Agriculture in King County, WashingtonThis page provides information and programs primarily for farmers in King County, Washington. For information about gardening and yard care in the Puget Sound area, please visit our Northwest yard and garden page. Farm related facts for King County as of 2011: - Number of farms: 1,800;
- Acres of farmland in production: 50,000;
- Number of farmers markets in King County: 41;
- Acres of farmland preserved through the Farmland Preservation Program: 13,200;
- There are approximately 1,000 miles of agricultural ditches in King County;
- More than 8,000 infestations of Class A and B noxious weeds are controlled in the county each year.
Farm product marketing resources  Puget Sound Fresh
Add your farm to our growing, searchable database of farms, crops and products to reach a very large market. King County created Puget Sound Fresh to support local farmers and insure a close-in food supply while encouraging consumers, wholesalers, retailers and restaurants to seek out and purchase higher-quality, fresher, locally-grown products.
Salmon Safe (external link)
Certifies fish-friendly farms for marketing or promotional purposes, to help influence the restoration of agricultural watersheds so that salmon can sustainably spawn and thrive. Local food video: episode 15 of Yard Talk
Program promoting the benefits of local food and providing tips and tricks. Covers a variety of subjects from backyard gardening to farmers markets and local farms. 18 minutes, 44 seconds. Operational and environmental resources for farmersBuilding permits for agricultural structures
Find guidance on requirements that govern building barns, greenhouses, shops, and other utility structures on agricultural lands. Noxious weed control
Aggressive exotic plants degrade pastures, may poison livestock, and produce amazing volumes of long-lived seeds. To help control invasive weeds, King County offers a noxious weed list site to help with weed identification, a form to report noxious weed infestations, and information sheets on best methods to control noxious weeds -- and is available to answer your questions at the Noxious Weed line, 206-296-0290. Farm management planning
Learn how to achieve agricultural benefits such as reduced livestock setbacks from streams, siting of agricultural buildings or access roads in stream and wetland buffers, and how to get exceptions to county clearing and grading permits while still protecting everyone's environment. Manure management
Provides help on handling manure to avoid contaminating lakes and streams. Food and Farms, WSU King County Cooperative Extension (external link)
Find educational and agriculture management programs for farmers including commercial horticulture and livestock, courtesy of WSU/King County Cooperative Extension and funded in part by King County Water and Land Resources Division. Biosolids Program
Biosolids are the nutrient-rich, composted solids extracted during wastewater treatment. This page provides information about biosolids and the biosolids program, answers questions about quality control and safety, and provides case studies of biosolids use and chemical analysis for fertilizer applications in commercial agriculture. Agriculture documents
Plans, studies and reports related to Agriculture in King County, Washington. Farmland preservationFarmland Preservation Program
Voluntary program to preserve farms through voter-approved purchase of development rights. Resource protection incentives
Public benefit rating system and timber land programs. Transfer of Development Rights Program
A voluntary program enabling landowners to buy and sell residential development rights on private property to preserve public benefits in our rapidly growing region-- for example farms, forestlands, open space, regional trails and designated urban separator lands and habitat for threatened or endangered species. Owners benefit financially through the transfer of development rights to better locations while the public benefits through permanent preservation of critical lands. Conferences and workshops Agriculture breakout session results, King County Climate Change Conference
Review a summary report describing anticipated affects of global warming on agriculture in King County and Washington State with proposed mitigation and adaptation strategies. Also, look up the agriculture session agenda, presentations, and speaker credentials and biographies. Agricultural water rights workshop
View presentations from a 2010 workshop about water law in Washington State including when water rights are required, how the state issues water rights, and practical information on obtaining, using, and protecting water rights for agricultural purposes. King County farm programs King County Agriculture Program
Our main group serving farmers in King County. King County Agriculture Commission
Sign up for a newsletter to keep abreast of land use issues, policies, regulations and incentives affecting commercial agriculture in King County.  Livestock Program
A program that supports the Livestock Management Ordinance, a King County ordinance intended to provide a buffer of safety to keep salmon-bearing streams free of pollution. Provides information and an application for cost-sharing of fencing, storage, and other potential expenses to help farmers embrace good stewardship practices.
Agricultural Drainage Assistance Program
Also known as the Fish & Ditch Program, this program provides technical and financial help to farmers working to maintain agricultural watercourses. The site provides an overview of the program, monitoring reports, maps of streams and ditches, and contact information. Farm related resources King County working resource lands
Look up forests and farms protected by King County as working resource lands. The natural lands site provides pictures, location maps and rules for public use. Wetland topics
Information about wetlands, wetland plants and wildlife, development and mitigation rules, and educational programs from King County. Flooding services and information
Services to help before, during and after floods including the King County Flood Warning System, flood buyouts and other programs, how to call in drainage complaints, and hydrologic data. |
