SUMMARY Announcing a non-profit educational and food production project, which is called Take the Farm Home (TTFH). Its purpose is to educate the public about the loss of family owned farmland, food security and food production methods. This project can significantly increase the amount of locally grown produce while at the same time working within the land conversion patterns in Clark County, Washington, which are typical in many expanding urban / rural interfaces. INTRODUCTION How do you define “farmland”? In California, the Farmland Security Zone legislation defines farmland as land that is either “prime” or “unique.” The American Farmland Trust defines farmland as land that is “productive.” The later definition represents best what farmland is in fact. Productive means land that can be cultivated with the assistance of water, soil amendments and other value added activities. Farmland conservation efforts often focus on larger landholdings associated with commodity production (e.g. corn and soybeans) while smaller parcels, often the best agricultural land, are being converted to non-agrarian uses. This trend is both alarming and dire in terms of our local food security. With eighty-two (82) percent of Clark County’s population considered urban, the importance of smaller agricultural lands, which are proximate to the urban epicenter can’t be ignored. Moreover, the days of large scale farming operations near the City of Vancouver, Washington are numbered. People who move to the rural setting often don’t tolerate the intensive practices associated with larger farming operations. Land has at least as much value for human food production as it does for housing. Property size doesn’t determine the role that land can play in cultivation either. Small acreage farmers (notably, those who use about a third of an acre) can make a significant contribution toward the needs of a growing urban population. Despite this, the Washington State Open Space Taxation Act, the guidelines are legislatively driven by the State's Legislature, seems to discredit the value of smaller land holdings of less than twenty (20) acres for food production by hinging the credit to a minimum earnings requirement and nullifying its availability to landholders who own smaller parcels. The Act is a disincentive for the small acreage or hobby farmer to pursue his or her passion; this is at the same time when Clark County, Washington has lost 83% of its land area once used for agricultural production. Presumably, the loss of farmland is due to urban encroachment / conversion but also, it is probably linked to the excessive land values themselves. Simply put, people who want to farm can’t afford to buy the land. This leads us to a primary problem. Simply put, the Clark County government is unable to ensure supplies of readily available, locally grown produce if general disruptions should occur in either the national / international production or distribution food systems. It is not atypical for store bought food to be shipped at least 2,000 miles from the producer / manufacturer to the ultimate end user. Clark County is unprepared to meet the demands of its own residents let alone the influx of urbanites from the entire Portland Metro area. Taking the Farm Home is part of the solution. We propose that the word “farmland” should be abandoned conceptually and instead, local government must take a more proactive approach to ensure adequate, local food supplies. We also believe local food production in the 21st Century will become more like our proposed “gardenland” model – smaller scale, closer to urban centers and more sustainable. DISCUSSION Local Food Preference and Overall Increase in Locally Grown Produce The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University released the findings of a poll, which found a whopping eighty – five (85) percent of Americans have confidence in the safety of their local and regional food systems while only twelve (12) percent expressed confidence in the global food supply. There is no doubt that contaminated pet food and recalls of toothpaste obviously played a role in forming the participants’ opinions. However, due in part to the handling of agricultural policy in the U.S. and more generally to trade practices, food and health related imports from China are only set to increase. For example, more than 30 percent of the world’s entire beef cow herd is in China. This is in spite of the fact that China is not able to produce enough food for its billion plus sized population. China may never be able to obtain the coveted net exporter status because of its eagerness to make short term sacrifices to build its economy. Those sacrifices are leading to the equivalent of a modern environmental meltdown, which will inevitably turn the wealth building activities upside down. On the other hand, the United States is a net exporter. Considering the magnitude of the losses of agricultural land just in Clark County alone, this ability to feed our own people and to feed others is unlikely to last forever. TTFH may be the last stand before these drastic physical changes alter our prosperity permanently. Reduces Carbon Footprint by Reducing Transportation Demands On May 03, 2007, Washington Governor Christine Gregoire signed into legislation a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for the State of Washington over the next four decades. Although, the legislation seems progressive, the timeline to reach the staged reductions is too little too late. Climate change is a reality. The extent to which human activities have played in causing the phenomenon is really irrelevant now. Human activities have played some role. Since the Industrial Revolution, the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased significantly. Taking the Farm Home is a model program to help reduce carbon emissions for two reasons. First, it minimizes the need for extensive transportation, since the market place and the consumer are all local. It also requires less motorized tools like the larger farming operations often need because it relies primarily on hand tools. Consequently, we generate the lowest carbon foot print of all the food production methods. This can start the dialogue about decreasing carbon emissions by adopting TTFH program. Food Security Is National Security The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently staged a mock response to an agroterrorist attack near the City of Monroe, Washington. Although it was a training exercise, the issue of food security is on the minds of officials. After 9/11 and the conception of the Department of the Homeland Security, we have since had the Katrina disaster. It reminds us that the production and distribution systems break down; after natural disasters or other forms of terror, the only way to minimize additional chaos is to ensure better preparation at the local level and to create a community based self-help plan. Food security is a critical component to national and personal family security. Local government must help to re-connect our city centers to food cultivation and its associated processes. One way to do that is to encourage Taking the Farm Home. Battle of the Bulge / Clark County Initiative 2010 Federal guidelines have increased the number of serving of fruit and vegetables to five (5) servings a day. However, only one in ten American kids gets the recommended serving. Major studies have shown that price and quality are the major impediments that hinder consumption. Taking the Farm Home, as a non-profit organization can assure that the produce it sells is both the highest quality and reasonably priced. We all know that fresh is best – both in terms of taste and nutritional value. In this sense, Taking the Farm Home compliments the Clark County Initiative 2010, which is a vested effort involving many organizations to reduce the high rate of obesity within the county. We can collaborate together. TTFH has a central educational focus and wishes to improve human health. CONCLUSION Taking the Farm Home created a two prong approach: a demonstration garden and a family oriented farmers’ market called the Manor Farmers’ Market. We have expansion plans in 2008! The first year garden on the Manor Evangelical Church property near the City of Battle Ground will expand slightly while we create a second larger garden in Amboy, Washington. In addition, we will offer the highest quality, home style canned products made from fresh produce grown in our gardens. By announcing this concept, it is hoped that local governments and our community will address the urgency of food security by combining Take the Farm Home with its overall homeland security strategy. In this sense, the development of the county (e.g. growth management) is in direct conflict with the overall role of the government to protect human health, safety and welfare. Taking the Farm Home is an alternative and a promising one at that. We are always looking for volunteers and tax deductible donations (food canners and / or gardening hand tools). Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Helen Nowlin, Project Director and Administrator B.S.; J.D.; L.L.M. International Environmental Law 17913 NE 72nd Ave. Battle Ground, WA 98604 509-879-6753 (M); 360-574-3584 (W) Support our Mission Also, see www.manorfarmersmarket.wsnw.net for more details. Thank you.