Question 1

While there are many problems affecting the rural communities of America today, one that I would like to focus on is the Urbanization process of those towns and farmlands and how that is pressuring our rural communities

Accepted Answer

No body

Question 2

To start with, we should discuss what Urbanization is and how it affects our farmers.

Accepted Answer

Urbanization is (by the Oxford Dictionary) “the process of making an area more urban”.  In simpler words, making an area more city-like.

Question 3

Now, of course, this is a huge problem.

Accepted Answer

How can our farmers grow and produce all of the things that the American public and economy survive on if our land is being taken out from under neither us? And why is this happening as well?

Question 4

First, let's look at some facts.

Accepted Answer

While that seems like a lot of land, about 3.4 million acres have been urbanized. 3.4 million is not a small number.

Question 5

First, let's look at some facts. (part 2)

Accepted Answer

3.4 million is not a small number. With California being a top producer of products like almonds, dairy products, cattle, and grapes just to name a few, we need to keep as much of our farmland as possible.

Question 6

To put this into a more closing-to-home hitting perspective let's turn to the lovely Valley that we call home.

Accepted Answer

The Central Valley.

Question 7

According to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, the Central Valley, while small, contributes to much of America's ag exports.

Accepted Answer

With the Valley only stretching about 19,000 square miles, it makes up about 0.5% of the nation's farmland. But that is no match for the community.

Question 8

Lincoln institute (part 2)

Accepted Answer

According to this article, the valley makes up 8% of the U.S.’s farm exports,  accounting for 15% of the nation's veggies, and 38% of the nation's fruit production.

Question 9

The Central Valley's ag production is something to be incredibly proud of but also something to safeguard.

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, the valley is slowly starting to see urbanization creep in.  With the continued development of Sacramento, Fresno, and Bakersfield, we are seeing more and more need for housing and a bigger and bigger population

Question 10

The Central Valley's ag production is something to be incredibly proud of but also something to safeguard. (part 2)

Accepted Answer

With no room left in already urbanized spaces, cities are looking out toward precious farmland to help.

Question 11

The California Department of Food and Agriculture also states, “The underlying causes of farmland loss in California are rapid population growth and the inefficient use of land.”

Accepted Answer

With the amount of increased population we are seeing all around us, the Central Valley could be in trouble. According to USAfacts, a government-run website that tracks population increases and decreases...

Question 12

The California Department of Food and Agriculture also states, “The underlying causes of farmland loss in California are rapid population growth and the inefficient use of land.” (part 2)

Accepted Answer

Sacramento County alone has had an 11.5% increase in people since 2010. That might not sound like a lot percentage-wise, but as of 2022, 1,584,169 people lived in Sacramento County. That's a lot of people. Which means that a lot of housing is needed.

Question 13

And of course, California is losing water. While this is a very well-known issue for everyone, not just farmers, it is causing a huge problem for our irrigated farmland. The  California Department of Food and Agriculture reported that between the years

Accepted Answer

2004 and 2006,  almost 20,000 acres of irrigated farmland were lost due to the drought  While water is not necessarily a huge point of urbanization, it is causing more and more farms to have to shut down, contributing to the loss of farmland and food ...

Question 14

Also according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, if current trends continue around farmland, it is estimated that 1.3 million acres will be turned over to urbanization by 2050

Accepted Answer

and that irrigated cropland alone could lose about 2 billion dollars per year because of it. Only 5 counties in California now make more than that yearly.

Question 15

Farmland is being converted, not only to make way for more cities but more commonly to make way for residential buildings.

Accepted Answer

With an ever-growing population, more residential buildings are the norm thus pushing ag-related productions, whether that is farming or animal productions farther away.

Question 16

In an article published by the National Library of Medicine, it states “ urbanization increases demand for agricultural products, resulting in the loss of agricultural land.

Accepted Answer

The trend puts overwhelming pressure on rural communities to the growing urban population, contributing to food-related challenges”.

Question 17

Right now according to the University of Michigan, urban land use accounts for about  3% of the total land use in the continental U.S. but is predicted to double by 2060

Accepted Answer

No body

Question 18

How is this truly affecting our farmers today? Well, first of all, with urbanization taking over so much of our land, it has been turned toward the city to start their own gardens and food sources.

Accepted Answer

With the land incursion happening daily, food security is getting lower and lower and we need more solutions to help our farmers and our people.

Question 19

Another very interesting but distressing point made by the California Department of Food and Agriculture was “once urbanized, agricultural lands are very unlikely to be recultivated”. Unfortunately, that also contributes to the problem.

Accepted Answer

Even if farmland were to be urbanized but then refurbished back to farmland, the amount of work and money that would take is too great for most people. Urbanization is a pretty permanent thing leading our farmers to worry more.

Question 20

But what about what is being done to try and stop the problem? Well, a study done in the San Joaquin Valley is leading the progress. The study worked with regional planners to develop a plan they called the “Blueprint”.

Accepted Answer

In this plan, the goal was to increase the urban densities to 10 housing units per acre comparing them to the more suburban areas of the state.  If this plan were to be used, we could see up to 53% of rural farmland saved, or 174,000 acres by 2050. ...

Question 21

While California doesn’t have any official policies on Urbanization it has a few that are close enough to try and make a difference. California policy AB-857 which was started in 2003,  states that farm retention is one ..

Accepted Answer

of the biggest three priorities for California lawmakers. The  policy stated that “the State’s planning activities support these goals in the FiveYear  Infrastructure Plan by the Department of Finance and the Environmental Goals and Policy  Report

Question 22

While California doesn't have an official policies (part 2)

Accepted Answer

published by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.”To put it simply, California needs to prioritize planning urban cities around rural farmland, leaving that land to important ag productions.

Question 23

In conclusion, Urbanization is happening around us all the time. While it is scary to think about all of the possible outcomes, we are also working hard as a community, but also as a state to save our farmland and keep our ag community going strong.

Accepted Answer

We need support and that is why I think educating people on urbanization is so important. If the people don’t know, how can we solve the problem?

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