By Contributing Editor, Stephanie Georgieff
A
few weeks before the election, in September of 2012, barely a third of
California voters approved of the job the State Legislature was “doing.” The
last major poll conducted in the state has pushed the rating up to a favorable
36%, a level unthinkable several years ago. In some small measure, it may be due
because the Assembly and Senate are starting to introduce bills that many
Californians actually care about, which will also allow greater freedom to
create sustainable small businesses. With California’s global leadership in the
food and agriculture sectors, it makes sense to pass laws encouraging entrepreneurship
for which the Sunshine state is famous.
Passage
of the California Cottage Food Law last year, finally decriminalized bake sales
and home made bread purveyors. This law allows the creation of non-perishable foodstuffs
such as popcorn, jams and cookies to be made in a person’s home kitchen. Such
goods can be sold directly to the public now, and a permit process and limit to
the number of employees and profits are in place. In our economically strapped
times, allowing a family member to make an extra few bucks selling a family
biscotti recipe to neighbors without fear of jail time seemed to many a good
idea. It would reduce prison crowding and also increase tax revenues at the
same time.
A new law under consideration in the
Assembly, introduced by Democratic Assembly member Phil Ting of the 19th
District in Western San Francisco has the dubious title of “Urban Agriculture
Incentive Zones Act,” AKA as AB 551. It seemed only proper if the state was
going to decriminalize goods from home kitchens, that house gardens should not
only be given the same freedoms but also incentives. With populations booming
around the world, development of agricultural land, the issue of feeding people
in the future is on the mind of planners and legislators alike. Urban farming
is becoming more and more of a need, but in the expensive real estate of
California’s major urban centers, it can be out of the question.
The
major thrust of AB 551 is to encourage landowners who sign a contract with
their county to put their property to urban agricultural use for 10 years.
After this contract is signed, their property will be assessed at a lower tax
rate based on agricultural use rather than its market value. In places like Los
Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco where the median house price can range
between $500,000 to a million dollars, allowing a small urban farm in the front
or back yard is a triple win. Land owners can lease their property to farmers
or farm themselves, providing truly local produce to hungry cities, and cut
down on food miles that rural farms must log to bring product to market. Such
farms can also improve the air quality of cities, and in some instances such as
roof top gardens, actually cut energy costs. Agricultural incentive zones can
also create good, sustainably minded jobs surrounding food. With increased
demand for farmers markets, one of the main complaints of market managers is
getting farmers to come. With the development of back yard or abandoned
property as farms, demand can be met while giving meaningful work to many who
are struggling to find jobs. Before World War II, Los Angeles County used to be
the most productive agricultural
county in the nation boasting 40,000 small family farms. AB 551 may be
the solution to improving access to fresh locally grown produce in “food
deserts” converting depressed areas back into lush farmland, one yard at a
time.
As
of this writing, AB 551 made it out of committee, and is expected to pass on to
the Assembly and go on to the Senate. It is exciting to see the Sunshine State
take the lead on incentivizing the consumption of real, nutritious food. It is
our hope, that this will be a model for other states with large urban
populations. If you live in California, please contact your local
representative and encourage them to vote yes for AB 551
