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Re: Farming at Risk Because of Growth

MEBUCKNER@wnpb.wvnet.edu (Marian Buckner) wrote:

>	Can you help with answers to any of the following?  I am gathering
>info for a possible small research project.
>	This proposed project would research bringing in new rural
>infrastructure or support services to help make farming continue to be
>viable.  A few of our agricultural support services have left because
>not enough of an agricultural base was left for their particular
>business to be profitable.  Our rural area is very threatened by
>growth, but still holding its own for the time being.
>
>	Here are my questions:
>1.  Do you know of anyone that has done such a study?  Or anyone
>researching the area of rural infrastructure and agriculture support
>businesses or industries?
>
>2.  Do you know of books or journal articles that discuss this subject?
>
>3.  Do you know of any related experiences in other areas--successful
>or unsuccessful?
>
>4.  Please comment on the following ideas I've received from others:
>	* Attract a county-based storage facility to our new industrial park
>(they're looking for high-tech businesses for the most part) that would
>process grains on the premises (eg, flour mill or oil extracting
>process).
>	Question:  What about nuisance aspects (noise, dust, trucks)?  How
>does one find out how large an agricultural base is needed for such a
>facility to be profitable?
>
>	* Attract farm equipment dealers with a diversified line for both
>farmers and suburban customers--lawn and garden, snowmobiles).
>	Question:  Will farm equipment dealers resist this because they want
>their farm equipment to be primary?
>
>	*Create a marketing group that could buy and sell blocks of grain from
>a number of farmers and lock in on better-priced markets.
>	Question:  Will farmers buy into this?  They tend to want to be
>independent and act on their own.
>
>5.  Do you have other suggestions for "farmers on the urban edge"?
>
>	Thanks!
>	>Marian Buckner
________________

Marian,

In March 1996 the Regents of the University of California published a
study: The Value of Agriculture to Ventura County: An Economic Analysis,
sponsored by the Ventura County Agricultural Land Trust, the California
State Coastal Conservancy, and the Univertiy of California Hansen Trust.  I
believe the work as a whole will be of great use to you in your efforts; I
know it has been to me in mine.  One chapter in particular, Ventura County
Agricultural Support Industries, by Michael Moore, Resource Economist,
addresses your questions quite directly.

I live and work on these issues in Ventura County, just up the coast from
Los Angeles, our immediate neighbor to the southeast.  Agriculture is still
the top industry in Ventura County at a billion dollars a year and growing,
but you can imagine the economic pressure to convert the land to other
uses.

The study is available from Sheri Klittich, administrator of the Hansen
Trust, at 669 County Square Drive, Ventura, CA, 93003; phone 805-645-1472.
I wish you all the best in your efforts.  If there's anything else I can do
to help, please feel free to be in touch.


Beth von Gunten
Field Representative
Community Alliance with Family Farmers
POB 1845
Ojai, CA  93024
805-646-1578
<colibri@west.net>



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