We All Deserve a Complete Conversation
Honest conversation and debating points of view based on all the facts is essential for good decision making, which is why I was pleased to read Igor Sill’s letter to the editor from May 13 (We Need All Sides of the Story).
Times have changed in the decades since many of the land use restrictions now governing agriculture were put in place, and the economic challenges currently facing agriculture are profound. In April, the Napa County Farm Bureau, Napa Valley Vintners, Napa Winegrowers, and Napa Valley Grapegrowers, sent the County a list of recommendations to support agriculture by updating some current rules, increasing efficiency in approval processes, and preserving agricultural protections.
Since then, there has been a series of letters to the editor, public statements to the Board of Supervisors, blog posts and newsletters that at best don’t provide a complete picture of our organizations’ joint request, and at worst are misrepresentations that could undermine agriculture, the industry directly responsible for Napa’s economic and environmental health. While The Register has reported on the joint recommendations, I wanted to share the facts again to make sure we all have a complete and honest understanding as Mr. Sill wisely encouraged.
We are asking that wineries have the opportunity to show customers their vineyards, and allow wineries to welcome visitors without requiring advanced reservations. We are asking that wineries should not need government approval to try new marketing ideas so long as there is no increase in use intensity at the winery, and we are asking the County to make it more efficient to meet existing requirements.
We are asking the County to recalibrate groundwater management fees to reflect realistic costs. Farmers are already paying over $1,700 per acre, nearly $2 million a year, in regulatory costs, and the groundwater fees aren’t structured in a way to incentivize water conservation. We are asking for an easier path to invest in environmental improvements and restoration throughout the County. And, we are asking for help in curtailing frivolous appeals of projects.
We are asking that the government not dictate how many employees a winery can have, and not restrict visitors beyond what basic health and safety standards already require. We are asking that the County affirm existing agricultural protections to ensure Napa remains a model of sustainable agriculture for the future, including protections that prevent unfettered growth of wineries and rural homes.
Those are the facts. Our request is publicly available, and shared with some of the people who are, we hope mistakenly, misrepresenting it. We hope this helps clear up misunderstandings.
Agriculture in Napa creates more than $11.7 billion in annual economic benefit, over $500 million in local and county taxes, and employs nearly 72% of the local workforce. It provides profound environmental benefits, having improved the water quality of the Napa River, as noted by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. And, agriculture provides significant resources to mitigate wildfires.
The economic challenges threatening family farms and larger companies alike are real. It was encouraging to hear the Board of Supervisors recognize this fact. The agriculture industry isn’t asking for limitless growth as has been inaccurately suggested; it isn’t asking for subsidies or preferential treatment that other States and Countries routinely provide. Neither is the agriculture industry asking for a rollback of health, safety, or labor standards. We are asking to make it a little easier and more practical to continue delivering the economic and environmental benefits upon which our community relies. It isn’t too much to ask. The choice is ours as a community to make.
Peter Rumble
CEO, Napa County Farm Bureau