Formation of the Subcommittee
From the beginning of its deliberations, the CSTC has emphasized
the importance of the role of agriculture to the present
and future of the Treasure Coast. CSTC clearly articulated
that the future of agriculture would greatly influence the
future sustainability of the region as a whole. It saw agriculture
as a crucial link between several components of the vision – between
economic diversity and prosperity, natural systems, and the
built environment. Because agriculture formed part of the focus
for so many of the Subcommittees, the Committee did not
initially establish a separate group to focus exclusively
on agriculture.
During 2004, the Indian River Citrus League (IRCL) had also focused
on many of these same issues by forming a Rural Lands Task Force.
After discussions between CSTC and the IRCL Task Force, undertaken
at the suggestion of Senator Pruitt, the Rural Lands Subcommittee
has emerged as both a Subcommittee of the CSTC and a forum for
a community discussion of issues and options facing rural lands in
the Treasure Coast. The CSTC and the IRCL Task Force will share leadership
of the Subcommittee. The membership is composed of representatives
from the CSTC, the Indian River Citrus League, producers of relevant
agricultural products, environmental groups, regulatory agencies,
developers, academic organizations, and others as appropriate. As
it begins its work, the Subcommittee will grapple with a range of
challenges facing agriculture in the Treasure Coast.
Challenges Facing Agriculture in the Treasure Coast
First, the Treasure Coast region is experiencing rapid population
growth. According to recent population figures from the Brookings
Institute, by 2030, the population for Martin, St. Lucie, and
Indian River Counties will increase from 432,000 in 2000 to
720,000 in 2030. This new population will require an estimated
150,000 net new housing units – almost double the number
of housing units today. As a result, the demand to convert
land into development is intense and land values are skyrocketing.
Second, agriculture in the Treasure Coast is in distress. With
free trade agreements, growers have difficulty competing with the
lower prices that offshore competitors are able to offer because
of higher government subsidies in Europe and lower labor costs
and fewer environmental regulations in Central and South America.
The dual impacts of two major hurricanes and the recent discovery
of canker have had a further damaging effect on citrus – the region’s
signature agricultural industry that holds the future to some 180,000
acres of land in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River Counties.
Already experiencing a 30,000-acre reduction from the 1996-97
to the 2002 citrus seasons, the outlook for 2005 shows signs of
additional pressure on landowners. The hurricanes destroyed approximately
60 percent of the region’s citrus crops. With fruit that has fallen
since the hurricanes, the loss is as high as 100% in individual groves.
For example, last season the Indian River district produced 28 million
boxes of grapefruit. This season the district will produce less than
four million boxes. In addition, a 60 percent reduction in orange
production is anticipated. Not only are the region’s some
800 growers and their land impacted, but also industries that
support citrus are hurt by the lower production. In Martin, St.
Lucie, and Indian River Counties such industries include some
41 packinghouses, five juice-processing plants, and 18 sales
agencies, along with suppliers of equipment and supplies.
The challenge facing farmers is whether to stay in farming, given
that these trends make land more valuable when developed then
when farmed. Add in the fact that citrus is a long-term payout
investment (it takes six to seven years from the time a tree
is planted until a grower sees a payoff), and more and more farmers
are at the tilt point – when it makes more sense and cents
to sell their land for development. Since farmers are the current
stewards of most of the undeveloped land in the Treasure Coast,
what they decide will have a significant long-term impact on
the region.
The Work of the Subcommittee
The Rural
Lands Subcommittee will review issues and bring draft recommendations
to the Committee for its consideration in the same manner as
the other Subcommittees. To do its work, the Group will hear
presentations about similar efforts elsewhere, and about the
range of tools that might be used to shape the future of rural
lands in the Treasure Coast. The CSTC and the IRCL Task Force
have agreed to invite a broad range of community leaders and
others interested in the future of rural lands to these presentations,
and to use the occasion for a discussion of promising ideas
and approaches with this broader range of participants. The
subcommittee will in turn use these discussions in formulating
its draft recommendations for the CSTC.
During 2005, the Rural Lands Subcommittee will articulate a vision
of the future of agricultural lands in the Treasure Coast, and
explore in greater depth several aspects of that future. One focus
will be on tools, such as the Rural Lands Stewardship Program,
that might be used to promote the continued viability of agriculture
in the Treasure Coast. Another focus will be on exploring what
kinds of agriculture may be viable in the Treasure Coast in the
future. A third focus will be on the relationship of future agriculture
to future urban form, especially if future urbanization takes the
shape of more compact ‘urban villages” that may be
in close proximity to active agriculture.
