| What is the geographic
scope of the FFF Program? |
| The FFF Program presently operates in Mendocino, Sonoma,
Napa and Solano Counties. |
| |
| Are all the grapegrowers
in the region eligible? |
| Yes, enrollment to the workshops is open to everyone,
but there is no guarantee of certification. |
| |
| Is
there an assessment component of the Program, or is it covered under
the development of the Farm Conservation Plan? |
| There are a number of elements in the Farm Conservation
Plan. Not
every element applies to every site. Each element has an assessment/inventory
method that addresses the resource and is very comprehensive. There is an extensive and detailed assessment and inventory
of the natural features of the site and the management practices used. All
creeks, including ephemeral and seasonal creeks, are assessed. Every
road and every road culvert is inventoried. Although vineyards are
included, the focus is on the entire property and conditions on the entire
property are assessed. |
| |
| Is the Farm Conservation
Plan completed entirely by the farmer, or is there technical assistance? What
kind of technical support is available and from whom -- either for
completing the farm conservation plan or for implementation? |
| The program is not intended as a self-assessment by the farmer. Each
owner/manager enrolls their property in the Program and attends a series
of workshops that review the Program assessment and BMPs (Beneficial Management
Practices). The workshop instructor and technical staff then complete
a site visit. The farmer completes the assessment and documentation
of vineyard management practices and works with the instructor to assess
conditions and management practices. The FFF program scientists
provide all the technical sections of the Farm Conservation Plan - road
assessment and repair, riparian corridor evaluations and restoration/revegetation,
ephemeral creek erosion control and revegetation, erosion site evaluation
and repair, retrofit of reservoirs and many other items. |
| Once the Farm Conservation Plan is completed, it is reviewed
prior to the certification. For those plans with large projects
- design, permitting and implementation cost-share is available. Each
Farm Conservation Plan element includes an implementation timeline that
lists the management practices and projects, how and when they will get
implemented. Major
projects have up to 10 years to be implemented; changes in management practices
must be implemented the next season. In our experience, the farmer
implements the majority of the needed changes and fewer than 25% of Farm
Conservation Plans generate major cost-share projects funded by the FFF
program. |
| |
| Are there any procedures
for monitoring compliance, other than re-certification? How
does re-certification work? |
| Each Farm Conservation Plan contains a photo-monitoring
element with established monitoring points. There is a lengthy list
of the features that must be photographed, labeled and included in the
Farm Conservation Plan each year. Implementation of all BMPs and
projects are photographed. |
| We have not yet re-certified a site, but the point is to
make sure the photo record is being kept up and the BMPs and projects are
implemented in accordance with the implementation timeline in the Farm
Conservation Plan. |
| |
| Where can I find more
information on the marketing component of the Program? |
| This is now under development. We waited until we
had a significant level of participation before focusing on marketing. We have certified 17,000 acres in Napa, Mendocino and Sonoma Counties and should have another 10-20,000 acres certified in 2006. The Fish
Friendly Farming name
and logo are trademarked. The green marketing component of the FFF
program allows consumers to support environmental restoration. |
| |
| Are there any financial
incentives for participation? |
| The farmer receives substantial technical assistance free of charge. The
owner may also receive funding for projects. The certification from
three regulatory agencies provides certainty and assurance that the actions
called for in the Farm Conservation Plan provide for compliance with state
and federal water quality and endangered species laws. There is
a great deal of interest by landowners in gaining this assurance. There
is also an advantage in those watersheds with TMDLs - Total Maximum Daily
Load regulatory programs, including the Napa, Russian, Gualala and Navarro
River watersheds. The Farm Conservation Plan and photo-monitoring
allows the owner to demonstrate compliance with the TMDL for the watershed
and a reduction in contaminant loading from the property. The entire
FFF Program is designed to direct voluntary, self-directed compliance with
state and federal environmental laws and create a record of this through
the Farm Conservation Plan and photo-monitoring of the property. |
| The green marketing will add to all these other incentives. |
| |
| How many farms have
been certified? |
| As of January 2006, over 70 properties totaling 17,000
acres have been certified. Another
20,000 acres in Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties are enrolled to be certified
in 2006. Total enrollment has reached 40,000 acres as of 2006 . |
| |
| How many projects have
been implemented? |
| Only about 25% of the Farm Conservation Plans generate
a project that the program assists in implementing. On the majority
of sites, the farmer implements the needed improvements or changes in management
practices with no public funding. All the certified sites have either
completed their projects and improvements, or are in the process. Projects
vary greatly from road repair and re-building to major revegetation and
restoration of riparian and stream habitats to small changes in culverts,
ditches, sediment basins, erosion control, revegetation, water releases
and other items. |
| |
| How do landowners
and managers enroll in the Fish Friendly Farming program? |
| Contact the California Land Stewardship Institute at 707-869-2760 or
send an e-mail through our Contact Page. |
