Delta Case Study
In SACOG’s Local Food System Assessment for Yolo and Sacramento County Delta Communities, also referred to as the “Delta Case Study”, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) and The Hatamiya Group have partnered with the Delta Protection Commission in deploying SACOG’s Rural-Urban Connections Strategy (RUCS) modeling and analysis tools to help answer questions about how to stimulate agricultural-based economic development in the Delta’s rural communities in a manner that aligns with a shared vision of the Delta: “the ideal synthesis of cultural, ecological, and agricultural values in a sustainable, healthy, and celebrated way of life.” This project provides an assessment of the agricultural systems in Delta communities of Yolo and Sacramento Counties, evaluating how the current agricultural system is affected by internal and external changes, and envisioning strategies to preserve and enhance the long-term viability of agriculture in the Delta.
Delta agricultural producers are well positioned to capitalize on the rapidly expanding demand for locally grown food, with strategic proximity to growing markets in the Sacramento region, as well as key consumer markets in the neighboring San Francisco Bay area. This case study examines the potential for Delta farmers to take advantage of this burgeoning market for locally grown food, evaluating the feasibility of expanding or creating new agricultural infrastructure for distribution, aggregation, processing, and storage; identifying barriers to growing for local markets in the Delta’s unique regulatory environment; and exploring market opportunities for farmers to augment their operation by tapping into a growing public interest in agritourism activities and experiences.
Delta Case Study Executive Report
See also: As a companion analysis to this project, SACOG also performed a pilot study exploring linkages between cultivated cropland that can double as wildlife habitat in the Delta, and the economic and environmental trade-offs associated with these potential land-use changes on a system-wide scale. To learn more, please visit: http://www.sacog.org/post/agriculture-habitat