Cultivating Solutions Forum Recap

06/12/25

As part of the SALC 2.0 project, the San Diego County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) and the County of San Diego (County) hosted the Forum for Cultivating Solutions at the County Operations Center on May 27, 2025 to provide a project update and bring together stakeholders to share information, discuss challenges, and co-create solutions to support small-scale farms. The event built upon a July 2024 workshop where producers identified key challenges to profitability.

 

During the in-person workshop, the County and LAFCO shared findings from the Market Analysis Report and Gap Analysis Report, highlighted existing programs and policies, developed actionable strategies to support long-term economic sustainability of small-scale farms, and gathered input to inform a Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan, a final deliverable of the SALC 2.0 grant project, will recommend incentives, technical support, regulatory streamlining, and other tools that local jurisdictions can employ to assist in bridging the economic gap.

Workshop Activities

Panel of Speakers at Forum

There were 41 participants, including agricultural producers, technical assistance providers, as well as representatives from agricultural organizations, community-based organizations, local agencies, County departments, and other jurisdictions. During the first half hour of the event, participants were invited to review poster boards featuring findings and feedback from previous engagement and provide input on existing programs, key takeaways, as well as identified gaps and needs.

Following the open house activity, LAFCO and County staff led a presentation on the current state of local agriculture. Following the presentation, Heather Conklin, Deputy Director of Policy, Outreach, and Data for the County’s Planning & Development Services moderated a panel discussion with four local experts. Each panel expert represented one of the four focus areas of SALC 2.0: Policy (represented by Jordan Key, Deputy Agriculture Commissioner a the County’s Agriculture, Weights and Measures), Land (represented by Joel Kramer, Agriculture Program Director at the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County), Profitability (represented by Ramiro Lobo, Co-Director and Small Farm Advisor at University of California Cooperative Extension), and Food Systems (represented by Chuck Samuelson, Founder/CEO of Heal the Earth and avocado farmer).

Breakout Sessions

Policy Description Rules and regulations that impact land use, water, permits, and economic support for farming.
Expert Jordan Key, Deputy Agriculture Commissioner at the County’s Agriculture, Weights and Measures
Major Themes
  • County ordinances need more clarity and should allow for agricultural operations to diversify their revenue streams.
  • Education is needed to inform consumers of the numerous benefits of purchasing locally grown products.
  • Centralized farmworker housing and labor is needed.
Land Description Land access and affordability, regenerative agriculture, and farmland protection.
Expert Joel Kramer, Agriculture Program Director at Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County
Major Themes
  • Producer-friendly leases are needed to increase access to land.
  • An individual or representative at the government level to help advocate for producers would be beneficial.
Profitability Description Reduction of costs and financial sustainability.
Expert Ramiro Lobo, County Co-Director and Farm Advisor at University of California Cooperative Extension
Major Themes
  • Explore the viability of food hubs to support farmers profitability, compared to existing direct sale options (farmers’ markets, restaurants, online stores, and fruit stands).
  • Existing programs, like CropSWAP, which incentivize new root stocks and irrigation designs need to be expanded.
Food Systems Description Barriers and best practices to strengthen networks that connect farm production to food access through distribution, markets, and institutions.
Expert Chuck Samuelson, Founder/CEO at Heal the Earth
Major Themes
  • Local ownership throughout the food system (i.e., packing and distribution) is a way to keep food local.
  • Branding is an important part of consumer education and supporting local farms.

County and LAFCO staff facilitated four breakout groups, each aligned with the aforementioned focus areas. The breakout sessions gave participants an opportunity to provide input and engage directly with focus area experts. Each focus area had prompts to encourage participants to share experiences, challenges, and potential solutions. The focus area, description, expert, and major themes from the breakout rooms are highlighted below.

What's Next?

A Community Summary Report with more details on the workshop and its findings will be posted to the SALC 2.0 webpage in July. To be notified when future workshops are scheduled, please subscribe to receive email updates or follow us on Facebook, X, or Instagram.