the food supply chain and transform the food system to be fairer, more competitive, and more resilient.

Specifically, USDA is investing $10.2 million in new cooperative agreements to expand compost and food waste reduction efforts and $14.2 million in new grants to support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production projects. Additionally, $18.7 million will fund 75 worthy grant proposals from the 2021 application cycle, which was oversubscribed.

Submit applications via grants.gov for Composting and Food Waste Reduction Cooperative Agreements and UAIP Grants. Pre-recorded webinars on the purpose, project types, eligibility and basic requirements for submitting applications will be posted at usda.gov/urban. Email UrbanAgriculture@usda.gov with any questions.

Resources & Events

Farms Under Threat 2040

American farmland and ranchland is rapidly disappearing, threatening our food security, undermining the agricultural economy, and making us vulnerable to climate shocks. Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future, a new report from American Farmland Trust, maps three alternative futures out to the year 2040. Attend the national webinar on Jun. 29 and the Washington webinar on Jul. 12 to learn more.

Coming Soon: Solar Leasing Support for Farmers and Landowners

Beginning in the fall of 2022, American Farmland Trust’s Pacific Northwest team will offer a series of virtual and in-person workshops designed to help farmland and ranchland owners understand the emerging solar development field and its potential to impact agricultural land.

Large-scale solar leasing projects are projected to grow in the Pacific Northwest, with developments proposed in counties throughout Oregon and Washington. According to the US Department of Energy Solar Futures study, by 2050, 90 percent of solar energy will come from utility-scale projects in rural communities. These proposed solar developments are part of a larger regional effort to meet clean energy goals set by state governments.

Agricultural land is often sought after for solar installations because it’s typically undeveloped, flat, treeless and close to transmission infrastructure. As a result, solar leases can present a compelling financial opportunity for farmers and ranchers, yet they can also carry significant risks. Solar leases can last upwards of 30 years and can be difficult for landowners to back out of. Solar installations can have significant impacts on the land, including soil compaction and disturbance, which can limit future agricultural production. They also have potential to impact surrounding lands and communities, including interrupting wildlife corridors and viewsheds. Additional risks for farmland owners include liability insurance, loss of water rights and impacts to succession planning. Learn more about these new resources here.

Agriculture in the News

Farmland Ownership & Land Access

• How ‘Fairy Tale’ Farms Are Ruining Hudson Valley Agriculture (The New York Times)

Land Conservation

• King County property tax hike for land conservation likely headed to voters after committee approval (The Seattle Times)

Land Use

• Skagit County farmer pitches way to increase farmworker housing (Skagit Valley Herald)

Carbon Credits

• Blockchain company buys $1M in carbon credits generated by Issaquah forest, the biggest such deal in U.S. history (The Seattle Times)

Next Generation Farmers

• How a military career led this Seattle-area nurse to farming (Crosscut)

Weather & Water

• Drought conditions in the Inland Northwest eased by cool, wet weather (The Spokesman Review)
• Heavy spring precipitation fosters strong water supply for farmers and fish in Yakima basin (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• The Juneuary cold is actually helping some of Washington state’s biggest crops (KOMO News)
• Why is this drought so wet? (Department of Ecology)
• What’s in store for Eastern WA as water becomes more scarce throughout the West (The Seattle Times)
• Heavy rain season leaves Washington farmers with significant challenges (King5 News)

Solar

• Conflicts escalate amid surge in WA solar farm proposals (The Seattle Times)
• Black Rock Solar facility approved in eastern Yakima County (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• Opinion: Don’t be blinded by the promise of solar farms (Yakima-Herald-Republic)

Idaho

• ‘My right to farm’: Leaders weigh protecting agriculture amid rapid development (Idaho 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.