Drafter
Clerk 01/28/2010
Title
A MOTION recognizing and endorsing the recommendations of the FARMS Report - Future of Agriculture, Realize Meaningful Solutions Report.
Body
WHEREAS, King County has a remarkable legacy of public actions to preserve farmlands and to encourage farming, and
WHEREAS, revenue traditionally used to support agriculture including the county's general fund is under significant fiscal pressure, and
WHEREAS, the county's surface water management fund can be used for drainage and water quality services that benefit agriculture and is also under significant fiscal pressure, and
WHEREAS, there are many high priority competing needs for all funds that could support agriculture, and
WHEREAS, the King County council passed Ordinance 16172 requesting that the department of natural resources and parks and the King County agriculture commission convene a planning process to address the future of agriculture in the agricultural production districts, and
WHEREAS, the report is to be presented to the council no later than January 1, 2010, and
WHEREAS, five public meetings were held, with over two hundred participants attending those meetings; and
WHEREAS, the agriculture commission and department of natural resources and parks staff spent fourteen months gathering, analyzing and synthesizing input from over one thousand farmers and citizens, and
WHEREAS, the agriculture commission worked in partnership with King County staff to develop recommendations and actions needed to sustain economically viable agriculture in King County, and
WHEREAS, the agriculture commission believes implementation of these recommendations is critical to the future of sustainable economically viable agriculture in King County, and
WHEREAS, the recommendations made in the FARMS Report - Future of Agriculture, Realize Meaningful Solutions reflect the major issues and challenges facing agriculture in King County, and
WHEREAS, implementation of these recommendations will help ensure that agriculture will remain a viable component of the county's economy, and help ensure that the citizens of King County will continue to have access to locally produced food and other agricultural products, and help ensure that the numerous resource and aesthetic benefits that agricultural lands provide will continue to be available for all King County citizens to enjoy;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
The King County council hereby
A. Supports the findings of the FARMS Report - Future of Agriculture, Realize Meaningful Solutions;
B. Asks the executive, the department of natural resources and parks and the department of development and environmental services to prioritize the recommendations and actions with the Agriculture Commission, King Conservation District and other stakeholders;
C. Asks the executive, the department of natural resources and parks and the department of development and environmental services to work with the agriculture commission, King Conservation District and other stakeholders to identify appropriate service providers and service levels for priority agricultural services identified in the FARMS Report - Future of Agriculture, Realize Meaningful Solutions, including consideration of King County, the King Conservation District, the cities of King County and nongovernmental organizations;
D. Asks the executive and the department of natural resources and parks to work in partnership with the agriculture commission, the cities of King County, the King Conservation District, the Cascade Harvest Coalition and other entities to identify funding and resources necessary to implement the recommendations and actions as described including identifying options for public private partnerships and sustainable regional funding mechanisms; and
E. Requests that the department of natural resources and parks report back to the King County council as to the findings of this effort.