Buy Local Food In Kitsap

Jade Pope – KCAA Director Candidate

Last modified on 2009-10-22 19:40:59 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Jade Pope
P.O. Box 681, Burley WA 98322-0681
jadeagritech@hotmail.com
www.jadeag.com

Jade Pope - On The Job

Education
1993 National Bank of New Zealand Scholarship.  Top Scholar for Agriculture and Horticulture.
1994-1997 Bachelor of Science, Lincoln University.  Study program focused on agricultural production & animal science.

About Me
I am 35 years old & was raised in Nelson, New Zealand.
I have resided in Kitsap county since 2005; my wife, Cynthia & I have a small farmlet where we raise Oxford sheep & an assortment of other animals.
I own and operate Jade Agritech, LLC a business specializing in products and services for agriculture, my main business is farm fencing but I also offer Irripod irrigation; pasture, crop, & cover crop seed; as well as general farm contracting such as the application of soil amendments.  Aside from a way to earn a living my goal for my business is to provide some of the quality products and services needed by farmers in the area.

Why I Am Seeking Election to the KCAA Board?
Over the next 40 years the earth’s human population is expected to increase by 50% to about 9 billion people.  I believe that in order to ensure a decent existence for future generations we must begin to fundamentally change the way we live, eat, & conduct business.
In my opinion, the development of environmentally responsible, fiscally sustainable, locally based food production & processing is a critical component of the paradigm shift that must be made in order for future generations to experience an earth that is vibrant & full of life
I believe KCAA can help to identify & solve some of the major issues facing Kitsap Agriculture.  At this juncture the problems I see that are significant barriers to viable agriculture in Kitsap County are:

1. State & County Government.
The current bureaucracy, & laws place an unjust & undue burden on owners of larger parcels of land.
KCAA should actively seek legislative reform, some areas I feel we should be working on are:
- adoption of a comprehensive & robust “Right to Farm” (RTF) ordinance in Kitsap County.  In my opinion the RTF is one of the most fundamental of human rights, it directly affects our ability to feed and clothe ourselves. Farming like anything else should not be totally unregulated, but at minimum the basic tenets of agriculture, essentially organic farming techniques, should be protected.  Other widely accepted agricultural practices &/or those carried out in compliance with all legal statutes should also be protected by a RTF.  Adoption of a RTF should not be viewed as an end but as a first step in creating political & social respect for agriculture in Kitsap county.
- impervious surface area & run-off detention.  This should be based on relative impact, the requirement for an engineered storm water analysis should be based on the percentage of the land area to be covered with impervious surfaces rather than an arbitrary 5000 square feet regardless of lot size.
- livestock shelter requirements.  Under Kitsap County Code failure to provide adequate shelter for livestock is a class 1 civil infraction subject to fines of $76 – $192 or more per day.  Although generally not enforced this regulation can pose major headaches for livestock owners if someone files a complaint in this regard.  The code specifies:”Adequate shelter” means a structure that is moisture- and wind-proof, allows the animal to turn around freely, sit, stand and lie without restriction, keeps the animal clean and dry, and by application does not cause the animal injury, disfigurement, or physical impairment.
Kitsap County Animal Control believes “adequate shelter” must be accessible at all times regardless of species or weather, in essence a barn in every field, this is asinine.
- water use.  Use of “Waters of the State” should be fairly apportioned based on precipitation & land area.  Larger parcels contribute proportionally more water to rivers, lakes, & aquifers, the amount of water available to a landowner should reflect this.  In addition, water use laws should give priority to life sustaining uses of water such as food production & drinking water particularly over non-essential uses such as bottled drink (soda, water, iced tea, etc) production, sod farm irrigation, & sports facility irrigation (golf courses, football fields, etc).

2. Lack of Productive Capacity (under utilized/poorly managed farmland)
- Farmland in Kitsap county has generally become under utilized during the last 30 years or so, today the agricultural production in the county is very low.  Much of the under utilized farmland is also the best farmland in the county, in many cases the current owners are elderly & the land needs to be transferred to the next generation of farmers.  I believe that the KCAA can be a conduit to connect the current owners of under utilized land with people who have a desire to farm so that the land can return to productivity.  I believe that if land is going to be farmland it needs to be productive.
- Without an increase in production of quality local farm products it is & will continue to be difficult for those who would prefer to buy locally on a larger scale to do so.  KCAA is fostering connections between farmers, restaurants, & retailers.  I feel there should be more use of production contracts so that farmers can ramp up their production whilst knowing that they have buyers for that increase while allowing restaurants & retailers to transition from non-local food sources in a gradual & predictable fashion.
- KCAA should work to try and identify new opportunities for agricultural enterprises in the county.  As an example, many horse owners would like to get rid of excess manure, perhaps there is an opportunity for someone interested in starting a mushroom growing business to utilize this resource.
- I think KCAA should do more in the way of practical farmer/processor education.  I would like to see KCAA hold  practical workshops on various aspects of farming & food processing, these could be in conjunction with other organizations such as WSU extension, Kitsap Conservation District, 4-H/FFA/schools, OCC, & other groups or clubs.

3. Lack of Ag Infrastructure (difficulty obtaining necessary knowledge, inputs, & services)
- The Puget Sound Meat Producer’s Co-op’s newly purchased USDA inspected mobile livestock slaughter unit is a step toward restoring the ag infrastructure in the region .  KCAA’s goal of raising funds for a mobile USDA inspected poultry processing unit will be another step in the right direction.
- Farm inputs such as fertilizer can be difficult to obtain in anything other than small bags, we need to find ways to increase the availability & lower the cost of such inputs if production on more than a backyard scale is to be feasible.

Thank you for your time, regardless of who you choose to elect to the KCAA board, let’s work together for the future of Kitsap agriculture.