To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Agriculture/Weights & Measures; County Executive’s Office; Permit Sonoma; Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District; County Counsel; University of California Cooperative Extension
Staff Name and Phone Number: Andrew Smith, (707) 565-2371; M. Christina Rivera; Scott Orr; Misti Arias; Jennifer Klein; Lauren Cartwright
Vote Requirement: Informational Only
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Agriculture Workshop
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Receive a presentation from staff and agricultural industry partners highlighting agricultural issues in Sonoma County.
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Executive Summary:
Today’s Agriculture Workshop outlines issues that are of concern to agricultural industry partners and stakeholders in Sonoma County. The workshop highlights specific issues and identifies how these issues present challenges to agricultural diversification and resilience, including specific subject matter expert guest speakers to share experiences with specific issues:
Part 1: How we use the land
a. Cultivation and Fallowing
b. Agritourism
c. General Plan and By-Right Land Uses
d. Agricultural Employee Housing
Part 2: How we protect the land
e. “Right To Farm” policies
f. Property tax incentives including Williamson Act (California Land Conservation Act) contracts
g. Conservation Easements
h. Land Access
i. Food Security
The purpose of this workshop is to enhance the Board’s collective awareness of issues facing agriculture in Sonoma County and provide opportunity for Board discussion.
Discussion:
Please see the presentation slides that will be shared and discussed in a workshop format with the Board of Supervisors.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
11/4/2025 - Approval of Agriculture in Sonoma County Ad Hoc Committee Charter
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
N/A
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Agriculture Workshop PowerPoint Presentation
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None