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2012 Ties to the Land
Succession Planning Workshops
Leave a legacy for the next generation of family landowners.
Ties to the Land is an award-winning program developed by leading estate planning experts at Oregon State University Extension and the Austin Family Business Program.
Each family will receive a Ties to the Land workbook and companion DVD, which are designed to help families continue to improve and direct their communications and planning at home.
Agriculture and Working Lands
WSU Extension Thurston County provides access to information on organic, small farms and production agriculture; food and fiber animal husbandry, horticulture, floriculture, forestry/woodlot management and aquaculture. See topics under STATEWIDE RESOURCE at the left. Agricultural Extension Educators Cowlitz (Gary Fredericks) and Grays Harbor (Don Tapio) counties also serve Thurston County.
Thurston County’s farmland is rapidly disappearing. Between 2002 and 2007, the acreage of actively farmed land has dropped nearly in half - from 74,420 acres to 38,718 acres. Since the mid 1950s when Thurston County was primarily farmland, the County has lost over 75 percent of its working agricultural lands.
Though the land area dedicated to agricultural activities has been steadily eroding, agricultural production it is still of significant importance to the County’s economy. The total market value of agricultural production in Thurston County is over $114 million, with crops accounting for approximately 42% of the total and livestock and poultry the remaining 58% (U.S. Census of Agriculture). These figures are greater than that of all adjacent counties. Farming activity is varied, ranging from tree farming, berry farming, egg farms and organic produce. Much of the economic viability of farming is tied to access to local markets, such as the Olympia, Tumwater and Lacey Farmer’s Markets and the Thurston County School Districts.
South of the Sound Community Land Trust Thurston County Farm Map
Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension office. All programs comply with federal, state, and county regulations.
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