Originally published October 2023 in the Napa Valley Register
By: Carine Hines
Anyone living in California knows that access to affordable and secure land is hard to come by. Every year our ever growing cities extend their suburban arms out into rural land that was historically wild land or agricultural land. Seasonal grasslands, perennial forests, animal habitats, and fertile soils are forever destroyed by acres and acres of concrete and excavation, all for the sprawling mass of humans.
Despite the growing cost of living in California and owning a home, let alone acres of land, Californians do not want to leave the many social, economic, and environmental benefits of living in this beautiful state. Our Mediterranean climate and abundant natural resources makes California not only a comfortable state to live in, but also the biggest producer of fruit and vegetables in the entire country. And where there is food, there are people and economic prospects.
In a way, we could say that California is the economic power house and incubation pond of technology, innovation, and art BECAUSE of its ability to grow food. Up until now we were able to sustain the growth of our cities into the coasts and valleys of California while keeping our dominant and diverse agricultural economy. Because of its attributes, our state is home to farms of all different sizes, crops, farming systems, and structure (family-owned vs industrial). Whether our state’s natural resources and economy can continue to host such a diverse agricultural landscape is uncertain.
Today, climate change and finite natural resources threaten the dominance of agriculture in California. Soils are stripped of fertility without farming techniques that regenerate their growing potential. Groundwater diminishes every year alongside rainfall. And the new levels of summer heat and winter chill-hours changes the landscape of what crops we can grow in California. But one of the most immediate threats to California agriculture, and in particular small-scale, regenerative, and diverse agriculture, is access to affordable, stable, and quality land.
Everywhere in California, farmers are being driven out of their land or cannot find affordable land access security. I am no studied expert in this field, but from what I see in my community, land access concerns stem from a few main points.
First, it is more profitable to turn farmable land in California into housing developments rather than making a profit off of growing food. This is perfectly evidenced in the Napa Valley, where the only affordable crop is grapes, and even that lucrative crop is threatened by housing and development. A common trend throughout California, is that good agricultural land can only be bought or stewarded by the wealthy.
Second, affordable agricultural land in California is not necessarily “good” or “easy” land to farm. The cheaper land is in California, the more it will have concerns of water access, extreme temperatures, infertile soils, or lack of access to sales outlets. For example, coastal land is extremely fertile because of the quality of its soils and the temperate coastal climate, and its proximity to lucrative sales outlets. But farmers cannot compete with millionaires who buy coastal land to set up their beach get-away.
And this all comes down to the main problem. If farmers do not start off with multi-generational wealth, they can rarely purchase land in California. Leasing land is an option, but very few lease agreements are secure for the farmer. The cost of starting and maintaining a farm are incredibly high, and few farmers can succeed if they are additionally saddled with an expensive mortgage. With this structure, we also exclude from land ownership our most vulnerable farmer population who do not have multigenerational wealth. Namely, our farmers of color, immigrant farmers, women farmers, LGBTQ+ farmers, and limited resources farmers. The problem is pervasive, and if we want to keep a vibrant and local agricultural economy in California, we must build systems that give farmers affordable land security.
In writing about land security for farmers to farm in California, I am reminded of a very local and immediate concern for farmers to sell in the Napa Valley. The Napa Farmers Market is host to over 132 businesses, of which 37 are farms. Over the last five years the market moved to four different locations around Napa because of its own land security issues. In fact, the Napa Farmers Market faces many similar and analogous concerns to farmers when it comes to finding a permanent “home”.
In 2020 when the farmers market was thrice displaced due to the pandemic, the wonderful city of Napa stepped up and offered the Napa Farmers Market a stable, and semi-long term home at our current location on West Street in downtown Napa. This location, with its easy visibility, proximity to homes and local downtown businesses, and other qualities allowed our market to grow over the last four years into a large and thriving farmers market. With this growth, small businesses and farmers are also able to grow and succeed, while offering Napa and North Bay residents and visitors fresh and local food and products, as well as the local farmers market experience. Unfortunately, we cannot stay in this location indefinitely.
Like farmers, the Napa Farmers Market must compete with housing and commerce development when searching for location security. An empty parking lot near downtown equals many more dollars when it is converted to a hotel rather than a community gathering place with a covered permanent farmers market structure and park. But sometimes a happy, healthy, and vibrant community CAN be valued over effervescent dollars.
We of the Napa Farmers Market have a vision and dream for the future that centers around a permanent home for the Napa Farmers Market, and includes all of you in experiencing its benefits and joy. To make this happen we will need partners and allies of all corners of this region, and we invite you to join us as we actively seek this dream.