This has been an exceptionally busy year for American Farmland Trust in the Pacific Northwest. It has been a year full of changes: our longtime regional director, Don Stuart, retired at the end of 2010 but has continued to work closely with our office. It has been a year full of building and strengthening relationships as our alliances with a wide-range of agricultural, local food and smart growth organizations have flourished through collaborative efforts surrounding our shared goals.

The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the America’s most fertile and productive farmland. Farms and ranches in Washington, Oregon and Idaho reach consumers in the Northwest and throughout the nation with their abundance of food and other agricultural products, even as they face pressures from sprawling development. Here are just a few ways we have been working to protect farmland, safeguard the environment and provide fresh, healthy food throughout the region.

The Pioneers in Conservation Program: Helping Farmers Safeguard Salmon Habitat

Thanks to a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, we revived the Pioneers in Conservation program and will offer small grants to farmers for salmon habitat restoration projects along rivers and wetlands. American Farmland Trust offered a similar program from 2007 to 2009, which was widely supported by the environmental and farm communities and protected salmon while supporting farm businesses. We expect to announce the first grants in early 2012.

Making Farmland Protection Programs More Effective

We finished a study of farmland protection programs in the 12 counties surrounding Puget Sound. The county-by-county assessment covered zoning, land use regulations, tax relief, land protection tools and economic development programs. Skagit, King and Whatcom counties were recognized as having the best programs for saving important farm and ranch land. We will follow up our county study with a program for counties wishing to improve their farmland protection programs.

Can the Puget Sound Feed Itself?

We also completed the first phase of a foodshed study of the Puget Sound region focusing on what foods are produced and consumed within a 100-mile radius of downtown Seattle. With help from graduate students at the University of Washington, our next step is to identify how food travels from farmers to consumers, how much farmland is needed to produce local food for the area and how we can better promote locally supplied food.

Identifying the Most Threatened Farm and Ranch Landscapes

Which working landscapes in the Pacific Northwest are most threatened by suburban sprawl, second-home development, rural estates, competition for water and other issues? We are laying the groundwork and creating partnerships in Oregon, Idaho and western Montana to roll out a program that helps identify and protect the most endangered farm landscapes in those states.

A Look Ahead

We are prepared for another strong year in 2012. Along with our partners, we will be following up with our work to address sprawling development in the region, provide healthy food locally, and safeguard environmental resources such as clean water.

Thank you for your help, support and encouragement. We could not do our work without you.

About the author: Dennis Canty is the Pacific Northwest Director for American Farmland Trust. Before joining AFT, Canty founded Evergreen Funding Consultants in 2001, a Seattle firm that focuses on funding strategies for environmental projects.

Making the farm-to-table connection through conservation

Farm-to-table meets farm bill conservation in Washington state during our Dine Out for Farms^TM week. The Mark in Olympia, Washington, is featuring steak from Colvin Ranch of Thurston County, one of the oldest, family-owned ranches in the Evergreen State. Fred Colvin was the first landowner in the state of Washington to enroll his ranchland in the Grassland Reserve Program, a farm bill conservation program that helps to safeguard the environment by expanding wildlife habitat.

Going a step further to bring fresh produce to the community

The food pantry in Greenfield, Massachusetts, has a lot more being donated than packaged goods and leftover produce. A retired farmer has planted a half acre of produce, including tomatoes, winter and summer squash, and green peppers, that go directly to the pantry. He estimates that this year’s total donation will come to about 10,000 pounds of produce.

Vermont to increase instate food consumption and production

In an effort to increase farming and farm-related jobs in Vermont, the state is increasing its previously formed Farm to Plate Initiative. Some of the goals include doubling the amount of locally produced food consumed in state, and increasing economic development within the farm and food community.

Iowa struggles to feed its farm-rich state

You might think of Iowa as being a state filled with farmland. However, one in eight Iowans lack the resources to acquire nutritious meals. Food bank usage across the state has gone up 25-30 percent since 2008, with no improvement in sight.

Cranberries galore!

The Massachusetts cranberry crop looks like it may be a record harvest this year. To celebrate, plan a visit to a bog or try this delicious cranberry recipe using your local goods!

Farmland continues to be preserved nationwide

Harford County, Maryland, announced this week that nine farms, totaling 1,200 acres, have joined their agricultural preservation program. The state of Pennsylvania also announced the preservation of 1,788 acres of farmland this week. In Washington, 400 acres were preserved in Monroe County under long-term protection from development.

Have a great family farm photograph?

The Community Alliance for Family Farmers, based out of Davis, California, is hosting a photography contest. The theme is family farming and local food, so go capture your best images and submit them by October 24.

Sen. Stabenow Discusses next Farm Bill at Agricultural Outlook Forum

In an address at this week’s Agricultural Outlook Forum, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, urged a focus on the guiding principles of the farm bill and not on specific programs as preparations are made for the 2012 Farm Bill. Remarked Sen. Staebenow, “We should start with principles that will guide us as we evaluate what works and what doesn’t in today’s economy and for the unique needs facing our farmers today.”

City Plan Seeks to Fight Obesity, Increase Access to Healthy Food in Philadelphia

In the Keystone State, the comprehensive plan and vision statement, Philadelphia 2035, addresses the city’s new zoning codes including an attention to health-related goals focused on combating obesity. Included in these goals is walkable access to fresh, healthy food.

More Farmland to Be Protected in Pennsylvania

This week, the Pennsylvania Agricultural Preservation Board voted to preserve an additional 3,819 acres on 43 farms in the state. Since 1988, the state’s farmland protection efforts have invested more than $1 billion to save 448,466 acres on
4,139 farms.

Whole Foods to Serve as CSA Drop-Off Sites in Florida

In Florida, Whole Foods Markets is helping to get local food moving from farm-to-table more easily.  The specialty grocer will now serve as a drop off point for Community Supported Agriculture programs in the state.   The hope is that this complimentary service will make access to local, seasonal food more convenient for consumers.

USDA Provides Online Mapping Tools

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service recently released the Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America.  The Rural Atlas is an online mapping tool that provides county level information on people, jobs, and agriculture. Along with the Food Environment Atlas, also from the USDA, the new atlas allows for easy tracking of local and national trends surrounding the nation’s farms and food.

Agriculture, Environment Groups Share Commitment to Farm Bill Principles

A group of Pacific Northwest organizations supporting a healthy future for farms and food has outlined six key tenets they pledge to follow as they work toward 2012 Farm Bill.  The Seattle Farm Bill Principles include an attention to conservation practices, equitable access to healthy foods, and a commitment to strengthen local communities.

Farmland Protection Plan Passed in North Carolina County

In Davidson County, North Carolina, local leaders came together to pass a comprehensive new farmland protection plan. Since 1992, the county has lost more than 15,000 acres of cropland. The plan still awaits final approval from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture but, nevertheless, it marks a big victory for the future of farming in the area.

Farm-to-School Programs in Northeast Get Funding Boost

The Northeast committee representing the National Farm to School Network has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand its capability to process local food for schools. The rise in demand from schools to use local foods can boost the agricultural economy and help keep more acres in production.

Vermont College to Offer Summer Course in Sustainable Agriculture

Green Mountain College in Vermont will continue its for-credit summer program in sustainable agriculture. In its third year, the Farm and Food Intensive covers both traditional and more innovative management techniques with an attention to incorporating conservation practices.

About three years ago, AFT’s work to improve the strategic impact of environmental incentives led to a report that highlighted the remarkable potential of ecosystem service markets as a way to fund both environmental improvements and farmland protection. Following up on that work, we proposed and supported the passage of legislation in Washington (SB 6805) which authorized a study of the potential for such markets to help save farms and improve the environment. We then convened the region’s top farm leaders in a major regional workshop/listening session to assess their interest and request their input on how these markets could work for agriculture. We researched these markets and identified models that illustrate the many active and potential markets that are already in place both here and in various places around the country. And, we have been working with regulators to help them develop permitting rules for air and water quality, wetland and habitat mitigation, water resources, and renewable energy that would make it possible for farmers and ranchers to sell environmental services to supply the growing need.

Just recently, we published a new and first-of-its-kind “Guide to Environmental Markets for Farmers and Ranchers,” which explains how farmers can supplement their income and protect their farms by producing and selling environmental services—transactions that are good not just for the farmer, but also for the rest of us. This guide along with our reports and research on environmental markets for agriculture, notices of upcoming workshops, presentations and public events, and some of the written materials we’ve prepared on how these markets can be so critical to directly protecting farmland are all currently online at www.farmland.org/environmentalmarkets.

In the months ahead, we will be using these materials to continue our work and encourage these markets with farmers and ranchers and also with the public utilities, developers, businesses, transportation agencies and regulators whose engagement is needed. We are working to clarify and define the performance baselines that are required if these markets are to work and be credible. And we are advancing pilot efforts to create “farmer conservation cooperatives” that can help farmers create and sell properly certified environmental credits.

About the author: Don Stuart is the Pacific Northwest Director for American Farmland Trust. His work to build coalitions between farmers and conservationists has contributed to key progress in Washington, including the formation of a state Office of Farmland Preservation, creation of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program’s Farmland Protection Program, and funding for a landmark study of conservation markets and agriculture.

Our new Guide to Environmental Markets for Farmers and Ranchers explains how producers can sell environmental services generated on their farms while continuing their normal farming operations.

Click for PDF of Guide

The guide explains the current status of these markets and opportunities that exist for farmers and ranchers — what these markets can be worth, what must be done to sell services, and who is buying. It also provides practical guidance on how to participate, along with a comprehensive list of potential buyers, informational websites, other literature, and key government agencies for those interested in learning more.  The guide is focused on Washington State, but can be applicable for farmers and ranchers across the country.

Often considered a new idea with puzzling details, markets for environmental benefits have been operating in the United States for many years.  However, recent developments have increased their potential as sources of on-farm income.  This is big news since most active farms and ranches are already preserving and generating environmental benefits. Now, with environmental markets, it is possible to buy and sell these benefits in the form of credits generated from such environmental activities as restoring wetlands, improving water quality or storing carbon.

Typically, farm landowners will be able to take advantage of these markets without removing land from agriculture. In those instances where land may be required to produce credits that could otherwise be devoted to growing crops or raising livestock, this guide suggests ways to minimize that result. And it highlights opportunities to generate environmental market credits that can be produced side-by-side with traditional agricultural practices, rather than circumstances where farms and ranches are taken out of production for environmental restoration — resulting in a vibrant agriculture economy alongside a healthy ecosystem, not one or the other.

If you are in the Washington area, join us this November for one of our six evening workshops across the state to help explain how to use these markets—either as a way to earn extra income or as a new source of funding for land stewardship projects. The workshops are designed for farmers and ranchers, conservation district staff and supervisors, NRCS personnel, Extension staff, land stewardship professionals and anyone else who is interested. Each workshop participant will receive a printed copy of the new guide and the opportunity to get answers to questions about specific project possibilities that might be able to secure funding from these new sources.

Regardless of where you are, please do explore our Guide to Environmental Markets for Farmers and Ranchers and familiarize yourself with this exciting opportunity for farmers and ranchers.

About the author:  Don Stuart is the Pacific Northwest Director for American Farmland Trust.

Alien-looking contraptions with metal arms protrude out of farm fields throughout the state of Washington. Look closer and you’ll see gauges on the arms measuring all kinds of weather data, from temperature and precipitation to wind, dew point, solar radiation and humidity. The stations—part of Washington’s AgWeatherNet—relay data to a website (weather.wsu.edu) that farmers and the public can check for free information on current weather and agricultural conditions.

“I don’t know a farmer or field consultant who doesn’t use it,” says Washington State University (WSU) plant pathologist and AgWeatherNet director Gary Grove. “Over an eight year period, we went from a few people using it to everyone.” The network—launched in part by a grant from the EPA and American Farmland Trust—is one of the most advanced of its kind in the country. Farmers use it to make decisions about everything from irrigation and pruning to fertilizer and pesticide use. (And can sign up for text messages alerting them to adverse weather conditions).

Grove and other WSU researchers are using the weather data—along with disease and insect models—to help growers predict potential insect and disease outbreaks. By better assessing the risk from such threats, the network is helping farmers reduce their chemical use. Grape growers, for instance, have been able to use the data to better time their efforts to combat powdery mildew that infects grapevines. “We’ve reduced fungicide use over 27 percent with wine grapes,” Grove says.

This profile, along with many others can be found in the Integrated Pest Management cover story of our 2010 summer issue of American Farmland magazine. You can get your yearlong subscription by becoming a member of American Farmland Trust today.

About the Author: Kirsten Ferguson is Editor/Writer for American Farmland Trust. She works in the Saratoga, NY office and can be reached at kferguson [at] farmland.org

Washington’s Yakima Valley, a terrain of rugged hillsides and golden desert, is one of the top wine regions in the country. With an ideal climate for grapes and well-drained soils deposited by prehistoric floods, the valley is home to a third of the state’s vineyards. But the region’s many growers of wine and juice grapes face a formidable foe: the climbing cutworm. The nocturnal insect lives in vineyard soil, crawling from the ground in early spring. “The cutworm prefers to climb up the trunk and eat the buds that are swelling on the grape vine. Then the fruit’s gone,” explains Rick Hamman, viticulturist for Hogue Ranches and Mercer Estate Winery in Prosser, Washington.

Previously, Yakima Valley grape growers dealt with the cutworm threat by spraying an organophosphate insecticide that ended up killing beneficial insects while only minimally controlling cutworms. But then entomologist Doug Walsh from Washington State University in Prosser—a recipient of a research grant from the Environmental Protection Agency and American Farmland Trust—hit upon a better solution. His research team figured out they could apply a more environmentally friendly insecticide in a highly targeted fashion that avoided impacts to beneficial insects. By spraying only a banded area of the vine’s trunk rather than the entire vineyard canopy, cutworms were discouraged from climbing and destroying the fruit.

“The growers started using this solution, and it was a real cost savings to them,” says Walsh. “The grower response within two years was universal. At this point I think every grower around here has adopted this practice in some form.”

The innovation is saving Washington growers about $5.5 million a year and has reduced insecticide use by 84 percent, according to WSU researchers. “This has been great and has really helped us,” says Hamman. “It is a total success story. Doug nailed it. You can’t just sit back and do the same old thing. You’ve got to try something new.”

Click here to support funding for this and similar projects utilizing Integrated Pest Management.

On the outskirts of Wenatchee, a city in the heart of central Washington where golden hills surround endless miles of irrigated fruit orchards, a large apple-shaped sign reads, “Apple Capital of the World.” In a region that ships over 100 million boxes of apples a year around the nation and the world, education has been the key to helping growers—especially the valley’s many Latino orchard employees and managers—reduce their use of pesticides.

Apple and cherry grower Jesus Limón, who worked his way up the ranks at a fruit company in order to purchase his own Wenatchee Valley orchard, participated in a Latino orchard employee education program—funded by an EPA grant administered by American Farmland Trust—that teaches growers in Spanish about integrated pest management (IPM).

“You get hooked on it,” Limon says about the natural techniques for identifying and eliminating orchard pests. Since the 1970s, researchers have been exploring safer and more ecologically sound ways to manage pests like insects and plant diseases. IPM includes sustainable methods such as scouting for pests, weather monitoring, disruptions to a pest’s life cycle, and ways to reinforce a pest’s natural enemies.

The Wenatchee-region IPM classes—taught initially by pest management consultant Naná Simone and then by Leo Garcia and other IPM experts at Wenatchee Valley College—were integral in helping Limón reduce the use of pesticides in his orchard, which he then converted to 100 percent organic over a three-year period. “Knowledge is the best thing you can acquire,” Limón says. “The classes helped me tremendously because I couldn’t depend on the conventional sprays anymore.”

Limón’s conversion of his orchard to organic had a domino effect on the farms around him. “This guy just became organic and then the next guy and next guy,” Limón says, pointing to neighboring apple orchards. The program’s classes were such a success not only because the Spanish language instruction helped growers understand the complexities of IPM more quickly, but also because they were taught right in the student’s orchards and fit around the schedule of the farmers.

 “This is a much better way to get people to change,” Limón says. “This program got us away from [conventional chemicals] without forcing us. Trying to work with the farmer is better than being the mean guy on the block. If the EPA knew what this program really did for us, they would do more programs like it.”

Limón proudly points to wooden hawk boxes he installed on poles lining the rows of his apple trees. After two years, he finally got a family of hawks to move into his orchard. The hawks scare away birds that like to peck apples and cherries off the trees. This natural approach to managing wildlife is also an outgrowth of learning about IPM, Limón says. “I liked learning about how the bug populations worked. Once you start putting the pieces together, you see everything: the mice, the snakes, the cougars.”

The U.S. population is projected to double over the next 50 years. Much of that increase will be concentrated in a few dynamic regions of the country that will also have to contend with the environmental consequences of growth: air and water pollution, flooding, depletion of surface and ground water, loss or damage to wetlands, and damage to habitat and migration corridors for fish and wildlife. And as those regions grow, they will increasingly need to find the most effective ways to compensate for those environmental impacts.

Damage to the environment can be costly to mitigate—costs that present themselves in the form of higher taxes, increased utility charges, delayed development, and higher prices for products and services inflated by regulation. There are limits to public willingness to absorb such costs, yet ignoring them may ultimately be even more expensive.

So finding the least costly ways to make up for the damage done by growth is essential if we are to protect our prosperity, and also if we are to convince the public to address environmental problems in the first place. So where can we find opportunities to make up for the damage done by growth? Urban areas? Too expensive. Public lands? Already managed for their natural values. It turns out that privately owned farm and forest lands are where environmental gains can be accomplished at moderate cost with the least obvious impact on economic activity.

AP Photo/John Froschauer

The environmental consequences of urban/suburban development can, in most cases, be offset on farmland without taking the land out of agriculture. Of course, the cost for farmers to produce these offsets on their own is usually much too high for a struggling farm business to carry given the narrow profits to be made in agriculture. But because they are already earning agricultural income and generally are producing these values in any case, farmers can typically continue to farm while enhancing these environmental values for much less than it would cost to ignore, prevent, or offset them elsewhere.

There are many excellent examples to illustrate how farms and farmland can readily supply these kinds of offsets through conservation markets: carbon offsets, water quality trading, wetland mitigation, habitat mitigation and flood mitigation.

“With some of the money spent on landscape projects by state highways, you could buy development rights on farmland. Instead of having another frog pond along the freeway, you could have protected farmland, protected water and protected Trumpeter swan habitat. That seems like a fair trade to me.”

Read Jay’s story.

These possibilities have led American Farmland Trust to begin engaging farmers and ranchers in designing conservation markets for ecosystem services produced on active agricultural lands. We believe this approach makes terrific sense for the environment, for agriculture, and for society.

Read my entire whitepaper: How Conservation Markets Can Transform Agriculture and Protect the Environment

About the author:  Don Stuart is the Pacific Northwest Director for American Farmland Trust.