Farmers markets boost agriculture in urban setting

What’s a Farm Bureau to do when all around the land is changing from growing crops to growing homes and cities? 

Orange County was once the most productive agricultural county in California. But over the course of the last century, it has been developed into one of the most densely populated counties in the state—second only to San Francisco.

The urban development and population growth of Orange County was uniquely planned, much of it attributed to one entity, the Irvine Company, which is still a major landowner and lessor of ag land to farmers i n OC. At one time, agriculture was the primary business of the Irvine Co. Cattle ranged over tens of thousands of acres, alongside beans, walnuts, avocados and citrus. But over time, land was subdivided and sold. Master planned communities took shape, including the city of Irvine, and Walt Disney began building his own dream: Disneyland. Inexorably, agricultural land was lost to urbanization.

Some change still comes slowly, however, and in 1980 the Orange County Farm Bureau board of directors could see the writing on the wall. Unable to rely on dues from a shrinking farmer-membership base to keep the doors open, OCFB sought a new income source. In 1981, it opened the first certified farmers market in Orange County at the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.

Certified farmers markets allow farmers to sell fresh fruits, nuts, vegetables and other agricultural products direct to consumers, exempt from packing, sizing and labeling requirements. They create direct market opportunities for growers to keep the whole value of retail dollars and allow consumers to meet the people who grow their food.

Certified farmers markets in California can only be opened or sponsored by a nonprofit organization, local government agency or a producer certified by the county agricultural commissioner. Farm Bureau is uniquely positioned as a nonprofit with a direct connection to farmers to operate successful markets.

 OCFB keeps the focus of a farmers market on the farmers, while allowing other vendors, carefully curated, to round out the market to bring the diversity of product consumers expect to see and enjoy.

Farmers and all other vendors that participate in farmers markets pay a fee, generally a percentage of gross sales, to market management to participate. In return, market operators provide space, management of the event and insurance. They handle permits and promote the market to customers.

Today, Orange County Farm Bureau operates nine certified farmers markets and has been continuously operating markets year-round since opening the Costa Mesa market in 1981. The markets generate some $1 million in gross receipts annually. That allows Farm Bureau to maintain an active presence in the county, pursuing its mission despite commercial agriculture having a smaller footprint. 

In 2020, the reported agriculture value in OC was just over $93 million. Top crops are landscape plants followed by strawberries, avocados, vegetables and apiary. Very few farmers own the land they farm; most operate on leases they know may one day end when the land is converted to homes, office buildings or streets. Two strawberry fields this year were removed to build homes and a road.

As the commercial farm footprint in Orange County has shrunk, the priority focus of our organization has also shifted. While there are fewer calls from individual members seeking answers to farm labor and regulatory compliance questions, calls for support of agricultural education and urban agriculture programs have increased.

Farm Bureau directors completed a Strategic Visioning Plan that sets goals and strategies for the organization for the next five years and beyond. While political engagement and adding value to Farm Bureau membership remain priorities, supporting the next generation of farmers is a top goal.

To that end, Orange County Farm Bureau, with just fewer than 100 dues-paying agricultural members, has so far provided $2.3 million in donations to agricultural education in Orange County. This is accomplished through funding individual scholarships for students pursuing careers and training in agriculture.

 Endowments formed at California Polytechnic University, Pomona, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, as well as three local community colleges, pay for scholarships, equipment purchases and student work stipends.

 Funds also support a presidential chair for agricultural education at the University of California South Coast Research and Extension Center. Donations to the Forever 4-H Endowment support Orange County 4-H chapters, and current-use gifts every year help Future Farmers of America chapters. Nearly 3,000 students participate in FFA in the Southern Region Orange Section, in eleven high schools.

Farm Bureau directors in Orange County see opportunity in a renewed interest in food production among young people. New technology and new ways of learning and producing food are increasingly necessary in our changing landscapes. 

 Surrounded by homes in an urban setting, Orange County Farm Bureau is finding opportunities in meeting people where they want to be—at the farmers market.