* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:25] . THERE YOU GO. OKAY. YEAH, THIS DOESN'T WORK. IGNORE THIS, THAT THE BEWITCHING HOUR HAS ARRIVED. SO WE WILL GET UNDERWAY WITH THIS MEETING OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD. UH, WE'LL CALL IT TO ORDER AT THIS TIME. ROLL CALL. MR. SLE, SUPERVISOR AND CHAIRMAN, SLE IS EXCUSED TONIGHT. UH, WE'VE NOT HEARD FROM MR. KREBS. I ASSUME HE'S ON HIS WAY IN AND OF COURSE, DISTRICT SEVEN IS NOT REPRESENTED HERE. WE DO WANNA WELCOME BACK, SUPERVISOR CONRAD. THANK YOU AND WE'RE WELCOME, WELCOME BACK TO YOU. IN REGARDS TO THE POSTING OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS MEETING, IT WAS ALL DONE, UH, FOLLOWING THE PROTOCOLS OF STATE LAW BY OUR CLERK'S OFFICE SO THAT I CAN SAY THAT THE POSTINGS HAVE BEEN DONE AND ARE COMPLETED. UH, WILL STAND PLEASE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT MEDITATION AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE PLAY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE PROBLEM. THANK YOU ALL. WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL ON THIS. UM, TONY, I'M, I'M SORRY, TONY, SUPERVISOR TOMO, AND SUPERVISOR SICE MOTION. AND SECOND ON THAT, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT? WELL THEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE COMMENDATIONS ALL FAVOR? I'M SORRY. YES. FOR ALL IN FAVOR. OH, I'M SORRY. I GUESS WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A AYE. ALRIGHT. OPPOSED? THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. WITH THIS, WE'VE GOT SOME COMMENDATIONS TONIGHT WE WANNA HONOR SOME PEOPLE, SOME COUNTY EMPLOYEES. UH, WE HAVE SIX TO HONOR. THREE OF 'EM ARE HERE. THREE OF 'EM WILL NOT BE HERE. SO WE'RE GONNA READ THE CITATIONS FOR THE THREE WHO ARE NOT HERE. AND THEN FOR THE OTHER THREE WHO ARE HERE, IF YOU WANT TO USE THAT TIME, COME ON UP AND SIT DOWN IN HERE IN THE CHAIRS. UH, IF YOU'VE GOT FAMILY OR FRIENDS WANT TO COME UP AND TAKE SOME PICTURES, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE, THE PLAQUES AND RECOGNITION AND SO ON. SO, IF THE CLERK WOULD PLEASE READ THE CITATION FOR LISA DUNN. MOTION. AND A SECOND, I'M SORRY, A MOTION AND A SECOND TO, FOR THE COMMENDATION FOR LISA DUNN. MR. HELLING AND MR. HARTWIG, DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT OR NOT? UM, NO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. FOR LISA DUNN, PLEASE. WHEREAS LISA DUNN HAS CONTRIBUTED 23 YEARS OF LOYAL SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. AND WHEREAS LISA DUNN HAS CHOSEN TO RETIRE FROM HER PRESENT POSITION OF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PAUSE IN ITS DELIBERATIONS TO PAY TRIBUTE AND TO COMMEND LISA DUNN FOR HER 23 YEARS OF MERITORIOUS SERVICE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, THIS BODY DOES HERE WITH EXTEND TO HER HEARTFELT THANK FOR HER MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SUCCESSES, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE FORWARDED TO LISA DUNN AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION ON THE PART OF THIS BOARD. THANK YOU, MS. DUNN. OUR SECOND COMMENDATION IS FOR SUSAN GOULD. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO, I'M SORRY, . MR. BOSER. AND WHO WAS SECOND? WHO GAVE THE SECOND ON THAT? MS. CONRAD, WELCOME BACK. THIS IS FOR SUSAN GOULD. WHEREAS SUSAN GOULD HAS CONTRIBUTED 15 YEARS OF LOYAL SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. AND WHEREAS SUSAN, SUSAN GOULD HAS CHOSEN TO RETIRE FROM HER PRESENT POSITION OF DINING SERVICES ASSISTANT WITH THE SAMARITAN HEALTH CENTER. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PAUSE IN ITS DELIBERATIONS TO PAY [00:05:01] TRIBUTE AND TO COMMEND SUSAN GOLD FOR HER 15 YEARS OF MERITORIOUS SERVICE, BE IT FURTHER RESULT, RESOLVE THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, THIS BODY DOES HERE WITH EXTEND TO HER HEARTFELT THANKS FOR HER MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SUCCESSES, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE FORWARDED TO SUSAN GOLD AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION ON THE PART OF THIS BOARD. THANK YOU, MS. GOLD. AND NOW FOR JOSEPHINE HOFFMAN. WE NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND, PLEASE. MR. GALLS. MR. SALAK . WHEREAS JOSEPHINE HOFFMAN HAS CONTRIBUTED 27 YEARS OF LOYAL SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, AND WHEREAS JOSEPHINE HOFFMAN HAS CHOSEN TO RETIRE FROM HER PRESENT POSITION OF MEAL SITE MANAGER WITH THE AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PAUSED IN ITS DELIBERATIONS TO PAY TRIBUTE AND TO COMMEND JOSEPHINE HOFFMAN FOR HER 27 YEARS OF MERITORIOUS SERVICE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, THIS BODY DOES HEREWITH EXTEND TO HER HEARTFELT THANK FOR HER MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SUCCESSES BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE FORWARDED TO JOSEPHINE HOFFMAN AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION ON THE PART OF THIS BOARD. NOW, GLORIA BER NORMAN AND JOYCE TO SHARE TO SHEER, IF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP HERE AND IF YOU GOT SOMEBODY WANT TO COME TAKE SOME PICTURES WITH YOU, THAT'S FINE. HAVE THEM COME ON UP HERE AS WELL. WE'LL START OUT WITH GLORIA HERE. YOU GONNA BE CAROL? YES. MOTION. I WOULD USE THAT UNION MOTION SECOND. AND WE GOTTA, AND CAN YOU STAND CLOSER TO THIS MIC TURN? UH, WE DID A MOTION IN A SECOND TO RECOGNIZE GLORIA BERBER. MR. MR I'M SORRY. WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING AT? I'M LOOKING AT, UH, OVER HERE. CA JEFF AND THEN, UH, DOUG. DOUG DUBIN. I'M SORRY, MY GLASSES ARE WITH ONLY GLASSES TONIGHT. MOTION AND SECOND. ALRIGHT, CAN YOU READ THE CITATION PLEASE? YES. WHEREAS GLORIA BBER HAS CONTRIBUTED 33 YEARS OF LOYAL SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. AND WHEREAS GLORIA BBER HAS CHOSEN TO RETIRE FROM HER PRESENT POSITION OF CORRECTIONS OFFICER WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PAUSE IN ITS DELIBERATIONS TO PAY TRIBUTE AND TO COMMEND GLORIA BERBER FOR HER 33 YEARS OF MERITORIOUS SERVICE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, THIS BODY DOES HERE WITH EXTEND TO HER HEARTFELT THANKS FOR HER MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SUCCESSES, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE FORWARDED TO GLORIA BER AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION ON THE PART OF THIS BOARD HERE. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW WE HAVE A COMMENDATION FOR SCOTT NORMAN. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND PLEASE. FOR SCOTT NORMAN. MR. MILLIKEN. MR. MCCULLICK, PLEASE. THE CLERK WOULD READ THE COMMENDATION. WHEREAS SCOTT NAUMAN HAS CONTRIBUTED 25 YEARS OF LOYAL SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. AND WHEREAS SCOTT NAUMAN HAS CHOSEN TO RETIRE FROM HIS PRESENT POSITION OF DEPUTY SHERIFF WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PAUSE IN ITS DELIBERATIONS TO PAY TRIBUTE AND TO COMMENCE SCOTT NAUMAN FOR HIS 25 YEARS OF MERITORIOUS SERVICE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, THIS BODY DOES HEREWITH EXTEND TO HIM HEARTFELT THANKS FOR AS MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SUCCESSES BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE FORWARDED TO SCOTT NAUMAN AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION ON THE PART OF THIS BOARD. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. ACTUALLY FOR, UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY FOR GLORIA TOO. YEAH. OKAY. HERE, LET ME GIVE THIS TO YOU. SOUNDS GOOD. AND WE'LL JUST, I'LL, THERE WE GO. THERE WE GO. NOW SMILE. PRETTY . AND MY SON. CONGRATULATIONS. NICE. AND [00:10:01] THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOU CERTAINLY CAN. UM, ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY HERE AT THE COUNTY BOARD. THIS IS REALLY A NICE, UH, TRADITION THAT YOU DO. IT'S WONDERFUL FOR MY FELLOW RETIREES AS WELL. AND I KNOW IT SOUNDS REALLY CLICHE, BUT AFTER 25 YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, I WANNA SAY THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THE WASHINGTON COUNTY WHERE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IS REALLY FELT, UH, WE'VE LONG FELT THE SUPPORT OF ITS CITIZENS. AND, UH, YOU CAN'T SAY THAT IN EVERY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY AS YOU PROBABLY SEE IN THE NEWS. SO IT'S REALLY GREAT TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. SO THANKS TO EVERYBODY. MUCH APPRECIATED. LAURIE, DID YOU WANT TO HELP AND MAKE SOME COMMENTS, AND NOW FOR JOYCE TO SHARE, TO SHARE, TO SHARE, OH, WE DID A MOTION A SECOND. I'M SORRY. MS. BAILEY AND MR. UH, HARWICK, I'M SORRY. WHEREAS JOYCE TUSCHER HAS CONTRIBUTED 22 YEARS OF LOYAL SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. AND WHEREAS JOYCE TUSCHER HAS CHOSEN TO RETIRE FROM HER PRESENT POSITION OF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT THREE WITH THE AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PAUSE IN ITS DELIBERATIONS TO PAY TRIBUTE AND TO COMMEND JOYCE CHER FOR HER 22 YEARS OF MERITORIOUS SERVICE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, THIS BODY DOES HERE WITH EXTENT TO HER HEARTFELT THANKS FOR HER MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SUCCESSES, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE FORWARDED TO JOYCE TUSCHER AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION ON THE PART OF THIS BOARD. THANK YOU. THANK ANY COMMENTS? UM, I COULD SAY THAT IT ISN'T EVERYONE THAT GETS TO WORK SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY CAN SERVE AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY. AND IT'S BEEN MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE, AND I HAD THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE AT THE A DRC. I SAID THIS AT OUR LITTLE LUNCH, AND THEY GAVE ME THE OTHER DAY THAT I GOT TO BE THERE FOR 22 YEARS TO SEE SOME OF OUR CLIENTS STOP IN THE DOORWAY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE STRENGTH. THEY EVEN COME THROUGH THE DOOR. AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT THEY FELT LIKE THEY HAD COME TO A PLACE THAT THEY WERE, WE WERE THERE TO HELP. AND I MEAN, THEIR COLOR WOULD BE GRAY. AND THEY WERE JUST SO DISTRAUGHT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE EVEN SLEPT THE NIGHT BEFORE BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST WAITING FOR US TO OPEN. AND THEN BY THE TIME THEY LEFT AND THEY HAD BEEN WITH ONE OF OUR STAFF, JUST THE COLOR WAS BACK IN THEIR FACE THAT LOOK OF JUST GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION THAT THEY KNEW THAT THEIR PROBLEM WAS GONNA BE HELPED WITH. SO JUST MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO WORK FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY FOR THESE LAST 22 YEARS. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS GONNA BE A PRESENTATION ON FARMING IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, UH, BY LINDA MUTCHLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION. LINDA, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. ARE WE ALL SET UP FOR THIS? HER V SORRY, UP THERE. YOU GOTTA GIVE HER THE MIC. I GOT IT. YOU GOT IT. HI EVERYONE. HI AM LINDA MUTCHLER. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION. AND SO I DON'T HAVE TO SAY THAT MOUTHFUL. I'LL REFER TO IT AS CLCF, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION. BUT I WANTED TO COME IN AND TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FARMING IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. UM, THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW, UM, FROM THE WISCONSIN HISTORIC AERIAL IMAGE FINDER. IT'S FROM 1937. IT HAPPENS TO BE PART OF THE TOWN OF POLK, WHICH IS WHERE OUR MISSION AREA IS IN THE TOWN OF WEST BEND [00:15:01] AND THE TOWN OF POLK. AND AS YOU ALL CAN SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN, UH, IT'S PRETTY MUCH FARMLAND AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE. UM, AND MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE FIRST SETTLERS CAME HERE, A LOT OF THEM CAME TO FARM. AND MANY OF THE FARMING FAMILIES HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, UM, HAVE BEEN FARMING THIS LAND FOR FOUR AND FIVE, UH, GENERATIONS. THIS HAPPENS TO BE OUR MISSION AREA, WHICH IS OUTLINED IN RED. AND THIS WAS A MAP THAT WE PUT TOGETHER TO REFLECT, UH, WHAT THE AREA LOOKED LIKE 50 YEARS AGO, UH, WHEN WE WERE FOUNDED. AND THE RED REPRESENTS THE DEVELOPMENT AT THE TIME, AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE WAS FROM LAND. SO YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE THAT 6% APPROXIMATELY WAS DEVELOPED, UH, THAT'S IN RED AND EVERYTHING ELSE, 94%, UH, WAS FARMLAND OR OPEN SPACE. SO THIS ALSO CAPTURES WOODLANDS AND, AND WETLANDS. AND THIS IS AN AERIAL IMAGE FROM THE 1970S OF THAT SAME AREA. NOW, WE JUST HEARD ALL THESE COMMENDATIONS, UH, HERE, AND MANY OF THOSE EMPLOYEES WERE WITH THE COUNTY FOR 20 AND 30 YEARS. UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE A SHOW OF HANDS. HOW MANY OF YOU ARE FROM THIS AREA ORIGINALLY, AND HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU COULD SEE FARMLAND, SORT OF AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE WHEN YOU DROVE THROUGHOUT THIS AREA? YEAH, I, I THINK A NUMBER OF YOU DO REMEMBER THAT IT, THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY STILL AREAS WHERE THAT'S STILL EVIDENT. THIS HAPPENS TO BE A PHOTO OF THE FAIRING FARM DOWN IN THE VALLEY. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE TOWN OF POLK, THIS IS THE INTERSECTION OF PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD AND LILY ROAD. UM, THIS IS A FARM THAT WE, UH, RECENTLY, UH, DID PROTECT, UH, TO KEEP IT IN FARMLAND. UH, MANY PEOPLE REFER TO THIS AS BULLFROG ALLEY, UH, BECAUSE OF ALL THE BULLFROGS ALONG THE CREEK. UM, BUT IT IS A STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL FARM THAT'S BEEN IN THE FAIRING FAMILY SINCE 1858, UH, IS AN EXAMPLE OF, OF ONE OF THOSE FARMS. SO WE MOVE ON 50 YEARS SINCE OUR OWN FARMING. UM, THIS IS WHAT THE MAP NOW LOOKS LIKE. UH, THE RED IS APPROXIMATELY THE DEVELOPED AREAS, UM, SORT OF IN, IN OUR VIEW, 'CAUSE WE'RE IN A CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW, AREAS OF FIVE ACRES OR MORE WHERE THERE'S BEEN SOME DEVELOPMENT. UH, THE GREEN IS WHAT HAS BEEN PROTECTED, AND THE OPEN SPACES ARE WHERE THE AREAS ARE THAT AREN'T FILLED IN. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS NOW, ABOUT 48% HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND ABOUT 30%, UH, REMAINS AS FARMLAND. SO THERE'S BEEN A, A TREMENDOUS CHANGE, OBVIOUSLY, UM, OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS. SO WHAT DOES FARM PRODUCTION MEAN IN, IN WASHINGTON COUNTY? AND BASICALLY IT CONTRIBUTES ABOUT 150.6 MILLION IN REVENUE. I WANNA NOTE THAT I CORRECTED THIS NUMBER ON THE SCREEN FROM THE HANDOUT YOU HAD IN THE PACKET. UM, AND ABOUT 62.9 MILLION OF THAT IS MILK OR DAIRY. THAT'S ABOUT 42% OF THE REVENUE. 31.2 MILLION IS NURSERY AND GREENHOUSE. SO ABOUT 21%, 29 MILLION IS GRAIN. SO ABOUT 19%, 23.8 MILLION IS CATTLE, SO ABOUT 16%. AND THEN HAY AND OTHER CROPS REPRESENT ABOUT 3.5 MILLION OR 2%. SO THE REVENUE CONTRIBUTION ABOUT 150.6 MILLION. THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS THAT AGRICULTURE EMPLOYS AT LEAST AS OF 2017. THE LAST POINT, WE HAD SOME DATA FROM W EXTENSION ABOUT 4,529 FOLKS. UH, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS ABOUT A 10 TIMES MULTIPLIER OF THAT REVENUE. SO WHAT'S FELT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND ANCILLARY BUSINESSES, UM, THAT HAVE REVENUE IMPACT FROM THE FARMING COMMUNITY. AND THEN HOW MUCH TAX DOES THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTE, WHICH IS ABOUT 32.2 MILLION. SO WHO OWNS THE FARMS? UM, AND THIS IS WHERE IT REALLY STARTS TO GET INTERESTING BECAUSE BASICALLY 578 FARMS, UH, EXISTED IN WASHINGTON COUNTY IN 2017 COVERING ABOUT 126,000 ACRES. AND OF THOSE 578 FARMS, 564 WERE FAMILY OWNED. SO THIS GETS BACK TO THAT IDEA THAT AGAIN, MANY, MANY OF THESE FARMS ARE THE LIVELIHOOD OF THESE FAMILIES, UH, WHO MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN HERE, UM, SINCE THE 18 HUNDREDS. SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO FARMLAND ACRES OVER TIME? SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE SLIDES IN 1972, THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 208,700 ACRES OF FARMLAND IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. AND [00:20:01] IN 2020, YOU CAN SEE THAT NUMBER ACCORDING TO SOAK WAS 116,548. SO THAT'S NEARLY A 45% DECLINE IN THE FARMLAND IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. SO IF WE LOOK AT THIS AS A PERCENT OF THE TOTAL ACRES IN 19 72, 70 6% OF ALL THE ACRES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY WERE CLASSIFIED AS FARMLAND. AND YOU CAN SEE THERE WAS A BIG DROP BETWEEN THE SEVENTIES AND THE NINETIES. YOU ALL ARE PROBABLY AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH FARMING IN THE EIGHTIES. UH, THEN IT WAS FAIRLY LEVEL BETWEEN THE NINETIES AND 2017. AND THEN, UH, THERE'S BEEN A 4%, UM, CHANGE, 46% IN 2017, AND NOW 42%, UM, OF THE LAND IS FARMLAND. SO FROM 76% OF THE ACRES IN 1972, NOW DOWN TO 42% IN 2020. SO WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? AND THIS IS A SLIDE FROM THE AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST. AND WHAT THIS SHOWS THAT IN WISCONSIN, 59% OF FARMERS ARE 55 AND OLDER. SO THINK ABOUT THAT. 59% OF FARMERS ARE 55 AND OLDER. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART, YOU CAN SEE THAT 29% OR 65 AND OLDER, THERE ARE THREE TIMES AS MANY FARMERS WHO ARE 65 AND OLDER THAN 34 AND YOUNGER. AND OF THOSE FARMERS WHO ARE 55 AND OLDER, 82% OF THEM ARE LOOKING AT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH THEIR SUCCESSION PLAN, WITH ESTATE PLANNING OF WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THE FARM. SO WE'RE IN A REAL TRANSITION IN THE FARMING COMMUNITY, AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, IN A LOT OF CASES, THE CHILDREN AREN'T STAYING ON THE FARM, UM, TO CONTINUE THE TRADITION OF FARMING. AND WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT CASE IS THAT OFTEN THE FARMLAND DOES GET SOLD OFF. THIS WAS THE FORMER PILE FARM DOWN ON HIGHWAY 60. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO, UM, ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, YOU SEE THE COMMUNICATIONS TOWER IN THE BACK OF, OF THIS SLIDE. THAT'S THE COMMUNICATIONS TOWER ON HIGHWAY HIGHWAY 60, RIGHT NEAR THE INTERCHANGE WITH HIGHWAY 41. SO THIS, UH, FARM HAS BEEN SOLD, UH, IT'S BEING DEVELOPED AS PART OF CEDAR CREEK ESTATES. UH, THE PLAN IS THAT THERE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 181 HOMES ON THIS FARM. BUT FROM A FARMING STANDPOINT, YOU CAN SEE RIGHT NOW FROM THIS AERIAL, UM, THE GRAVEL IS BEING, UM, TAKEN OFF AND THE TOP SOIL HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF. SO FROM A FARMING STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, THIS FARM WILL NO LONGER OBVIOUSLY, UM, BEEF FARM IN THE FUTURE. SO THE CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION FOUNDED IN 1970 FOUR'S MISSION WAS TO PRESERVE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE CEDAR LAKES REGION. WE HAVE A RELATIVELY SMALL MISSION AREA, BUT THERE ARE OTHER LAND TRUSTS, UM, IN THE COUNTY AS WELL, UH, WHO ARE DOING VERY MUCH THE SAME THINGS WE ARE. AND ONE OF THE TENETS OF OUR VISION IS SUSTAINABLE WORKING FARMS. SO OUR VISION ENCOMPASSES DIVERSE NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS, SUSTAINABLE WORKING FARMS, HEALTHY WATERSHEDS, HABITAT FOR RECREATION AND EDUCATION AND, AND SCENIC VISTAS. SO HOW DO WE PROTECT FARMLAND? WE REALLY HAVE BEEN PROTECTING FARMLAND IN TWO WAYS. ONE IS, IS THAT WE OWN LAND OUTRIGHT AND OF OUR OWNS LAND, ABOUT 15% OF OUR ACRES, UM, ARE FARMS BY, UM, FOUR LOCAL FARMERS. SO SOME OF THE LAND WE BOUGHT, NOT ALL OF OUR LAND WAS FARMLAND. SOME OF IT'S WETLANDS, SOME OF IT'S WOODLANDS. UM, SO NOT ALL OF IT WAS FARMLAND ORIGINALLY, BUT SOME OF THE FARMLAND WE CONTINUE TO FARM, UM, WITH LOCAL FARMERS FROM THE AREA. THE SECOND WAY THAT WE PROTECT LAND IS THROUGH AGRICULTURAL LAND EASEMENTS. AND THESE ARE AGREEMENTS, VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS WITH FARMERS WHERE WE PURCHASE THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS OF THE FARMS. AND THIS IS A PROGRAM, UH, THAT COMES OUT OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE. SO I'M SURE MANY OF YOU'RE FAMILIAR, NRCS AS WE CALL IT, THEY'RE MORE ACRONYMS THAN YOU KNOW, I CAN SHAKE A STICK AT. BUT NRCS IS A DIVISION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND THEY HAVE THIS PROGRAM CALLED THE REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, UH, THAT ADMINISTERS THESE AGRICULTURAL LAND EASEMENTS. AND THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT PRIVATELY HELD FARMLAND. SO WE ENVISION PROTECTING FARMLAND, SO IT'S AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION IN THE FUTURE. WE WORK WITH THE LANDOWNERS FARMERS TO ACQUIRE THE AGRICULTURAL LAND EASEMENTS OR DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ON THESE LANDS. THE LANDOWNER RETAINS OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND AND THE RIGHT TO WORK THE LAND. AND NRCS WORKS WITH THE LANDOWNERS TO DEVELOP A CONSERVATION PLAN FOR SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION, WHICH IS IMPLEMENTED TO IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH ON THOSE FARMS. SO THIS IS [00:25:01] A WAY TO KEEP FARMS IN FAMILIES AND TO KEEP THEM, UM, ALSO IN PRODUCTION. SO IN 2020, UH, WE WERE AWARDED A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLAR COST SHARE GRANT FROM NRCS AS PART OF THIS REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. OUR PARTNER IS THE MILWAUKEE METROPOLITAN SEWAGE DISTRICT IN THIS PROJECT, AS MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW, MMSD HAS BEEN ACTIVELY TRYING TO CONSERVE LAND UP HERE. UM, SO TRY TO KEEP SOME OF THE STORM WATER UP HERE, UM, BEFORE IT'S DOWN, UH, TO THE MILWAUKEE AREA. AND AS PART OF THIS, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THESE FARMLAND PRESERVATION PROJECTS. SO SINCE 2020, WE'VE COMPLETED THREE OF THESE NRCS TRANSACTIONS. UH, ONE WAS THE 42 ACRES OF THE MANONE. SO TERRA FARM, UM, IN TOTAL, THE MANONE HAVE PROTECTED ABOUT 119 ACRES OF FARMLAND. UM, BUT 42 MORE RECENTLY, 133 ACRES OF THE NORMAN FAIRING FARM THAT YOU SAW A PHOTO OF. AND THEN 44 ACRES MOST RECENTLY OF THE ISLAND FILLED ACRES FARM. SO THE MANONE SOFA FARM IS OFF OF HILLCREST IN NABAL, UP ON THE WEST SIDE OF BIG CEDAR, ON THE EDGE OF OUR, UM, MISSION AREA. THE FAIRING FARM IS DOWN IN THE VALLEY IN THE TOWN OF POLK, AND THE ISFELD FARM IS ON THE CORNER OF PARADISE DRIVE AND COUNTY ROAD Z. AND SO THESE ARE PICKERS OF THOSE FARMS. SO THE ISFELD FARM ON THE TOP LEFT, THE MANONE FARM IS A CATTLE FARM, AND THEN NORMAN J FAIRING HAS CROP AND ALSO HAS GRASS FED BEEF. SO, UH, SORT OF A VARIETY OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE PRODUCING, UM, ON THESE FARMS. AND I GUESS SORT OF TO WRAP UP MY COMMENTS, I THINK THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO HEAR SOME OF THE THOUGHTS OF, OF THE PEOPLE WHOSE LAND, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO OWN THE LAND. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO'VE BEEN FARMING THE LAND, AND I THINK THAT THEY REALLY, UM, PUT IT THE BEST. SO RON FARING SAID, I'VE SPENT MY WHOLE LIFE HERE ON THE FARM. MY GREAT GREAT-GRANDFATHER, CARL FARING, CAME FROM GERMANY TO AMERICA IN THE MID 18 HUNDREDS AND SETTLED IN THE TOWN OF POLK WHERE HE BOUGHT LAND AND STARTED FARMING. MY SISTERS AND I REPRESENT THE FIFTH GENERATION OF FAIRINGS WHO HAVE OWNED THIS LAND. MY FATHER ALWAYS WANTED THIS LAND TO REMAIN AS IT IS. AND NOW I KNOW THAT I HAVE MADE THIS WISH COME TRUE. SOMEDAY I WILL HAVE TO ANSWER TO MY FATHER. AND I KNOW IN MY HEART THAT I HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THING CLCF AND THE RCPP PROGRAM ALLOWS THE FAIRING FAMILY TO CONTINUE TO OWN THIS LAND AND TO FARM IT WHILE ALSO LETTING US TAKE SOME MONEY OFF THE TABLE. LIKE MANY FARMERS, I HAVEN'T HAD A DAY OFF IN MANY YEARS, AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO ENJOYING LIFE. AND THE FARM TOO. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF FARMERS ARE IN THE SAME BOAT AS ME AND SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL WITH REGARD TO THE FUTURE OF THEIR FARMS. CLCF AND THE RCPP PROGRAM PROVIDED OUR FAMILY WITH ANOTHER OPTIONS BESIDES LINK TO A DEVELOPER. THIS MEANS A LOT TO ME. AND ED EINFELD ON THE LEFT AND ETHEL EINFELD PELMAN ON THE RIGHT, UH, SAID WE ARE PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL TO CLCF FOR THE HELP WE WERE GIVEN TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE THE BEAUTIFUL LAND WHERE WE GREW UP. THIS IS WHAT OUR PARENTS WOULD'VE WANTED. IT IS WONDERFUL TO KNOW THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND WOODED LANDS. SO OUR GOALS AS PROGRAM GOALS ARE TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT FARMLAND IN OUR MISSION AREA, UM, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE PRESSURE ON THAT FARMLAND. UH, AND GIVEN THAT DECLINE OF 45%, UH, WE HOPE TO CONSERVE THE FARMING LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME. AND PRETTY MUCH EVERY FARMER I'VE TALKED TO, YOU KNOW, THEIR WISH IS TO KEEP, UM, THIS LAND IN THE FAMILY AND TO KEEP FARMING IT. SO I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, COME IN AND SORT OF GIVE A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, UM, IN THE COUNTY, WHAT WE AND THE LAND TRUSTS ARE TRYING TO DO IN THE COUNTY. UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. JUST REAL, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU PROTECT, HOW DO YOU PROTECT THESE PEOPLE'S FARMS? DO YOU, YOU WANT WAIT, GET YOUR MICROPHONE ON. PEOPLE CAN HEAR US. I CAN REPEAT THE QUESTION. WOULD THAT BE OKAY OR GO AHEAD. OKAY. UM, I, I, YOU SPOKE ABOUT PROTECTING THE FARMS, AND I'M JUST, MY CURIOSITY IS HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN WITH THE GRANT MONEY THAT YOU HAVE? HOW DO YOU PROTECT THE FARMS? YEP. DO THEY COME TO YOU? THAT JUST, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. SO HOW DO WE PROTECT THE FARMS? SO WE DO SOME OUTREACH TO FARMERS. SOME FARMERS CALL [00:30:01] US. SO THERE'S A COMBINATION OF THE WAY THAT WE COME INTO CONTACT, UM, WITH THE FARMERS AND HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS IS AN AGRICULTURAL LAND EASEMENT IS A LEGAL AGREEMENT THAT IS RECORDED AT THE COUNTY, UH, THAT SETS OUT SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS. SO, AND RESTRICTIONS ON THE PROPERTY. SO WITH NRCS, THEY HAVE A SET OF WHAT THEY CALL MINIMUM DEEDED TERMS, AND THE MINIMUM DEEDED TERMS. BASICALLY SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT THE LAND, YOU KNOW, CAN, THERE ARE SOME SUBDIVISION THINGS IN THE PROGRAM, BUT THAT THEY CAN'T LARGELY CAN'T BE SUBDIVIDED. UH, IT CAN BE REMAIN AS FARMLAND, AND THAT THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW A SOIL AND, YOU KNOW, CONSERVATION PLAN. AN NRCS CONSERVATION PLAN, THIS IS A RECORDED DOCUMENT AT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY. SO IT LIVES IN PERPETUITY. SO THE FARMER OWNS THE LAND, HE LIVES ON THE LAND, HE CAN CONTINUE TO FARM THE LAND, HE CAN PASS THE LAND DOWN TO HIS CHILDREN, BUT IF HE DECIDES TO SELL THE LAND, WHEN THEY GO DO A TITLE SEARCH ON THE PROPERTY, THIS RECORDED DOCUMENT WILL COME UP. AND THAT RECORDED DOCUMENT LIMITS THE USES ON THE LAND. AND THEN AGAIN, THE GOAL OF NRCS IS TO KEEP THIS LAND PRODUCTIVE. UM, AS FARMLAND, THE WAY THAT THE FARMER IS COMPENSATED IS THAT WE DO AN APPRAISAL ON THE PROPERTY. THEY APPRAISE THE VALUE AS THE HIGHEST BEST USE OF THE LAND. UH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IF IT WERE TO BE, UM, SOLD OFF AND, AND DEVELOPED, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE HIGHEST BEST USE VALUE IS, THEY THEN VALUE IT WITH THE ENCUMBERED VALUE. SO WITH THOSE RIGHTS TAKEN, YOU KNOW, AWAY REMOVED THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS AND THAT RESIDUAL VALUE IS THE FARM VALUE. SO THE FARM FARMLAND VALUE, UM, OF SORT OF WHAT VALUE IS AS AGRICULTURAL LAND. AND SO THE PURCHASE OF THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS IS LOOKING AT PURCHASING, EXCUSE ME, THOSE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS. SO I HOPE THAT WASN'T TOO CONFUSING. UM, NRCS HAS BEEN DOING THIS PROGRAM FOR SOME TIME NOW. UM, THEY HAD THE R-C-C-R-C-P-P PROGRAM AS PART OF THE 2014 FARM BILL. THE RECENT PROGRAM WE'RE IN WAS PART OF THE 2018 FARM BILL, AND THEY'RE JUST UP FOR RENEWAL, UM, NOW AS WELL. SO HOPEFULLY THAT DOES EXPLAIN IT, BUT IT IS ILLEGAL, UM, DOCUMENT, UM, THAT IS RECORDED AT THE COUNTY. THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'M SORRY, I'M ON. OH, DOUG'S ON. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. UM, I GUESS I WANNA PERSONALLY, EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR EFFORTS. UM, I COME FROM A FARM. I GREW UP ON A FARM. I GOT A GOOD UNDERSTANDING HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO CONTINUE FARMING. UH, MY FAMILY FARM IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT MY BROTHER STAYED AND HE'S CONTINUING THE, THE EFFORTS. UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THE, THE HOW AND WHY FARMERS, UM, SELL TO DEVELOPERS TO MAYBE GET OUT OF A HARDSHIP OR RETIREMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I APPRECIATE, UM, THE EFFORTS THAT YOU DO. UM, I HAD ONE QUESTION FOR YOU ON THE FUNDING. UM, YOU MENTIONED, UH, COST, COST SHARE, GRANTS THAT YOU RECEIVE. WHERE DOES THE OTHER FUNDING COME FOR THAT? OR COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT? YES, ABSOLUTELY. IT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. SO IN OUR CASE, THE COST SHARE, UH, NRCS PUT UP HALF THE MONEY AND THEN WE PUT UP THE OTHER HALF OF THE MONEY. AND THAT MONEY THAT WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE RAISED FROM DONORS, UM, AND ALSO THROUGH ALSO WRITING GRANTS TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. SO WE PROVIDE THE MATCH TO THAT PROGRAM. SO IT'S A 50 50 COST SHARE PROGRAM AND NRCS PUTS UP 50%. AND THEN IN OUR CASE, THE LAND TRUST, UH, PUTS UP THE OTHER 50%. OKAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK BEFORE I DEPART A STATISTIC JUST TO GIVE YOU IS, ACCORDING TO THE US FOREST SERVICE, FOUR ACRES OF LAND IS CONVERTED FROM FARMLAND TO OTHER USES. OH, I GUESS I NEED TO WAIT FOR THE MICROPHONE. YEP, YEP. SORRY. YOU CLICK IT TWICE. THERE YOU GO. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO SORT OF PART WITH, ACCORDING TO THE US FOREST SERVICE, FOUR ACRES OF FARMLAND IS CONVERTED EVERY MINUTE TO ANOTHER USE. SO FOUR ACRES OF FARMLAND EVERY MINUTE IS 6,000 ACRES A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR. SO THE DECLINE IN FARMLAND ACRES ISN'T JUST A ISSUE IN WASHINGTON [00:35:01] COUNTY. IT'S A NATIONWIDE ISSUE. UM, BUT IT IS AN IMPORTANT LEGACY, I THINK, ESPECIALLY HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY WHERE IT REALLY WAS AT THE FOUNDATION, UH, OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT BUILT A LOT OF THESE, UH, COMMUNITIES. SO WITH THAT, I'LL PASS BACK TO CAROL, MS. SHELTIES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR THE ENLIGHTENMENT AND YOUR PRESENT PRESENTATION. UM, VERY SENSITIVE. OKAY. UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ON SLIDE FIVE. UM, THE 2017 FARM DEMOGRAPHICS, UM, THE MIDDLE SECTION WHERE, HOW MUCH IS SOLD LOCALLY? I'M ASSUMING THAT'S, UM, YOU HAVE LIKE A BASKET FULL OF PRODUCE THERE AND VARIOUS AMOUNTS. IS THAT SOLD DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS? IS THAT AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF WHAT THAT MEANS? I BELIEVE SO. THIS GRAPHIC IS FROM UW EXTENSION. OKAY. I KNOW ADAM CHRISTENSEN IS HERE, UH, WHO WORKS WITH WASHINGTON COUNTY. DO YOU ALL KNOW ADAM? I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW ADAM. UM, SO I'M GONNA DEFER TO ADAM ON THAT PARTICULAR SLIDE. UM, I DO THINK DIRECTLY SOLD CONSUMERS MEANS FARM TO CONSUMER CONSUMER. OKAY. BUT I WANNA, I DON'T WANNA MISSPEAK. OKAY. AND AS HE, AS HE WALKS UP, MY QUESTION IS, SINCE THIS IS 2017 DATA, I I, I WOULD THINK THAT THE TREND IS THAT TO BE PURCHASING MORE IN CURRENT TIMES DIRECT TO CONSUMER BECAUSE OF JUST THE HEALTH AND THE WILLINGNESS AND FOR US TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL FARMERS, IS, IS THAT ACCURATE? AND CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YES. SO THIS SOURCE IS FROM UW EXPEN OR EXTENSION, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY FROM THE US AGRICULTURAL CENSUS, SO THAT'S WHY THAT 2017 NUMBER'S THERE TOO. SO, UM, HOW, YEAH, I GUESS I DON'T KNOW IF THAT DOESN'T REALLY ANSWER, BUT, UM, WE DON'T HAVE UPDATED DATA YET, SO THERE'S NO COMPARED. OKAY. FEBRUARY 13TH IS WHEN I GET, OKAY. UH, 2022 DATA . OKAY. SO, OKAY. UM, WHETHER THAT NUMBER'S GONE UP, I CAN'T REALLY ANSWER THAT, BUT I'M ASSUMING IT HAS. OKAY. UM, YEAH. AND KIND OF TIED TO THAT, THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS RELATED TO, UM, THE PRESSURE FROM CHINA TO PURCHASE OUR FARMLAND. IS THAT A REALITY? I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MY MISSION AREA. MM-HMM, . OKAY. SO OUR MISSIONARY IS THE TOWN OF POLK AND THE TOWN OF WEST BEND. AND IN THE TOWN OF POLK AND THE TOWN OF WEST BEND, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THAT TO DATE. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I WILL GOT HIM. THANK YOU. I WILL JUST ADD BRIEFLY THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS. ADAM IS WASHINGTON COUNTY'S PLANNER AND HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON UPDATING THE COUNTY'S FARMLAND PRESERVATION PLAN WITH THE DATA COMING IN FEBRUARY 13TH. SO A LOT OF THESE ARE REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS AND WE CAN MAKE SURE WE SHARE ALL OF THAT DATA WITH THE BOARD AS THAT COMES FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SUPERVISOR KEL. OH, MR. CHAIRMAN. UM, JUST A LITTLE CLARIFICATION. THAT'S ALL I'M LOOKING FOR. THE CLC, UH, WHAT'S THE STRUCTURE, UH, OF THE CLCF? IS, ARE YOU GUYS A PART OF THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, THE STATE, UH, UNDER WHAT OFFICE OR ENTITY DO YOU GUYS WORK? SO WE ARE A NONPROFIT. SO WE ARE A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. SO WE ARE NOT A GOVERNMENT ENTITY. SO NRCS IS OUR PARTNER IN THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. THEY ARE A GRANT FUNDER. UH, BUT WE ARE NOT A, A GOVERNMENT ENTITY. THAT'S ACTUALLY VERY EXCELLENT TO KNOW AS LITTLE A GOVERNMENT AS WE CAN GET. I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE THAT. THANK YOU SUPERVISOR CONRAD. YEP. THANK YOU CHAIR. UM, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK, UM, LINDA FROM SALES STAFF FROM COMING HERE AND, UM, INFORMING YOU ALL, EDUCATING YOU ALL ON, UM, REALLY THE, THE SCOPE AND THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP PRESERVE OUR FAM FARMLAND. I KNOW, UM, WHEN THERE'S DEVELOPMENTS AND THINGS, UM, LIKE THE NEXT GENERATION HOUSING, YOU'VE ALL HEARD ME SAY, WELL, WE HAVE TO, UM, THINK TO, TO THE BALANCE AND TO PRESERVE OUR, OUR GREEN SPACES AND OUR FARMLAND AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT CLCF IS DOING. SO, AND THEY HELP, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT BALANCE THAT OUR COUNTY EXEC IS, IS TRYING TO FIND. UM, SO I SEEK YOUR SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE TOO, TO, UM, HELP WITH POTENTIAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES [00:40:01] AND HOW THE, OUR US AS A COUNTY CAN HELP PARTNER WITH CLCF TO HELP PRESERVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE HERE. MR. M**K, UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. UH, LINDA, I JUST HAD, UH, A COUPLE QUESTIONS I'M NOT SURE YOU CAN HELP ME WITH, BUT THE FIRST ONE WAS WITH REGARD TO JUST HAVING A PERSPECTIVE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, THAT 45% DECLINE IN FARMLAND OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THAT COULD COMPARE MAYBE TO A LIGHT COUNTY IN OUR STATE, MAYBE LIKE RACINE COUNTY OR, YOU KNOW, DODGES A LITTLE FURTHER AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, A, A METROPOLITAN AREA LIKE MILWAUKEE. BUT, YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF THAT? LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE FIT IN? I DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN LOOK INTO AND GET BACK TO YOU. SO WHY DON'T I GET BACK TO CAROL WITH THAT DATA? WOULD THAT BE OKAY? OR JAMIE AND, UH, OR ADAM YOU GUYS ARE POINTING AT, AT, OR YOU CAN ANSWER THAT. SORRY. YEAH. UM, STILL NEW HERE. SO, UM, SO KIND OF IT, IT REALLY DEPENDS. UM, I WOULD SAY WE'RE MORE SIMILAR TO RACINE COUNTY, UH, WHERE WE HAVE LIKE LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS THAT ARE DEVELOPING AND, UM, SPECIFICALLY TO THE SOUTH, BUT LIKE VER COMPARED TO DODGE COUNTY WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE THAT PRESSURE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT MORE AGRICULTURAL LAND THAT'S JUST KIND OF STAYING AGRICULTURAL LAND. UH, DODGE COUNTY ALSO HAS A LOT MORE FARMLAND, PRESERVATION, UM, PROGRAMS OR THEY'RE UTILIZING A LOT OF THE DAD CAP PROGRAMS, LIKE AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISE AREAS, UH, FARMLAND PRESERVATION, ZONING DISTRICTS, UM, SO A LOT MORE, YOU KNOW, UM, PROGRAMS TO HELP PRESERVE FARMLAND VERSUS HERE WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THAT DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE COMING UP FROM THE SOUTH OR SO YOU THINK THAT NUMBER THAT'S REALLY TIED TO PROXIMITY TO A PLACE LIKE MILWAUKEE YEP. DEVELOPING, SO YEP. SOINE COUNTY, US, MAYBE JEFFERSON COUNTY, I KNOW WAUKESHAW COUNTY OBVIOUSLY IS YEAH. IS GROWN UP. BUT YOU THINK WE'RE ALL SORT OF IN THAT SAME BOAT? YEAH, IN THAT SAME BOAT. OKAY. UM, YEAH, THE TOWN OF DUN WOULD BE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF LIKE A TOWN THAT WAS SIMILARLY KIND OF, UH, EXPERIENCING THAT PRESSURE AND THEN THEREFORE THEY WENT AHEAD AND, UM, KIND OF STARTED DOING THEIR OWN PROGRAM WITH PURCHASE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS. BUT, UM, THAT WAS MAYBE MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU WERE ASKING FOR, BUT YEAH. NO, THAT'S FINE. YEAH. AND MORE INFORMATION. BUT I DO HAVE, UH, I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION. YEAH. AND THIS IS ANOTHER ONE I'M NOT SURE YOU CAN ANSWER. IT WAS REGARD TO THE AVERAGE AGE, UH, YOU KNOW, OF THE FARMING COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE AND SOME OF THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS. DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, YOU KNOW, DATA OR EVEN JUST A SENSE, I HAVE THIS SENSE THAT THAT GEN ZS THERE IS SORT OF A WANT TO GO BACK THAT I THINK, UH, FARMING AS A LIFESTYLE AND AS A, YOU KNOW, A WAY OF LIFE HAD SORT OF FALLEN ASIDE FOR A, A LONG TIME IN OUR COUNTRY. I THINK WE HAD A GENERATION AND A HALF THAT SORT OF DIDN'T VIEW IT VERY WELL. I HAVE THIS BELIEF, AND IT'S ONLY ANECDOTAL, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO GO ON, THAT, THAT SOMEHOW THAT THERE IS A GENERATION NOW THAT KIND OF YEARNS FOR THAT IS LOOKING FOR EITHER A SIMPLER, YOU KNOW, A LIFESTYLE OR A MORE WHOLESOME, ORGANIC, YOU KNOW, MORE CONNECTED TO THEIR FOOD SOURCE. DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION OR ANY DATA ABOUT THAT? YES. IS IT GETTING BETTER, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE FEWER PEOPLE RIGHT. ARE MORE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN FARMING? I CAN BACK UP THOSE BELIEFS WITH NUMBERS TWO ACTUALLY. SO AS OF 2017, THERE WERE OVER 200 NEW AND BEGINNING FARMERS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY AS WELL. AND HOW DOES THAT, IS THAT A GOOD, IS THAT A GOOD TREND'S? A GOOD, YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER. UM, AND TECHNICALLY, UH, ACCORDING TO THE USDA, A NEW AND BEGINNING FARMER IS A FARMER WITH LESS THAN 10 YEARS OKAY. OR 10 YEARS OR LESS OF EXPERIENCE. AND WE HAVE 200 OF THOSE. YES. 200. SO, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT, TO ME, I GUESS IT'S BETTER THAN 50, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN WE, WHEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT 900 I BELIEVE FARMERS. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE 22 DATA COMES OUT, MAYBE I'LL HAVE A BETTER NUMBER. OKAY. BUT, UM, IT'S OVER 200, BUT IT'S 213 NEW AND BEGINNING FARMERS. BUT YOUR SENSE IS THAT'S A GOOD TREND THAT YES. THAT THERE'S, THAT THAT'S TRENDING UP. YEP. OKAY. AND THEY'VE ONLY STARTED RECENTLY, UH, TRACKING THAT. OKAY. UM, SO THAT WAS 2017 DATA VERSUS, YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T GO BACK AND SAY FROM 1972, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THIS MANY NEW FARMERS. SO YEAH, I WOULD, I, UH, I GUESS IN WHAT I, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, IT'S A GOOD, IT'S A GOOD TREND. SO, OKAY, GOOD. I'M, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR GALLANT. THANK YOU CHAIR. UM, ADAM, UH, COUPLE, UH, THOUGHTS, UH, SUPERVISOR M**K, UH, MADE ME THINK OF THIS A BIT AND, AND A FEW OTHER COMMENTS. YOU KNOW, SO OBVIOUSLY THIS BODY IS ABOUT POLICY AND IF [00:45:01] PRESERVING FARMLAND IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, UH, BECOMES A POLICY CONCERN OR ISSUE, UM, AND WE HAVE COMPETING INTEREST IN THAT LAND SUCH AS DEVELOPMENT, 'CAUSE THIS BODY HAS TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING POPULATION GROWTH OVER THE NEXT TWO DECADES, WELL, THAT'S, THERE'S GIVE AND TAKE, RIGHT? YOU GOTTA LAND TO BUILD HOMES, UM, OR YOU HAVE LESS, YOU HAVE MORE DENSE POPULATION OR WHATEVER THE TERM, BUT THE REALITY IS THERE'S GONNA BE MORE PEOPLE, THERE'S GONNA BE LESS FARMLAND, RIGHT? SO AS PART OF THE ANALYSIS THAT YOU ALLUDED TO, WILL THAT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT NOOM FARMING TECHNIQUES AND, UH, OUTPUT PER ACRE, BUSH, O WHATEVER, UH, GALLONS OF MILK, ET CETERA. SO YOU DON'T NEED AS MUCH FARMLAND AS YOU MAY HISTORICALLY HAVE. UH, IF THAT'S TRUE OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW. SO IT, WHEN, AND IF IT COMES TO POLICY FOR THE COUNTY TO DETERMINE, WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESERVE X PERCENT OF AVAILABLE FARMLAND TODAY FOR THE FUTURE USE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A LOCAL FARM, UM, FOOD, UH, TABLE, WHATEVER TERM, UM, HOW DO WE GET THE RIGHT DATA TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE INFORMED DECISIONS? THIS MIGHT BE ABOVE MY PAY GRADE, UH, QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF I, UM, I'M SORRY. MY ANSWER AGAIN, THAT'S JUST WHAT I'M THINKING BECAUSE EVENTUALLY IT'S GONNA COME TO THAT. 'CAUSE IF WE'RE GETTING THIS DATA TODAY AND WE SAVE, WE LOST 47% OF THE, THE FAMILY FARM, UH, IN SINCE THE SEVENTIES, WELL, WHAT IF WE LOSE ANOTHER 20%? WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN TO AGGREGATABLE LAND AND WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL, UH, SUSTAIN OUR, OUR, OUR FOOD NEEDS LOCALLY? OR DOES IT JUST GO TO, YOU KNOW, CORPORATE FARMS ACROSS, UH, THE REST OF THE, UH, THE, THE FOOD BELT IN, IN NEBRASKA AND IOWA AND FILL IN THE BLANK? I WILL SAY WISCONSIN FARMERS TEND TO BE MEDIUM SIZED FARMS. I MEAN, IT, IT TENDS TO BE THE SMALLER FAMILY FARMS VERSUS THE REST OF THE NA NOT MAYBE THE, THE ENTIRETY OF THE NATION. BUT, UH, WE TEND TO BE SMALLER AND WE'RE ACTUALLY LOSING A LOT OF THOSE MEDIUM-SIZED FARMERS. AND THEY'RE ALL, AND THEY ARE GOING INTO, YOU KNOW, THE MORE A THOUSAND ACRE OR 500 PLUS ACRE FARMS VERSUS JUST, YOU KNOW, 200 TO 300. UM, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW FROM THE CENSUS DATA THEY PROJECT OR THEY'RE PROJECTING POPULATION GROWTH IN THE NATION TO GO TO 400 MILLION AND THEN STAGNATE. BUT YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALWAYS COMING IN WITH NEW NUMBERS TOO. SO WHETHER YOU KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT PERCENTAGE IS TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, I'M NOT SURE. I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER. UM, BUT YEAH, AND THAT'S, I THINK I CAN. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.