Highlights of What We Heard

County staff listened intently to the many presentations and group discussions that took place. Hundreds of comments from participants were captured on flip-charts by facilitators during breakout sessions. Many more written comments were turned in or mailed to us after the event.

While this information is still being compiled and analyzed for our forthcoming Agriculture Action Plan, the statements below summarize some of the most common themes that emerged from the day’s discussions.

(The actual flip chart notes and individual written comments are linked at the bottom of this page.)

• The security of our food system is tied directly to the survival of local agriculture. We cannot risk becoming dependent on foreign food producers in the same way we have become dependent on foreign oil.
• We need to develop strong, local consumer markets to ensure the sustainability of local agriculture.
• When farming is profitable and stable, the preservation of farmlands takes care of itself.
• There is great social value in protecting farmlands, not just economic value.
• The greatest challenges facing agriculture today are environmental and market related, not production related.
• Snohomish County needs infrastructure for supporting agriculture, primarily for livestock auctions, livestock and poultry slaughter and processing; and certified community kitchens for specialty and value-added food processing.
• Agriculture should receive the same attention as aerospace, professional sports and other major industries when it comes to providing tax benefits, exemptions, and subsidies that would help local farmers remain competitive with out-of-state and foreign producers.
• Drainage is one of the most serious environmental issues affecting most local farmers; including dike management policies and practices, impacts from upland development, and economic impacts on farmers of Shorelines, Critical Areas, and Flood Hazard Zone regulations.
• Broader representation and earlier involvement of the agricultural community is needed when the County considers code revisions or updates of any land-use policies or regulations affecting agriculture; including the interpretation of code language and definitions.
• Ongoing educational outreach is needed both in school systems and with the general public to increase understanding and appreciation of local agriculture, both in terms of the business of farming (Right To Farm) and the benefits of purchasing local farm products.
• The County could provide marketing assistance to local agriculture by facilitating and coordinating such things as a centralized, year-round farmers market, and by helping promote special events and agri-tourism activities.Communications between the County and local agriculture could be greatly improved by better educating County staff and elected officials on the business of farming, new agricultural trends and practices, and by simplifying code requirements and permitting processes so they are more understandable and less time-consuming for farmer applicants.
• Economic incentives must be found to keep farmlands preserved for agriculture and in active production; to compensate for mandated set-asides; to discourage conversion of acreage to more profitable, non-agricultural development; and to attract future generations of farmers to the industry.

Oral Comments from Breakout Groups
Written Comments from Participants
Additional Comments in Chart Form