Protecting Idaho's Farmland
As the summer comes to an end and we enter the autumn season, farmers continue to bring in this year’s harvest. The fruits of summer’s labor are being realized and we pray that producers can bring in another successful crop here in the Magic Valley and around the state.
It takes a lot of inputs and labor to produce a successful crop. Beyond the seed, water, and fertilizer, there is the equipment, pest controls, and of course labor that is required. So many of our local businesses and industries provide these essential goods and services to the area’s farms and ranches, and as a community we all benefit from their existence.
But to continue to thrive and produce abundant harvests, Idaho farmers and ranchers need another fundamental resource that we cannot take for granted. It is land. Without fields of healthy soil, or rangelands with abundant forage, farming and ranching is impossible.
I have heard other elected officials say that “Idaho has been discovered”. We have been among the fastest growing states in the nation for the past several years, with little to no slowing in sight. This will continue to put pressure on the farmland our communities enjoy and depend on today. This is why we need to provide landowners with additional resources and tools to preserve their farmland.
At the end of this most recent legislative session, the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation presented H377 that introduced a concept they call the Idaho Agricultural Protection Areas (IAPA). An IAPA is a voluntary land use designation, that is voluntarily requested by an interested landowner and approved by the corresponding local unit of government.
The benefits of IAPAs would be as much for the local units of government as for the landowners. Clear communication from a landowner of their intention to continue farming their land helps planners and elected officials better prepare for growth. Our communities plan for a lot of things including housing, shopping, recreation, water, utilities, etc. We also need to continue to plan for agriculture.
I look forward to the legislature exploring additional policies to give landowners further options when it comes to farmland conservation. Agriculture is the backbone of our economy and state. It is important that we continue to plan for it.
Representative Linda Wright-Hartgen
Member of Main Street Idaho
