Brown Bag Series, January 26, 2012

Partners: University of Idaho Boise State University COMPASS Idaho Center for Sustainable Agriculture Treasure Valley Food Coalition Idaho Smart Growth

Presenters: Erinn Cruz, University of IdahoHelen Ubic, BSU/ U SpaceDiane Kushlan, AICP, ULI Idaho

Panel:Janie Bern, Meadowlark FarmsDiane Norton, Idaho Department of CommerceLeah Clark, Idaho Department of AgricultureRachel Winer, Idaho Smart GrowthJohn Starr, Colliers International

Moderator: Robert Taunton, ULI past Chair

In May ULI Idaho received a $25,000 grant from the ULI Foundation.

Grant was to research the relationship between sustainable agriculture and land use

Build upon earlier research

Focus on Canyon and Ada County

Background on the Research

9

What we learned

big ideas for the future

Agriculture is an important and valid land use.

1Idea

Good Agriculture land is a finite resource

How has this change of attitude to land-use happened?

Good News

Sustainable local food is a key to sustainable cities.

2Idea

Large scale Agriculture is crucial to the Treasure Valley

What’s wrong with this picture? It’s working now!

What Could Farmers do?

Health

Agriculture must be economically viable to be sustainable.

3Idea

Local Share for Farmers’ Markets

Per Capita Spent on Food = $16.28Estimated Annual Attendance = 528,581Annual Expenditures on Food at Farmers’ Markets = $4,302,654.02Avg. Person Spends $3,495.25 on Food per Year Annual Food Expenditures in Treasure Valley: $2,031,746,882

Farmers’ Market Local Share = 0.2%

Local Share for Grocery Stores

Annual Expenditures on Local FoodDivided by Total Spending of $2,031,746,882

= grocery store local share of 1.8%

Using prime farmland for subdivisions has grave unintended consequences.

4Idea

5Idea

Conflict of land use.

Land- use planning and Farmers

Most good building land is also prime agricultural land in the valley.Idea

Resource uses need to be balanced to sustain agriculture and

communities6Idea

No shortage of Agricultural land yet.465,000 acres n 2011196,000 acres Irrigated, 2011

This farmland resource could disappear in next 40 years.We know how to preserve land.

Imagine a different future.

7Idea

Agriculture has many faces

8Idea

Planning for a sustainable future requires good data.

9Idea

Indicator: a measurement

Benchmark : a starting point

Target: an quantifiable outcome the measure progress

Indicator Benchmark Target

NextSteps...

Questions

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