POLICY :: CAFF's Positions

Water Resources

Urban residential development should not be allowed where local governments cannot demonstrate the availability of a reliable water supply.
The regulations established in SB 901 in 1999 should be strengthened.

Water markets should be structured so that they do not endanger rural communities, family farmers and the natural environment. If water markets are to occur, CAFF advocates regulations that provide:

• Adequate public notification for potentially impacted parties
• An evaluation process prior to approval of significant water transfers to prevent harm to farm communities or the environment
• A database open to the public to track and monitor water transfers, including information necessary to evaluate economic and environmental impacts

CAFF supports water quality and efficiency measures that support both farmers and the environment. We advocate programs that provide assistance to farmers as they learn new techniques that reduce the use of chemicals that endanger the water supply.

CAFF advocates economic mitigation measures for farming communities impacted by water supply reductions.

In 2007-2008, CAFF with the following organizations came together to determine ways in which agriculture can, while remaining profitable, be a better steward of available water resources through better water management, reduced on-farm demand and/or improved water use efficiency and other strategies.

Ag Water Stewardship Resource Center

Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association

California Institute for Rural Studies

Ecological Farming Association

Polaris Institute

WATER Institute of the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center

Farmland Protection

Publicly subsidized agricultural land retirement programs should include mitigation for impacted communities. Purchase of land from willing landowners is not sufficient because rural communities will be left with few options.

CAFF supports stronger land use planning tools at the local level. For example, local zoning and general plan processes should be strengthened to improve the effectiveness and quality of mitigation programs that protect farmland. We support adoption and enforcement of stronger ag elements in County General Plans.

CAFF supports restrictions on local general plan annexations. We support urban growth boundaries that limit or control the direction of growth.

CAFF advocates a land transfer process that prevents the conversion of farmland to development. We want to ensure that farm operations are valued in ways that minimize conversion to development during the probate, bankruptcy and foreclosure processes.

CAFF supports the work of Land Trusts to protect farmland.

Biotechnology

CAFF supports a moratorium on genetically engineered food and crops until the following conditions are met:

• objective, long-term testing of the impacts of any GMO on human health and the environment has been conducted,
• results of such tests have been disseminated to farmers, consumers and any other affected parties,
• farmers are assured full indemnification of liability,
• all food containing GMOs should be labeled,
• and GMO patent holders are held fully liable for any adverse impacts on human health and the environment resulting from GMOs developed with their technology.

CAFF is a founding member of the Californians for GE-Free Agriculture coalition.