5. Presentation regarding Farmland Acquisition and Preservation v2 — original pdf

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Investing in Farmland Preservation & Access in Central Texas Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board Board Members Andy Smith, Matt Simon, Marissa Bell Food Access & Resilience Crisis Less than 1% of food consumed in Travis County is produced locally. More demand than supply - Central Texas’ production cannot realistically meet its total demand for food. When prices rise, local food becomes inaccessible for families and small businesses COVID-19 showed our fragile supply chain Local producers were more resilient and quick to respond to feed our community. Sources: 2022, City of Austin, State of the Food System Report; Central Texas Food Bank, Central TX Food System Dashboard Farmland Access Crisis 2017 Total Acres 2022 Total Acres 5 year loss 2017-2022 Decrease Travis 212,782 193,523 19,259 9.10% Williamson 541,344 368,663 172,681 31.90% Hays  254,999 129,788 125,211 49.10% Bastrop 321,934 247,205 74,729 23.20% Caldwell 269,665 229,140 40,525 15.00% Region 1,600,724 1,168,319 432,405 27.00% All farmland in the 5 county region will be developed by 2035 if this rate of loss continues. Source: 2022, City of Austin, State of the Food System Report, Central Texas Food Bank, Food Systems Dashboard Now is the cheapest and easiest time to break the cycle. Ripple Effects of Losing Farmland: Food System Resilience Less local food production capacity Water & Flooding Increased runoff, reduced aquifer recharge Remaining land becomes more valuable Climate Lost carbon sinks, more emissions from development Biodiversity Habitat loss and ecosystem function decline Local Economy Fewer viable farms, lost green jobs Farmland Preservation Aligns with Many City Priorities and Goals City Goal Area Alignment / Impact Reference (Plan & Goal #) Food Security Climate Action Preserves agricultural lands and expands regenerative food production, building local food system capacity. Austin-Travis County Food Plan — Goal 1 Regenerative farmland protects carbon-rich soils and supports carbon sequestration on working lands. City Strategic Plan — CH3. Austin Climate Equity Plan — Natural Systems Goal 1 (Needs Support). Farmland Protection Advances target to protect 500,000 acres of farmland in 5-county region; currently off track. Austin Climate Equity Plan — Natural Systems Goal 2 (Off-Track) Economic Growth Supports the creation of green jobs and entrepreneurship. Austin Climate Equity Plan — Green Jobs and Entrepreneurship- Strategy 1 Watershed Protection Regenerative farmland increases infiltration, reduces runoff, and supports aquifer recharge. City Strategic Plan — CH3.2, CH3.3.2; Watershed Protection Master Plan Biodiversity Regenerative farmland maintains wildlife habitat and soil biodiversity. Resolution 20230126-054 — UN Biodiversity Framework Targets 1 & 3 Emergency Preparedness Strengthens local food supply and reduces reliance on distant supply chains during crises. City Strategic Plan — Resilience goals CH4 Open Spaces / Parks Supports parkland use for community agriculture, nature-based education, and food-based business incubators; aligns with parkland acquisition goals and strengthens agritourism and local markets. Our Parks, Our Future Plan — Goals 1, 2.3, 2.5, 4.3.2, 4.3.3, 7.4 Austin already protects land for water, wildlife, and open space. The same process can be used to protect land for food production. Water Quality Protection Lands Parks & Open Space 35,0000+ acres conserved for Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Protection ~15,200 acres of parkland for recreation, resilience, and education. Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP) 13,800 acres preserved by CoA and an additional 19,400 acres held by BCP partners to protect endangered species Sources: (Austin Water, WQPL program, 2022; PARD, Our Parks, Our Future Plan, 2020; Austin Water BCP;) Now Therefore Be it Resolved... Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board Recommendation Number: 20251020-05 Dedicate Funding: Make a one-time allocation of $15 Million in the 2026 General Obligation Bond for Phase 1 of farmland preservation program Pursue Federal Funds: Leverage bond funding through applying for the USDA-NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Collaborate regionally: Form a broad regional collaboration among Central TX city/ county governments and non-profit organizations to preserve farmland Utilize existing partnerships and programs: Work with Travis County’s Conservation Easement Program for the acquisition and administration of conservation easements Source: ATCFPB Recommendation 20251020-05 Return on Investment: $15 Million in farmland 1 Acre (at $21,000/acre) 700 Acres (~$14.7 Million) Food System Resilience Produces 20,000 lb of food/yr Feeds 45 adults/yr (at 450lbs/person/yr) ~$40,000 value of produce (at $2/lb) Produces 14 million lb of food/yr Feeds 31,500 adults/yr ~$28 Million value of produce Water Storage and Flood Mitigation $400/yr in water-related ecosystem services (e.g. rainfall capture, reduced runoff/pollution and aquifer recharge) $280,000 in water related ecosystem services Climate 1.2 tons CO₂/acre/yr sequestered $61- $228/acre benefit based on the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC)* 840 tons CO₂/yr sequestered $42K- $160k/yr benefit Local Economy ~$30,000 in gross farm revenue ~$90,000 in local economic benefit (3x multiplier effect) 150-200 FTEs created ~$21 million in gross farm revenue ~$63 million in local economic benefit Total Value ~$130,461 (Conservative SCC Estimate) ~$91.3 million (Conservative SCC Estimate) *Social cost of Carbon (SSC) measures the cost of climated related impacts on health, infrastructure, and food systems Source: The Nature Conservancy; Resilient Farm Plan; The Environment at 5280 SCC; Aggie Hort for multiplier effect, FTE calculation based on typical staffing needs for intensive vegetable farms; Case Study: Wilbarger Creek Conservation Alliance (WCCA) 1978: Jon Beall acquires Three Creeks Farm after military retirement 2011: Begins conservation easement discussions with Hill Country Conservancy NRCS Funding: $1M awarded through USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program (predecessor to Regional Conservation Partnership Program – RCPP) 2017 Easement Secured: with NRCS funds and matching funds from Travis County and others, the Wilbarger Creek Conservation Alliance protected 2,000+ contiguous acres of farmland. Ongoing Stewardship: Land leased to sustainable agriculture producers aligned with conservation goals. Source: https://wilbargercreek.org/ Meet our WCCA Farmers: The Refugee Collective Leased 20 acres since 2018 Employs refugees in fair-wage, dignified work Produces certified organic vegetables & eggs – 50,000+ lbs annually, enough to feed over 110 adults all their produce Employs 10 year-round staff, paying $300,000+ in full and part-time wages Implementing Texas’ first Resilient Farm Plan 24 tons/ac/yr of carbon sequestered, improving soil water-holding capacity (add’l 11 million gal of storage after 20 years) Meet our WCCA Farmers: Geosmin Regenerative Farm Leased 10 acres since Jan 2022 Mission: grow food that heals, educates, and builds community Produces 13,680 lbs pasture-raised chicken & 12,319 lbs eggs annually Employs 1 full-time + 1 part-time staff, paying ~$59,700 in wages Provides affordable land access, enabling new farmers to start operations Meet our WCCA Farmers: Hot Spell Farm Leased 2 acres since 2023, cooperatively-owned and operated Produces 10,000+ lbs of vegetables annually Including food for local school meal programs! 5 staff positions created Provides critical land access for new farmers, removing financial barriers to starting a farm. “It's hard to put into words how much this opportunity has provided me. I do not own land. I have a home in town. If I hadn't found Jon's land to lease - affordably and at a reasonable distance - I wouldn't be farming. There were no other options out there. I am insanely lucky.” - Geosmin Regenerative Farm ”The resource that Jon has provided all of us with is immeasurable. Land acquisition is an immense financial hurdle for up-and-coming farm businesses, either requiring prior wealth or committing to 5 or 6 figure debt. Our arrangement is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and without it, we would never have been able to start Hot Spell as a group of young people living in Austin.” - Hot Spell Farm