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KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />PAGE 17 | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN <br />Another aspect of this goal involves conserving the County’s <br />character. This means preserving historic buildings and <br />affordable housing stock and proactively planning for growth <br />so that the community can expand without transforming <br />substantially. <br />Strategies and Actions <br />5.1. Preserve the agricultural legacy of the County by <br />supporting local farmers, pursuing value-added <br />opportunities, and leveraging agricultural knowledge <br />for innovation. <br />5.1.1. Establish an agriculture consortium that includes local <br />farmers, organizations, government officials, and <br />educational institutions to identify needs and <br />opportunities for growth in the industry. <br />5.1.1.1. Evaluate value-added opportunities, such as <br />food processing operations. <br />5.1.2. Provide local farmers with information on federal and <br />state resources to support their businesses. <br />5.1.2.1. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Storage Facility Loan Program helps small to <br />mid-sized fruit-and-vegetable producers access cold storage and related equipment like pack- <br />and-wash stations. Smaller producers are now eligible for a waiver from the requirement to carry <br />Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program coverage or crop insurance when they apply for a <br />loan. <br />5.1.2.2. The USDA’s microloan program allows beginning, small, and mid-sized farmers to access <br />$50,000 in loans. <br />5.1.2.3. Leverage Rural Business Development Grants. <br />5.1.3. Promote food and agriculture system innovation through multidisciplinary research. <br />5.1.3.1. Utilize Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Grants. <br />5.1.3.2. Incentivize innovation and light manufacturing ventures, including value-added agriculture. <br />5.1.4. Cultivate agritourism opportunities that are centered on local assets. <br />5.2. Partner with CWU and others to develop knowledge-based industries tied to the County’s <br />natural assets, such as outdoor recreation, agriculture, and sustainability/resilience-oriented <br />opportunities. <br />5.2.1. Evaluate the feasibility of a wildfire resilience program, leveraging federal Community Wildfire Defense <br />Grant program funds (see text box for California example). <br />5.2.1.1. Identify local partner organizations. <br />5.2.1.2. Offer a combination of college coursework and community workshops. <br />Wildfire Resilience Program (WRP) at Santa <br />Rosa Junior College (SRJC) <br />In response to wildfires that destroyed the <br />Sonoma County, California, region, SRJC <br />conceived the WRP to benefit all community <br />stakeholders. In addition to complementing <br />SRJC’s workforce training mandate, the WRP <br />offers paths to high-quality, well-paying local <br />careers for residents, while supplying local <br />businesses with needed talent. SRJC secured <br />funding with the help of local elected officials, <br />built a network of regional employers, and <br />partnered with local nonprofits to build a <br />student pipeline for the program’s target <br />demographic. The program has successfully <br />maintained enrollment of at least 300 students <br />per year, offering 5 to 10 paid internships per <br />year, and providing 10 to15 stipends for <br />partnerships with local organizations per year. <br />Source(s): ag.santarosa.edu/wildfire-resilience-program