Snohomish Co. takes steps to help farmers stay in business

Among the enterprises that will be allowed on farmland — provided certain conditions are met — are larger produce stands, farmers’ markets, bakeries, processing facilities and commercial social events.

During a signing ceremony last week next to Don and Barbara Bailey’s farmstand near Monroe, with rows of vegetables, flowers and herbs in the background, County Executive Aaron Reardon made it clear that the county values its multimillion-dollar ag economy.

Put simply, he said, the focus is on “bringing back agriculture.

The changes signed by Reardon were put together by the county’s Agriculture Advisory Board over the past four years.

Don Bailey believes the new ordinances are a positive move that will allow more ag-related businesses on farmland.

“It gives farmers more options,” he said. “The way the county is approaching this is good.”

With farmers under the gun to get bigger or get out, Bailey predicts that thanks to the new ordinances, more families will be able to stay on their farms and more farms will be well-maintained instead of being left vacant or underutilized.

A former dairy farmer, Bailey believes his farm reflects the diversification that’s occurring in the county. Currently, he raises dairy heifers, makes and sells compost, grows silage and hay, and runs a U-pick vegetable operation.

“Just on my road, agriculture is getting more diversified,” he said, referring his own farm, an antique rose farm, a feed store, several nurseries, a turf farm and a horse farm.

“I see our area evolving,” he said, adding that he’s glad to see the county’s approach to agriculture evolving as well.

Stanwood grower Tristan Klesick also believes that the changes are good for farmers.

“It’s not a Band-Aid,” he said. “It’s a good step forward. The county really made some good choices.”

Klesick believes that the new ordinances reflect a trend: Consumers are beginning to think local and regional.

“Farmers are doing new things to adjust to that trend,” he said, referring to inviting consumers out to the farm to buy locally produced food.

Saying that no other county has amendments like the ones just signed into law, Klesick hopes they’ll serve as models in other areas.

“Counties need to be focusing on the business of agriculture,” he said. “They need to be a front player in all of this. They have an obligation to farmers to make a difference.”

But Klesick sees more work ahead.

“We need to look at the bigger picture,” he said. “These new ordinances are good for diversified ag. But now we need to look at protecting and encouraging large-scale agriculture. We have a group of crop farmers that are missing now.”

As a small-scale farmer, Klesick said farmers like himself rely on the large farms for such things as land to lease for crop rotation, manure and infrastructure.

“We need them to prosper,” he said.

Jackie Macomber, chair of the Snohomish County Agriculture Advisory Board, has thoughts along that same line.

“I do believe the changes to the code will give farmers the confidence they need to move forward and invest in their agricultural goals,” she said.  “It gives them confidence and security.  We just know that this will encourage more agricultural people to come into the area.”