San Diego is an urban county, however farming in our county:
- Covers 315,296 acres.
- Ranks 5th as a component of San Diego County’s economy.
- Is the 12th largest farm economy among all counties in the nation.
- Ranks #1 in both California & the nation in the production value of nursery, floriculture and avocados.
- Places in the top five among counties in California in the production of chickens, fresh market tomatoes, eggs, mushrooms, grapefruit, tangerines and honey.
- Produces the most dollar value per acre ($5612/acre) of any county in California.
This Farming Program will showcase the distinctiveness of San Diego County farms and will provide recommendations to promote and encourage viable farming in the County and will serve as a model for other urban counties.
The goals of the San Diego County Farming Program are to:
- Promote economically viable farming in San Diego County
- Create land use policies & programs that recognize the value of working farms to regional conservation efforts
The County of San Diego is dedicated to planning for agriculture by creating a framework for an economically and environmentally sustainable agricultural industry. The County is committed to creating land use policies and programs to keep farming economically viable and environmentally sound.
The County of San Diego, San Diego Farm Bureau, U.C. Cooperative Extension/ Farm & Home Advisors and American Farmland Trust are working together to cultivate an innovative Farming Program that will:
- Provide recommendations for the 2007 Farm Bill
- Streamline the regulatory environment for farmers
- Provide economic incentives to restore, enhance, or create habitat for sensitive species
- Provide recommendations for a Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements (PACE) Program
- Support County pest exclusion and pest detection efforts designed to
minimize the economic damage caused by quarantines and treatment protocols required for new and exotic pests
The County of San Diego has completed a contract with American Farmland Trust (AFT) to help develop the Farming Program. The County is currently evaluating and refining the recommendations of the Farming Program. The Farming Program will create the framework for an economically and environmentally sustainable farming industry for San Diego County. The Plan will include land use policies and programs to keep land available and affordable for farming on a voluntary basis. It will also include economic development tools to help improve farm profitability.
Draft Farming Program Plan Text
Draft Farming Program Plan Appendices
To learn more about the Farming Program partners, please visit:
Useful Farming Information
The following useful links are provided to assist the farming community.
The County is continually looking to improve this page to better serve the needs of the public. If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please email us at sdcawm@sdcounty.ca.gov.
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