In 2009, King County’s FARMS Report found that regulations were a major barrier to farming in the county. Since then, several improvements have been made such as farm pad permitting and Agricultural Drainage Assistance Program (ADAP). In January 2015, the Kitchen Cabinet showed regulatory barriers are still significant. Therefore, the County Executive’s Local Food Initiative, seeks to further improve regulations for farming viability. Farmers, we need your help!

Take our Survey!

This online anonymous survey (external link) will ask basic information about your operation and in-depth questions regarding permitting in King County, so that you can identify the top regulatory challenges we need to improve.

• Take the survey now (external link)

King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks’ (DNRP) Agriculture Program is working with the University of Washington Evans School of Public Affairs to better understand regulatory challenges facing the agricultural sector in King County.

All landowners enrolled in the Current Use Tax Farm & Ag designation, who have easements through the Farmland Preservation Program, or who have received an agricultural permit from Department of Permitting and Environmental Review (DPER) since 2005 were mailed postcards to take this survey. The survey is also being distributed electronically through agricultural groups and e-mail listservs.

For questions about the King County Agriculture Survey, please contact Patrice Barrentine, Project Program Manager, King County Agriculture Program.