{"id":13581,"date":"2020-06-23T10:00:30","date_gmt":"2020-06-23T17:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calcanstaging.kinsta.cloud\/?p=13581"},"modified":"2026-01-06T00:01:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T08:01:01","slug":"what-do-covid-19-and-climate-change-have-in-common-they-both-threaten-the-nations-food-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calclimateag.org\/es\/what-do-covid-19-and-climate-change-have-in-common-they-both-threaten-the-nations-food-security\/","title":{"rendered":"What do COVID-19 AND Climate Change Have in Common? They Both Threaten the Nation’s Food Security"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is reposted from American Farmland Trust. Click here to view the original article.<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n

American Farmland Trust<\/span><\/i>\u2019s<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>new\u00a0<\/span><\/i>report shows how the destruction of\u00a0<\/span><\/i>California<\/span><\/i>\u2019s prime agricultural land\u00a0<\/span><\/i>is weakening our\u00a0<\/span><\/i>national\u00a0<\/span><\/i>resiliency to future shocks<\/span><\/i>\u00a0and public health challenges<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With the novel coronavirus pandemic, millions of Americans have seen empty grocery shelves for the first times in their lives. <\/span>We have<\/span>\u00a0seen how\u00a0<\/span>essential<\/span>\u00a0farmers are to\u00a0<\/span>a safe food supply<\/span>, and how they innovate\u00a0<\/span>rapidly\u00a0<\/span>to meet demand<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>as their markets suddenly shift<\/span>. But<\/span>\u00a0in the\u00a0<\/span>world<\/span>\u2019s largest\u00a0<\/span>agricultural<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>state<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0some of the\u00a0<\/span>most productive<\/span>\u00a0farmland and ranchland<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0being\u00a0<\/span>developed without\u00a0<\/span>consideration for<\/span>\u00a0future food supply needs<\/span>, environment\u00a0<\/span>y<\/span>\u00a0public health<\/span>\u00a0concern<\/span>s.<\/span><\/p>\n

This\u00a0<\/span>agricultural land<\/span>\u00a0loss is\u00a0<\/span>not only threatening the\u00a0<\/span>nation\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>food security,\u00a0<\/span>it\u2019s being done in an almost invisible<\/span>\u00a0manner that\u2019s often overlooked, according to<\/span>\u00a0\u201cFarms Under Threat: The State of the States,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>new report<\/span><\/a>\u00a0by American Farmland Trust.\u00a0<\/span>And<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>it is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>having a devastating effect on<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>California<\/span>\u2019s ability to<\/span>\u00a0reach its carbon neutrality goals and support cleaner air\u00a0<\/span>quality\u00a0<\/span>standards for public health<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCalifornia\u00a0<\/span>is the\u00a0<\/span>nation\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>leading\u00a0<\/span>agricultural state<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>growing<\/span>\u00a0more than a\u00a0<\/span>third of vegetables and\u00a0<\/span>nearly t<\/span>wo-<\/span>thirds of fruits and nuts eaten in<\/span>\u00a0the United States,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0e<\/span>xplains\u00a0<\/span>Kara\u00a0<\/span>Heckert,\u00a0<\/span>AFT<\/span>\u00a0California regional\u00a0<\/span>director<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>The state\u00a0<\/span>exports many agricultural\u00a0<\/span>commodities not grown anywhere else.\u00a0<\/span>It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0not in our national interest for this vital\u00a0<\/span>farmland and ranchland to be\u00a0<\/span>paved over, fragmented or converted\u00a0<\/span>haphazardly<\/span>\u00a0into residential, commercial,\u00a0<\/span>energy and industrial uses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

En<\/span>\u00a0new<\/span>\u00a0AFT report shows the extent, location and quality of each state\u2019s agricultural land and tracks how much agricultural land has been converted in California using a sophisticated data<\/span>\u2013<\/span>mapping system.\u00a0 It identifi<\/span>es<\/span>\u00a0the most important farmland\u00a0<\/span>and analyzes<\/span>\u00a0its productivity, versatility and resilience.\u00a0 This\u00a0<\/span>allows AFT to<\/span>\u00a0identify the\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>Nationally Significant<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0agricultural land best suited for long-term, intensive crop production, especially vegetables, fruits, nuts and staple grains.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The report also review<\/span>s\u00a0<\/span>the six most widespread programs and policies nationally<\/span>\u00a0for protecting farmland<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and compares California against the rest of the country<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0with the Golden State ranking in the top 12 overall<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Despite advances<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0much more must be done<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"California\u2019s Score:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/a>California scored among the nation\u2019s top states for policies and program<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0that protect agricultural land from development, promote farm viability and facilitate the transfer of agricultural land<\/span>, according to AFT<\/span>. However, the state also scored among the\u00a0<\/span>highest<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in the nation\u00a0<\/span>for the threat of agricultural land\u00a0<\/span>being\u00a0<\/span>converted to<\/span>\u00a0urban and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>highly developed land use<\/span>, or\u00a0<\/span>UHD<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<\/span>low-density residential\u00a0<\/span>land\u00a0<\/span>use<\/span>, or\u00a0<\/span>LDR. The state invested only $0.11 per capita in permanently protecting agricultural land. And only 0.1 acres of agricultural land was developed per new person.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In contrast,\u00a0<\/span>Delaware<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>earned\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>top score among states for average funds spent per capita per person\/year\u00a0<\/span>at<\/span>\u00a0$<\/span>6.03<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0a<\/span>nd North Dakota<\/span>\u00a0developed<\/span>\u00a04.1<\/span>\u00a0acres\u00a0<\/span>of agricultural land\u00a0<\/span>per new<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>pers<\/span>en<\/span>, according to AFT\u2019s report.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thi<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0relatively<\/span>\u00a0low investment\u00a0<\/span>in farmland protection<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>occurs<\/span>\u00a0despite California\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>working landscapes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>providing more than $333 billion in sales, 1.5 million job<\/span>s and $85 billion in earnings<\/span>\u00a0in 2018<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>En<\/span>\u00a0agricultural sector accounted for<\/span>\u00a0the lion\u2019s share at<\/span>\u00a0$264 billion, accord<\/span>ing to University of California Agriculture and Natural\u00a0<\/span>Resources\u2019<\/span>\u00a0\u201cCalifornia\u2019s Working\u00a0<\/span>Landscape<\/span>s<\/span>\u201d report in November 2019<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, most development is happening on the highest<\/span>\u2013<\/span>quality agricultural land, according to AFT\u2019s research. This is happening statewide with the\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>Nationally Significant<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0land being developed\u00a0<\/span>most\u00a0<\/span>rapidly. In fact, the\u00a0<\/span>finest<\/span>\u00a0hal<\/span>f of<\/span>\u00a0California\u2019s agricultural land was 202%<\/span>\u00a0times<\/span>\u00a0more likely to be converted to other uses than the rest of the state\u2019s agricultural land.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAFT\u00a0<\/span>supports a smart<\/span>\u2013<\/span>growth approach to planning and policy that\u00a0<\/span>conserves these valuable\u00a0<\/span>agricultural\u00a0<\/span>resources and\u00a0<\/span>fosters\u00a0<\/span>growing resilient cities,\u201d explains Kara. \u201cIt\u2019s essential we\u00a0<\/span>avoid developing the\u00a0<\/span>highest-<\/span>quality agricultural land<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>y\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>stead direct\u00a0<\/span>new\u00a0<\/span>development toward<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0land less suited for\u00a0<\/span>productive\u00a0<\/span>working landscap<\/span>es. Once this precious resource is gone, it\u2019s gone forever.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The threat is more than just urban sprawl. California\u2019s prime agricultural land is disproportionately threated by\u00a0<\/span>LDR, a\u00a0<\/span>more insidious kind of development\u00a0<\/span>identifie<\/span>d\u00a0<\/span>by AFT research<\/span>ers<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>About 32% of California\u2019s farmland acreage was converted to LDR, while 68% of conversion was to\u00a0<\/span>UHD.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe all recognize urban sprawl, but LDR is a serious, overlooked problem,\u201d explains Kara. \u201cLDR is where you see housing developments popping up around agricultural fields. They\u00a0<\/span>aren\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0suburban, they are exurban and often are large<\/span>\u2013<\/span>lot developments. In California, LDR is 25 times more likely to be converted to UHD use than other agricultural land.\u00a0<\/span>It\u2019s not immediately visible to policy<\/span>\u2013<\/span>makers<\/span>, which makes it challenging to develop<\/span>\u00a0an adequate policy response.<\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Farmland\u2019s Benefits to Public Health and Environment<\/h2>\n

California\u2019s agricultural land<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>provide<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>multiple<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>environmental and public health\u00a0<\/span>benefits often overlooked<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Along with a valuable<\/span>\u00a0local<\/span>\u00a0food source, this<\/span>\u00a0natural capital provides benefits such as recharging<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>state\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>ground<\/span>water, contro<\/span>l<\/span>l<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0floods<\/span>, fires,<\/span>\u00a0and erosion, provid<\/span>ing\u00a0<\/span>habitat<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0for fish and wildlife, pollinat<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0plants,\u00a0<\/span>controlling<\/span>\u00a0pests, sequester<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0carbon, remov<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0pollutants from the air, creat<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0space for outdoor recreation, attract<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0tourists and\u00a0<\/span>providing<\/span>\u00a0beautiful<\/span>\u00a0scenery<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An acre of agricultural land in California emits 58<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to 70 times less greenhouse gases than an acre of developed land, according to\u00a0<\/span>AFT and UC Davis research<\/span><\/a>. If the annual loss of farmland to urban development in California w<\/span>as<\/span>\u00a0reduced by 75% by 2050, that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 1.9 million cars\u00a0<\/span>from\u00a0<\/span>California<\/span>\u00a0roads\u00a0<\/span>annually<\/span>, which would have a significant impact on air quality<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When several governments announced plans to lower environmental standards or other related measures,\u00a0<\/span>David Boyd, UN\u00a0<\/span>s<\/span>pecial\u00a0<\/span>r<\/span>apporteur on human rights and the environment,\u00a0<\/span>spoke out<\/span>\u00a0about the effect of environmental pollu<\/span>tants<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0especially communities<\/span>\u00a0in vulnerable areas<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe science is clear,<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>he said<\/span><\/a>. \u201cPeople living in areas that have experienced higher levels of air pollution face increased risk of premature death from COVID-19. Similarly, access to clean water is essential in preventing people from contracting and spreading the virus.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As\u00a0<\/span>Secretary\u00a0<\/span>Karen Ross<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>de\u00a0<\/span>California<\/span>\u00a0Department of Food and<\/span>\u00a0Agriculture<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>explained in Civil Eats<\/span><\/a>\u00a0recently, \u201cWhen we nourish our citizens to build their immune systems to be healthy, that\u2019s got to be one of the most important things that we can do, and when we can purchase within our local communities that helps the community, it helps families, and it helps our economy rebound.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Policies and Programs to Conserve California Agricultural Land<\/h2>\n

AFT<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is\u00a0<\/span>focused on\u00a0<\/span>several<\/span>\u00a0state and regional approaches to stem further agricultural land loss in California<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>The state\u00a0<\/span>will have a\u00a0<\/span>budget shortfall of $54.3 billion<\/span><\/a>\u00a0because of the economic devastation wrought by the coronavirus, Gov.\u00a0<\/span>Gavin Newsom\u2019s administration announced\u00a0<\/span>in early May<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Despite these financial constraints, AFT will accelerate our work together with our California partners to strengthen and\/or adopt a suite of coordinated policies\u00a0<\/span>and programs<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to protect farmland with the following priorities:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Central Valley Farmland Trust in San Joaquin, Contra Costa and Merced Counties has received Sustainable Agriculture Lands Conservation grants to protect agricultural land. Check out their story on our Farmer Leader page.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n