permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        [growingsmallfarms] Have your voice heard by NC regulatory
reform committee : Email by Friday!
Date:   Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:16:33 -0400
From:   mitra sticklen <mitra.sticklen@gmail.com>
Reply-To:       mitra sticklen <mitra.sticklen@gmail.com>,
growingsmallfarms@lists.ncsu.edu
To:     growingsmallfarms@lists.ncsu.edu, cgpartners@lists.ncsu.edu,
triangle@lists.carolinafarmstewards.org,
local-foods-action-plan-owner@lists.ncsu.edu, TAGaH-list@meetup.com,
ASAP@main.nc.us, shivaugn@sustainablefoodnc.org



Dear friends,

Our legislators in North Carolina have formed a state-wide committee to
review/revise regulatory policies. Sen. Harry Brown (R-Jones), Sen.
David Rouzer (R-Johnston), Rep. Marilyn Avila (R-Wake) and Rep. Pat
McElraft (R- Carteret) chair the committee, which “is tasked with
scrutinizing state regulations on the private sector and targeting
outdated rules and regulations that should be eliminated.” They held a
public comment session in Raleigh last week, where many farmers spoke
out about the regulations that hinder their viability or the
environmental protections that ensure a safe future for our food system.
I spoke for two minutes on behalf of young farmers, and later sent those
thoughts to the committee in the letter below.I hope you all consider
writing a bit about your experiences or thoughts about current
regulations, and send your letter by Friday at 5pm to
RegReform@ncleg.net <mailto:RegReform@ncleg.net> or see
http://www.ncleg.net/Applications/RFC/?id=3 for more info.


I am a 25 year old woman living in Raleigh, and I started farming at age
19. Our food system is /fragile/. Creating a dynamic and powerful local
food system is an issue of security. I urge each of you to think
critically about the state of our food system, and the concurrent crisis
in higher education. If young people out there are seeking meaningful
work before agreeing to the burden of university debt, society should
encourage an apprenticeship on a farm. By providing ample protection for
local resources, legislation can ensure that our bodies and our
children’s bodies will be protected despite the highly globalized,
extremely unstable food trade system.Safeguarding clean water, healthy
soils, and new farmers is an issue of security.

Environmental regulations in farming must be designed to prevent
degraded and poisoned soils, polluted water sources, and dangerous air
quality levels. These laws should be based on a /precautionary/
/principle/ of protecting our resources for future generations.
Loosening these regulations would threaten our food, our health, and our
long-term ability to sustain a growing population. Policy incentives
(ex: property tax easements) that reward farmers for /improving/ soil,
water and air quality would ensure that these resources are protected
and enhanced for the future.

Here are two ways that policy regulations create obstacles for young and
beginning farmers:

1.It’s illegal to farm in many NC cities. As a young farmer, I also grew
food in Chicago, where I saw first-hand how productive and profitable
urban farms can be. However, many of the current laws in North
Carolina’s cities prohibit basic farming practices including composting,
raising livestock, and even growing and washing vegetables. I urge the
legislature to reform outdated laws that prevent young entrepreneurs
from growing food in cities.

2.Although many successful NC farms operate successful farm businesses
on less than 5 acres, the Present-Use Valuation (PUV) law only reduces
property taxes for farm owners with over 10 acres or over 5 acres in
production. Young and beginning farmers cannot afford large acreage, and
current policies should recognize that many profitable farms operate on
very small acreage. Reforming the PUV statute would encourage more entry
into farming, thereby encouraging a more secure North Carolina.

Despite budget cuts across the Land Grant system of agricultural
education, experimentation and extension, there are resources for
beginning farmers. I am a result of a Land Grant University, and decided
I wanted to be a farmer and teacher after my training on Michigan State
University’s Student Organic Farm. I am a believer in this system of
education, and I urge North Carolina’s two State Universities to provide
more low-cost training and apprenticeship programs for young people
interested in sustainable farming. Look to Central Carolina Community
College’s Sustainable Agriculture program for a model of low-cost,
hands-on farming education that enhances our natural, economic and
social resources. Co-Operative Extension is a great resource for young
and new farmers. Agricultural Extension Agent Debbie Roos in Chatham
County provides farmer training and research that enhance the
sustainability of North Carolina’s food system, environmental resources,
and local economies. We desperately need our extension agents in North
Carolina, and we need more agents who work with small, sustainable and
beginning farmers. I urge members of the committee to maintain the
programs that train and create opportunities for farmers as an
investment in our future. Our state can ensure a stronger, healthier
population if we protect and enhance our systems of sustainable
agriculture education, experimentation and extension throughout North
Carolina.

Young and beginning farmers are the ones who innovate (due to necessity)
low-cost methods of farming that improve environmental resources, create
new jobs, lower healthcare costs, and create a food secure North
Carolina. We need more young people at the table, and on the farm.

We must protect and enhance our environmental, social and economic
resources as an investment in the future. The regulatory obstacles
facing small and beginning farmers hinder education and access to
creating a more secure North Carolina. We have the resources, and we
have many young and beginning farmers (and young farm-curious citizens).
What we need now is more policy support, protected resources, more
farmers, and less barriers to growing good food.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Mitra Sticklen


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