Summit on Agricultural Viability
Governor's Summit on Agricultural Viability in Idaho
On December 18th hundreds of people from around the state came to the Idaho Statehouse in Boise to attend the Governor's Summit on Agricultural Viability in Idaho. The purpose of the summit was to discuss problems facing modern agriculture in Idaho like farmland loss, as well as ideas for possible solutions.
On December 18th hundreds of people from around the state came to the Idaho Statehouse in Boise to attend a special event.
“Good morning and welcome to the Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Viability in the state. We are really pleased to have so many people here.”
The purpose of the summit was to discuss problems facing modern agriculture in Idaho, as well as possible solutions.
I'm preaching to the choir, but you have to say it. AG and food processing in the state of Idaho contribute $26 billion to this economy. There is no stronger or more important industry in the state of Idaho. So this is such an important topic,” said Chanel Tewalt, director of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture
The event was hosted by Idaho Governor Brad Little, the American Farmland Trust, Idaho Farm & Ranch Center, and the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation.
“There are a lot of ideas on this. There's a lot of folks that think they have the golden solution, or at least maybe a part of the solution. Today is designed for the idea sharing. Some of the ideas that you'll hear today will be very welcomed. Others might be a little bit more challenging to hear, and some of them might not land well at all. And that's OK,” said Braden Jensen, a governmental affairs director with the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation.
“This room, the people that registered to be here today, we have a vast cross section of everybody who needs to be here and involved. We’ve got land owners, we have producers, we have AG businesses, we have planners, we have local government, we have state government, we have developers,” said Jensen.
There were multiple speakers, panels, questions from the audience, and an interactive group survey that attendees took part in by giving answers to questions on their phones….
Topics discussed included problems like population growth, farmland loss, rising costs, and the need for regulation reform, and how to preserve farming without infringing on private property rights.
“There is no one elegant solution,” said Governor Brad Little. “The incredibly rapid growth that's taking place is running headlong into kind of traditionally what we've always done in agriculture.”
“More people continue to move here and those that are here want the next generation to be able to stay here,” said Jensen. “But how do we do that and balance the needs of production agriculture all at the same time.”
“There are no perfect easy answers to this, which is why you should talk about it. As massive and productive and incredible as agriculture is in Idaho, it is facing massive headwinds,” said Tewalt.
“I want to bring the producers perspective to this meeting because I've said all along that we need to be, we need to be focused on protecting our producers, and not as much about protecting ag land,” said Idaho Farm Bureau President Matt Dorsey.
“So as I've traveled the state, this year's meeting with everybody in every county of the state, we all have the same issues in that in being producers and it it really is, it is really the governor talked, spoke on it, talked on it, is the financial part of it,” said Dorsey.
“It's so important that we look at a viable solution to this.”
“As we look around at other states, even what other communities do, there's a variety of solutions and I'm very glad to be here, to be part of this, to listen to those solutions,” said Little.
The importance of participation and involvement in local government was stressed by many of the presenters, where many decisions are made regarding land use through local planning and zoning boards.
“I hope when people come into a conversation like this, they don't treat it like a spectator sport, right? This isn't a Pollyanna discussion. It is hard, difficult trade-offs and making actual firm decisions, and not making a decision is a decision.” said Tewalt.
“So, if there is a time to act, it is now. This is not a can we kick down the road anymore. We really need to hit this one head on,” said David Anderson, president of American Farmland Trust.
Other ideas included creating districts where agriculture is a preferred land use and setting boundaries for urban growth.
“We hope that you heard something that was a little bit provocative, that was new, that challenged some of your frame of mind, you're frame of thinking and maybe encouraged a little bit more, will encourage a bit more exploration,” said Jensen.
“And I hope that you took something out of this today that not only you take home and share with your neighbors, but something that gives you pause and you act on in next year,” said Tewalt.
