Home
Donate E-News Signup Contact Site Map Search
 
 

Stay Connected

Get monthly updates on farmland protection in California and around the country.

Please leave this field empty
 

"As an agricultural community responsible for providing food for the state, nation and world, we rely on sound and progressive practices to protect our citizens, land and natural resources. California steadily leads in innovation and technology, and we must continue to blaze trails toward long-lasting sustainability and health."

- California Department of Food and Agriculture

 
California Ag Vision
  Print This Page
 

State Board of Food & Agriculture Accepts Recommendations of California Agricultural Vision Advisory Committee.

California Ag VisionThe initial recommendations of a blue ribbon committee convened by American Farmland Trust (AFT) to address the major challenges facing California agriculture were accepted in late June by the State Board of Food & Agriculture, the principal agriculture advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger. Five challenges are covered by the recommendations:

  • Smarter regulation of agriculture to improve environmental quality
  • Better food access for California families in need
  • Resource stewardship and conservation for long-term sustainability
  • Fairness to agricultural workers and employers
  • Regional food marketing opportunities

Each recommendation is intended to generate momentum toward a strategic plan for the state’s agriculture industry and others who have a stake in it. Among the stakeholders represented on the AFT advisory committee along with agricultural leaders are environmentalists, farm labor representatives and advocates for ending hunger and improving nutrition.

In 2009, AFT was asked by the State Board to partner with the state Department of Food & Agriculture to lead the planning process called California Agricultural Vision. AFT California Director Ed Thompson asked Ralph Grossi, a California rancher who served as AFT’s president from 1985 to 2008, to co-chair the effort. They recruited more than one hundred state leaders to participate in a series of professionally-facilitated workshops where the challenges facing California agriculture were identified and potential solutions were proposed. From these workshops emerged a set of policy options on which public comment is being solicited through August 20.

Meanwhile, AFT convened the advisory committee of 20 high-profile leaders to review the workshop results and recommend short-term steps that could be taken to begin to address the highest priority issues. The committee will also consider other issues – including climate, alternative energy and intergenerational succession– that the larger group said were important to address on a longer timetable. In the fall, AFT expects to issue a report on all the issues and options for consideration as part of a strategic plan for agriculture in the nation’s leading farm state.

x Return to California's Main Page

 
American Farmland Trust