One aspect of my work program at Thurston County (TC) is being staff the TC Agriculture Advisory Committee. The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) and Planning Commission on public decisions and/or emerging issues that would significantly affect agriculture in the county. Additional functions are to review local, state, or federal programs identified by staff that could affect Thurston County agriculture; to conduct a regular review or evaluation of County efforts to protect and support agriculture; to consider and recommend new initiatives; and to work closely with Cooperative Extension and other groups to help them support agriculture.

The work program that the committee has set forth for 2006 is to develop a draft farmland preservation plan that with the BoCC's blessing would ultimately be reviewed by peers and the community and then adopted by the BoCC.

The Revised code of Washington (RCW) authorizes counties to levy a "Conservation Futures" tax for acquisition of open space including agriculture lands. At this time in Thurston County one of the big criteria for a proposal (i.e. purchase the development rights of a certain farm or buying land for parks) to be eligible for money out of their Conservation Futures Fund is to be part of a plan. Right now there is no Farmland Preservation Plan in Thurston County. Since there is no plan, no Conservation Futures money goes towards farmland preservation. Additionally since there is no plan there are no funds available in Thurston County to leverage against state and federal money that is available for farmland preservation. (The State and Federal programs require some sort of matching funds from counties.)

The tenitive time line for this process is to develop a draft by late summer and being a review/revision of the draft in the fall. While there are no internship opportunities I can offer (there is no desk space at the county for an intern) resources at the county are limited and I could use all the help I could get during this process. I understand that your students have a 10-week time line to work with but if you have students who are interested in doing original research regarding developing a plan that preserves farmland locally this winter or spring quarters then please send them my way. The Agriculture Advisory Committee meets the 3rd Thursday of each month and their meetings along with meetings with me could provide a structure within which a student could conduct research.

Best regards,

Veronica

Veronica Warnock

Planning Technician

Thurston County Development Services

Planning and Environmental Section

warnocv@co.thurston.wa.us

(360)754-3355 ext. 7011