May 12, 2016 Randy Gilbertson Burnett County Land Conservation Department 7410 County Road K, #109 Siren, WI 54872 Dear Randy: Re: Certification of the Burnett County Farmland Preservation Plan Attached is a department order certifying Burnett County s Farmland Preservation Plan under s. 91.16, Wis. Stats. The plan text and maps must be adopted by the County Board before December 31, 2016. Please forward the resolution adopting the plan materials to DATCPWorkinglands@wisconsin.gov to complete the certification process. We look forward to working with you in the future on farmland preservation in Burnett County. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Sincerely, Alison Volk Land Management Section 608-224-4634
STATE OF WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TRADE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION DATCP DOCKET NO. 16-F-10-07-PCA BURNETT COUNTY FARMLAND PRESERVATION PLAN DARM DOCKET NO. 013-00000-P-16 F-0416 ORDER CERTIFYING PLAN THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2026. INTRODUCTION Burnett County has asked the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection ( DATCP ) to certify a proposed comprehensively revised county farmland preservation plan pursuant to s. 91.16, Wis. Stats. DATCP has considered the request and adopts the following decision: FINDINGS OF FACT (1) DATCP is an agency of the State of Wisconsin, and is responsible for administering Wisconsin s farmland preservation law under ch. 91, Wis. Stats., as repealed and recreated by 2009 Wis. Act 28. (2) Burnett County is a county of the State of Wisconsin. (3) In order for a county and its residents to participate in the farmland preservation program, a county must have a state-certified farmland preservation plan. Among other things, the certified plan must clearly designate farmland preservation areas that the county plans to preserve for agricultural use. (4) Burnett County has a state-certified farmland preservation plan that expires on December 31, 2016. (5) Under s. 91.16(8), Wis. Stats., the certification of a farmland preservation plan does not cover any subsequent plan revision (adopted after July 1, 2009) unless DATCP certifies that plan revision. (6) On April 8, 2016, DATCP received from Burnett County a request to certify a comprehensively revised county farmland preservation plan under s. 91.16, Wis. Stats. The county submitted the application in the form required under s. 91.20, Wis. Stats. The application included the certifications required under s. 91.20(3), Wis. Stats. In subsequent communications between DATCP and Burnett County staff, it was agreed that Burnett County would be given additional time to amend its farmland preservation plan. (7) Under s. 91.16(3)(a), Wis. Stats., DATCP may certify a county plan based on the county s certification under s. 91.20(3), Wis. Stats., that the plan meets applicable certification standards under s. 91.18, Wis. Stats. (8) DATCP may certify a farmland preservation plan if the plan meets applicable statutory standards under s. 91.18, Wis. Stats. DATCP may certify based on the representations contained in the county s application, but may conduct its own review and verification as it deems appropriate. (9) Under s. 91.10(2), Wis. Stats., the farmland preservation plan must be consistent with the Burnett County Comprehensive Plan, and the County must include the farmland preservation plan in the County Comprehensive Plan. 1
(10) Under s. 91.16(2)(a), Wis. Stats., DATCP may certify a county farmland preservation plan for a specified period of up to 10 years. Under s. 91.16(6), Wis. Stats., DATCP may make its certification contingent upon the county adoption of the certified plan text and maps, in the form certified. (11) Under s. 91.16(9), Wis. Stats., DATCP may withdraw its certification at any time if DATCP finds that the certified plan materially fails to meet applicable certification standards under s. 91.18, Wis. Stats. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW (1) Based on Burnett County s certification that the attached county farmland preservation plan meets applicable certification requirements under s. 91.18, Wis. Stats., DATCP may certify that plan for up to 10 years. (2) DATCP may make its certification contingent upon the county adoption of the certified plan text and maps, in the form certified, and contingent upon its adoption as part of the County comprehensive plan. (3) Certification does not apply to plan amendments made after the certification date, unless DATCP certifies those amendments. (4) DATCP may withdraw its certification at any time if DATCP finds that the certified plan text and maps materially fail to meet applicable certification standards under s. 91.18, Wis. Stats. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED THAT: ORDER (1) The attached Burnett County Farmland Preservation Plan text consisting of the Burnett County Farmland Preservation Plan Update (March 30, 2016) and Burnett County Comprehensive Plan Volumes 1 and 2 (Adopted March 2010) and maps (February 2016) are hereby certified under s. 91.16, Wis. Stats., contingent upon county adoption of the plan, included as part of the County comprehensive plan, in the form submitted, before December 31, 2016. Plan. (2) The certified farmland preservation plan area for Burnett County is titled Farmland Preservation (3) This order takes effect on the date on which the county adoption of the plan text and maps, in the form submitted, takes effect. (4) This certification expires at the end of the day on December 31, 2026. Dated this 2nd day of, May 2016. STATE OF WISCONSIN, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TRADE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION By Ben Brancel, Secretary Parties for Purposes of Review Under s. 227.53, Wis. Stats.: 2
Randy Gilbertson Burnett County Land Conservation Department 7410 County Road K, #109 Siren, WI 54872 3
5.2.1 Farmland Preservation Plan Volume 2, Burnett County Comprehensive Plan BURNETT COUNTY FARMLAND PRESERVATION PLAN UPDATE March 30, 2016 INTRODUCTION Over the past three decades Burnett County has experienced changes in agriculture and rural development. These changes are a result of rural development that is being experienced throughout the region and from growth pressures from the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Both patterns have changed who lives in the County, where they work, and the loss of farmland. In some instances this growth has caused an increase in traffic and an increased strain on public facilities. While there has been some minor loss of agricultural land caused by new residential, commercial, and industrial development, growth has been only one factor in the transformation of the types of agriculture in Burnett County. Different parts of Burnett County have experienced a relatively insignificant reduction in the amount of agricultural land, but in most of the county agriculture is still a substantial part of the local economy. The county is still predominately rural, and agriculture will continue to be a significant part of the economy and society. Despite the loss of some farmland in the county, the total number of farms and acreage in agricultural use has not changed significantly. What has changed is the type of agriculture being practiced in the county. Over the past three decades Burnett County has been part of a nationwide trend of larger farms and smaller-sized value added farms. There has been a significant decrease in the number of dairy farms and an increase in the of corn and soybeans. There has also been a decrease in the amount of hay being harvested and an increase in direct marketing and Organic production. Based on review of Agricultural Statistics, interviews with local experts such UW Extension Agents, and document reviews from County Zoning officials, little has changed since development of the Burnett County Comprehensive plan in 2010. Most of the evidence suggests that if anything, land use change has slowed over the past five years perhaps due to economic considerations. Most of the key infrastructure in the county is concentrated on some of the larger farms. A number of these farms have on-farm storage and drying facilities. The number of farms installing drying and storage facilities is increasing and that trend will likely continue. The primary Agricultural facility in the County is the Burnett Dairy Coop in Alpha, which has expanded substantially over the past 5 years, and may continue to expand in the future. Burnett Dairy Coop continues to seek more milk and has been acquiring other small co-ops with retail outlets. Burnett Dairy Coop has also constructed a large retail outlet in Alpha capitalizing on the large amount of tourist traffic through the area. Most other Agricultural support businesses are located outside of Burnett County in larger communities such as Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Rice Lake. Many factors are changing the face of agriculture in Burnett County, including State and National policies, consumer purchasing habits, agricultural practices and technology, international trade, and commodity prices. Since it is likely that agriculture will continue to change and evolve in the years ahead, it is critically important to maintain a solid base of agricultural land in the county that will allow the industry to adapt. Page 1
5.4 Agricultural Resources, Goal ANC 1 (items 1 9 currently exist in the 2010 Burnett County Comprehensive Plan Volume 2) #10. (criteria for mapping, Farmland Preservation) The Farmland Preservation Plan was developed by the Burnett County Land and Water Conservation Department with assistance from Burnett County Zoning, Land Use and Mapping, and the Local UW Extension Agents. Criteria for Mapping are as follows: 1. Soils suitable for Agriculture, based on the County General Soils Map, Land Capability Class, and Status of being Prime, Unique, or Locally Significant (USDA-NRCS) 2. Current land use (ie. Is the land open, capable of being farmed, or currently farmed) 3. Compatibility with the Future Land Use Map in Chapter 8 of Volume 2 of the Burnett County Comprehensive Plan. 4. Continuity, we tried to make units as large as was reasonable, and not create many small units. #11 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION WHEN EVALUATING SUB-DIVISION IN AGRICULTURAL AREAS. This document will serve as an addendum to the Burnett County Farmland Preservation Plan. When reviewing requests for re-zoning in areas of the County that are primarily agricultural, ie. Zoned A, A3 or A4, take the following considerations into account. 1. Is the land receiving Farmland Preservation Tax Credits? (Must ask landowner, information is not publicly available). If land is enrolled in FPP, restrictions may apply. 2. What is the history of agriculture on the land, cropland, pasture, hayland, or is the parcel to be separated not suitable for agriculture. 3. Land Capability Class, (information available from the LWCD). If in Capablility Classes 1 to 4 land should remain in Farmland 4. Is the land Prime Farmland? (Information available from the LWCD) If land is considered Prime or Unique, land should remain in Farmland 5. Will the location, shape, or access to the proposed new parcel present obstacles to the continued agricultural use of adjacent lands? Obstacles may be physical, visual, social, etc. 6. Will the use of the proposed new parcel affect, or be affected by agicultural activities on adjacent lands? Effects may be physical, visual, social etc. Page 2
Refer to Burnett County 2010 Comprehensive Plan Section: 2.0 Population and Housing Plan Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC 2-1 Burnett County Year 2030 Comprehensive PlanApril 2010 Volume 2 POPULATION, HOUSING AND MUNICIPAL GROWTH AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES AND AGRICULTURAL LAND USES Refer to Burnett County 2010 Comprehensive Plan Section: 5.0 Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural Resources Plan Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC 5-1 Burnett County Year 2030 Comprehensive Plan April 2010 Volume 2 Refer to Burnett County 2010 Comprehensive Plan Section: 6.0 Economic Development Plan Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC 6-1 Burnett County Year 2030 Comprehensive Plan April 2010 Volume 2 ECONOMIC GROWTH AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Refer to Burnett County 2010 Comprehensive Plan Section: UTILITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES 4.0 Utilities and Community Facilities Plan Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC 4.1 Burnett County Year 2030 Comprehensive Plan April 2010 Volume 2 3.9 Transportation Trends and Outlook Volume 1, Pages 3-1; Burnett County Comprehensive Plan 5.0 Agricultural Trends and Outlook Volume 1, Page 5-1; Burnett County Comprehensive Plan Page 3
Burnett County Comprehensive Plan - Volume One Appendix - Agriculture, Natural, and Cultural Resources Appendix PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 3/12/2014 Public participation in the update of the Farmland Preservation Plan for Burnett County has been somewhat limited due to a number of factors. The County Comprehensive Plan is very recent. It involved substantial input from the public and did specifically address the need to protect agricultural lands and the agricultural economy. Most of the Towns made substantial efforts to develop desired future land use maps utilizing the same mapping criteria as used in this plan. The number of Towns with significant agricultural activity in the county is limited; the general awareness of Farmland Preservation is quite high in those Townships. A survey of all persons in the county who own or operate agricultural land in the county has been conducted to both educate the public, and to gain a sense of attitudes toward further agricultural land protections, such as exclusive ag zoning, and agricultural enterprise areas. This information is being used extensively in the Farmland Preservation Plan Update. Meetings with significant stakeholders, such as Town Boards, and the Burnett County Towns Association have been conducted where significant farmland is present, to be sure that local government officials are informed, and allowed an opportunity for comment. It is possible that if the Farmland Preservation Plan Update prompts significant changes in the County Comprehensive Plan or in zoning changes, further public meetings or hearings could be conducted. RESULTS OF 2014 BURNETT COUNTY FARMLAND PRESERVATION SURVEY (89 Responses out of 232 mailed surveys. 38% return) 1. The size of my farm (farmland you own) is: Less than 20 Acres: 5% 20-39 Acres: 5% 40-240 Acres: 60.5% 241-500 Acres: 21% 500-999 Acres: 6.5% 1000 Acres or more: 2% 2. The amount of Farmland I lease/rent is: Less than 20 Acres: 35% 20-39 Acres: 9% 40-240 Acres: 46.5% 241-500 Acres: 3.5% 500-999 Acres: 3.5% 1000 Acres or more: 2.5% 3. Which of the following activities/enterprises do you have on your farm/business? Dairy: 17% Beef: 55% Horses: 15% Row Crops: 63% Tree Farm/Nursery: 2%
Fruit/Vegetables: 10% Forestry: 22% Conservation: 8% Poultry: 17% Hay/Forage: 73% Other: 18% 4. I could currently find productive farmland to rent or buy in Burnett County. : 6% : 28% Neutral: 36% : 25% : 5% 5. Productive Farmland will generally NOT be available in 20 years in Burnett County. : 9% : 35% Neutral: 35% : 20% : 1% 6. Finding suitable land on which to spread manure is difficult. : 2% : 21% Neutral: 37% : 35% : 5% 7. Fragmented land and smaller parcels are making farming more difficult in Burnett County. : 13% : 55% Neutral: 17% : 13% : 2% 8. The current road infrastructure is adequate for agricultural needs in Burnett County for the next 20 Years. : 3% : 47% Neutral: 24% : 17% : 9% 9. The current electrical system infrastructure is adequate for agricultural needs in Burnett County for the next 20 years. : 5% : 46% Neutral: 28% : 17% : 4% 10. When I retire, I plan on selling my land for non-agricultural development. : 0% : 3% Not Sure: 36% : 30% : 31% 11. Conflict between farm and nearby non-farm users is a major concern. : 9% : 36% Neutral: 24% : 29% : 2%
12. I utilize direct marketing to sell some or all of my products (farm stands, farmers markets, pick your own, etc.) Yes: 38% No: 62% 13. My direct marketing is percent of my total farm sales. 0-25%: 79% 26 50%: 6% 52-75%: 3% 76 100%: 12% 14. We should support and promote more direct marketing opportunities in the county. : 13% : 55% Neutral: 30% : 2% : 0% 15. Current State farmland preservation policy allows 4 nonfarm residential splits per base farm (contiguous farmland you own in 2014). Burnett County currently uses the A-4 Zoning district that allows one split up to five per 40 because of its simplicity and greater equity between landowners. A-4 zoning is a better approach than the base farm approach. : 9% : 38% Neutral: 38% : 8% : 7% 16. Ag Enterprise Areas (AEA) provide opportunities for more state based credits. Do you support pursuing one or more AEA? : 11% : 37% Neutral: 50% : 1% : 1%
1. The size of my farm (farmland you own) is: 60.5 2. The amount of farmland I lease/rent is: 46.5 35 5 5 < 20 20-39 40-240 21 241-500 6.5 500-999 2 1000 or more 9 < 20 20-39 40-240 3.5 3.5 2.5 241-500 500-999 1000 or more 73 3. Which of the following activities/enterprises do you have on your farm/business? 63 55 22 18 17 17 15 10 8 2 4. I could currently find productive farmland to rent or buy in Burnett County. 28 36 25 5. Productive farmland will generally NOT be available in 20 years in Burnett County 35 35 20 6 5 9 1 Neutral Neutral
6. Finding suitable land on which to spread manure is difficult. 37 35 7. Fragmented land & smaller parcels are making farming more difficult in Burnett County. 55 21 2 5 13 17 13 2 Neutral Neutral 8. The current road infrastructure is adequate for agricultural needs in Burnett County for the next 20 years. 47 9. The current electrical system infrastructure is adequate for agricultural needs in Burnett County for the next 20 years. 46 24 28 17 17 3 9 5 4 Neutral Neutral 10. When I retire, I plan on selling my land for non-agricultural development. 11. Conflict between farm and nearby non-farm users is a major concern. 36 30 31 36 24 29 9 0 3 2 Neutral Neutral
12. I utilize direct marketing to 13. My direct marketing is sell some or all of my products percent of my total farm sales. (farm stands, farmers markets, pick your own, etc) 79 62 38 6 3 12 Yes No 0-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-100% 14. We should support and promote more direct marketing opportunities in the county. 55 15. A-4 Zoning is a better approach then the "Base Farm" approach. 38 38 30 13 9 8 7 2 0 Neutral Neutral 16. Do you support pursuing one or more AEAs? 50 37 11 1 1 Neutral