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VIDEO. From the San Mateo County Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) meeting on Monday, July 10th, 2023 at 6:00pm

Presentation and Discussion on San Mateo County Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures’ Agricultural Access (Ag ID) Program.

Presentation by: San Mateo County Agriculture/Weights & Measures, Koren Widdell.

 

 

Ag ID (Agricultural Identification) Program Concept Sheet

The County Agriculture/Weights and Measures Department has begun soliciting feedback from stakeholders, to inform  the creation of a new Ag ID (Agricultural Identification) program. The goal of the program is to provide a transparent and  uniform way to identify commercial farmers and ranchers to law enforcement and emergency personnel, to facilitate  access to agricultural properties within a mandatory evacuation area during a wildfire or other emergency. This fact  sheet gives a brief summary of the program development and outreach activities that are in progress.

During a disaster, an Ag ID program would provide a framework for firefighting personnel, California Highway Patrol  officers, Sheriff’s deputies and other emergency personnel to allow farmers and ranchers limited emergency access to  areas that may otherwise be restricted to the public, to undertake critical and essential agricultural work. Our goal is to  create a program for the 2023 fire season in a way that protects the health and safety of agricultural workers and safety  crews, while enabling safe access to growing sites to protect and ensure the viability of local agriculture.

[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.coastsidebuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Item-7-Ag-ID-Concept-Sheet-2023-06-29-English.pdf” title=”Item 7 Ag ID Concept Sheet 2023-06-29- English”]

 

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Watch on Pacifica Coast TV (PCTV).

Comments and questions by email.

 

AAC Agendas and Zoom Links

 

Mission Statement

The purpose of this Committee is to assist in the achievement of the objectives of the Planned Agricultural District Ordinance and the San Mateo County Local Coastal Program.

 

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The Williamson Act

The Williamson Act is a means to restrict the uses of agricultural and open space lands to farming and ranching uses during the length of the contract period. The Williamson Act Program was also envisioned as a way for local governments to integrate the protection of open space and agricultural resources into their overall strategies for planning urban growth patterns.

To this end, three principal objectives were originally outlined.

Protection of Agricultural Resources

Preservation of Open Space Land

Promotion of Efficient Urban Growth Patterns

 

AAC Members

15 members, consisting of one Agricultural Business, one Conservationist, seven Farmer/Growers, two Public Members and four Non-Voting members (Executive Director, San Mateo County Farm Bureau; Executive Director, National Resource Conservation Service NRCS; County Director, UC Cooperative Extension; and County Agricultural Commissioner).