Amador County – The Amador County General Plan update panel discussed agricultural interests last week, including the agricultural economic value of $32 million dollars for Amador County in 2008, but also the specter of a potential cut in fund for the Williamson Act. Jeffrey Gibson, president of the Amador County Wine Grape Growers’ Association, said “we need a statement that the county supports the Williamson Act.” He said it was “Number 1 on our list, and we believe you should include that.” Gibson said “we are going to reaffirm and strengthen the right to farm,” so they can spray their fields without being sued by new neighbors. Supervisor Richard Forster said “when you say ‘as a matter of right,’ it means you have to let me do everything I want,” and he said the General Plan needs a glossary of terms. Supervisor Brian Oneto said he agreed with that idea. Gibson said it was like an old farmer once told him about good farming: “You need to take care of the dirt.” Gibson said he did not understand verbiage making ag uses “scaled to fit.” He said “to me, that means ‘We’ll approve it if we like it’.” Forster said the “state may get rid of the Williamson Act,” which focuses on ag lands. Gibson said he knows “the county is going to suffer because of the dysfunctional Legislature,” which “takes all the money that it can.” He said he and the Grape Growers’ Association are “asking the board to say we support and are going to argue for its extension.” In a letter to the board, Gibson said “agricultural endeavors (excluding wineries) contribute $30 million to $40 million dollars to the Amador County economy annually and enhance tourism and recreational related businesses.” He said a “significant portions of this gross income create jobs and are used to purchase goods and services within the county. Amador County Agricultural Commissioner Mike Boitano said the 2008 Amador County Crop report shows the county grape value was about $15 million dollars in 2008. Boitano said his crop report grape “figures are just the production end of it, the grapes themselves,” and they do “not consider wine or juice sales.” The report found that overall total agriculture production in 2008 in Amador was about $32 million dollars. The 2008 Amador crop report, covering the last calendar year sales, should be available online next week. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.