Farm on the down: less agriculture and it’s different

  • By Scott North
  • Friday, July 29, 2011 12:01am
  • Local News

It’s the time of year when some politicians work out by running their gums and slicing their hands through the air like shovel blades cutting into rich, dark soil. If past election seasons are an indication, some of that arm waving will be about what efforts have been made to preserve Snohomish County’s agricultural heritage.

While there is no doubt that area farmers are more networked and conferenced and comprehensively planned than in the past, there is more to the agriculture story:

• Farming, the activity that feeds us all, has been withering in this community for decades. That is due largely to land development and national economic shifts that saw population migrate, along with the jobs, from rural to urban areas. The number of farms in the county peaked at 6,200 in the early 1940s. Best estimates today calculate about 1,670 farms dotting the local landscape.

• Still, the acreage used for agriculture has registered a modest uptick. There were about 8,200 more acres of farmland in the county in 2007 compared to five years earlier, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The average farm size grew about 4 percent, to 46 acres.

• But most farms here are for hobbies, not commerce. Data suggest that 77 percent had annual sales valued at less than $10,000. That means the majority of farms here exist to provide a rural lifestyle. Their primary cash crop is property taxes.

• Fewer than 150 farms brought in crops or livestock valued at least $50,000 a year. By contrast, median family income here is estimated at $63,600.

• In recent years, the county’s agricultural production dipped from $126.9 million to $125.6 million.

• Farming that produces milk and other dairy products, once the dominant form of agriculture here, still brings about $37.3 million a year. Poultry, eggs and cattle combine to account for about $20 million. Vegetables, fruit and grain bring in another $8 million. But the biggest money — nearly $48 million — comes from growing things that support urban and suburban lifestyles: nurseries, greenhouses, floriculture and sod. Yes, grass.

• And when it comes to grass, growing the illegal kind also is remarkably lucrative. As Diana Hefley reported two years ago, Snohomish County is the state’s second most-popular locale for indoor marijuana growers. There are lots of homes to buy or rent, easy access to electricity and plenty of privacy. In 2008, drug detectives dismantled enough grow ops to produce pot valued at up to $145 million a year.

• The community has farmer’s markets and agri-tourism and coalitions urging consumers to buy food from local sources. There are press releases and Facebook announcements. But as telling, there also was an auction late last year. A family that spent four generations farming in the Snohomish River valley sold their dairy herd. Preserving agricultural heritage just didn’t pay the bills.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

South County Fire plans push-in ceremony for newest fire engine

Anybody who attends will have the opportunity to help push the engine into the station.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

Britney Barber, owner of Everett Improv. Barber performs a shows based on cuttings from The Everett Herald. Photographed in Everett, Washington on May 16, 2022. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
August 9 will be the last comedy show at Everett Improv

Everett improv club closing after six years in business.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Monroe Mayor Geoffrey Thomas talks to the crowd about the new "Imagine Monroe" city flag and symbol before the ribbon cutting on Monday, July 14, 2025 in Monroe, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Monroe unveils its new $17M City Hall and municipal court

Mayor Geoffrey Thomas showcased the new campus to residents, local and state officials during a celebration Monday.

National Weather Service issues red flag warning for slopes of Cascades

High temperatures, low humidity and winds are combining for critical fire weather conditions, either “imminent or occurring now.”

Photo courtesy of Graphite Arts Center
Amelia DiGiano’s photography is part of the “Seeing Our Planet” exhibit, which opens Friday and runs through Aug. 9 at the Graphite Arts Center in Edmonds.
A&E Calendar for July 10

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Lynnwood
Lynnwood child, 4, accidentally shoots mother, father arrested

The child retrieved a loaded firearm from his father, who was asleep at the time, South County deputies said.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.