HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Rodney A. Carter - TSM16-0002 76
o Box
AGRICELM & BESINESS
Chico, California 9592277
IBFax 530-592-379C.
530-521-8698
PROFESSIONALS, IBC. rodcarler@abpinconlline.com
Date: June 13, 2017
To: Butte County Board of Supervisors
From: Rodney A. Carter, AFM
I have been providing agricultural property and business advice to Farmers and Ranchers
professionally since 1971. My education includes a Bachelor and Master degrees in Agriculture
and Agricultural Business from Colorado State University (see my attached resume).
I have managed more than 200 farms and ranches in numerous states and served as court
appointed receiver for agricultural properties in three states. I was employed by Golden State
Farm Credit (formerly Nor Cal Farm Credit) as a farm and ranch business consultant from 1998
through my retirement in 2015 (about 16 '/2 years). I served as an Associate Director for the
Butte County Resource Conservation District for about 10 years preceding 2015. 1 continue to
consult with clients about their on-going, active farm operations within the scope of my own
company, "Agriculture and Business Professionals, Inc."
During my tenure as a farm manager and agricultural business consultant I have seen public
policy around the "Right to Farm" develop in order to reduce the conflict resulting from the
interface of urban and rural land uses. I am convinced policies and ordinances such as those
adopted by the Butte County Supervisors are wise and necessary even if the application of
those policies and ordinances continue to be controversial in specific cases.
It is clear those acquiring land for the purpose of urban development are likely to want to use as
much of their property as they can to improve their economic return. However, we must be
consistent and diligent about applying the guidelines of the Agricultural Buffer Setbacks as
presented in Section 24-84 of the Butte County Zoning Ordinance. It is my opinion, that not to
apply the full 300-feet of setback in this case of the property proposed for urban development
near Comanche Creek and adjacent to the agricultural property of the Nicolaus family would
predictably precipitate future conflict between urban-use land owners and agricultural-use land
owners over the farming practices protected by the Butte County "Right to Farm" ordinance.
While future land owners may have signed waivers or otherwise accepted the neighboring
agricultural property uses, precedence shows that does not prevent conflicts or even legal
actions. I am convinced the best way to prevent these predicable future conflicts is to follow the
most conservative application of the agricultural buffer setbacks.
Based on my experience, and considering the best efforts of the current and future agricultural
neighbors, there will likely be noise, dust, odors, over-flights of helicopters and movement of
farm equipment and other normal and properly conducted farming activities which could disturb
the adjacent urban-use land owners. It is my opinion that it is also likely these interfaces will
create conflicts, unless all possible steps to are taken to prevent the conflicts and protect the
agricultural use of agricultural land in our county.
Paget of 4
As stated in the following excerpted portions of the Butte County Right to Farm Ordinance:
9) "Agricultural operations are frequently the subject of nuisance complaints. As a result, some
agricultural operations are forced to cease or curtail their operation and many others are
discouraged from making investments in improvements to their operations, all to the detriment
of the adjacent agricultural uses and the economic viability of the county's agricultural industry
as a whole. It is the purpose and intent of this article to reduce the loss to the county of its
agricultural resources by limiting the circumstances under which properly conducted agricultural
operations on agricultural land may be considered a nuisance."
2) "It is the further purpose and intent of this article to promote a good-neighbor policy by
requiring notification of owners, purchaser, residents, and users of property adjacent to or near
agricultural operations on agricultural land of the inherent potential problems associated with
being located near such operations, including, without limitation, noise, odors, fumes, dust,
smoke, insects, operation of machinery during any time of the day or night, storage and disposal
of manure, and ground or aerial applications of fertilizers, soil amendment, seeds, and
pesticides. It is intended that, through mandatory disclosures, owners, purchasers, residents
and users will better understand the impact of living or working near agricultural operations and
be prepared to accept attendant conditions from properly conducted agricultural operations as a
normal and necessary aspect of living in a county with a strong rural character and an active
agricultural sector."
Having seen the properties and considered implication of a setback of less than 300 feet, it is
my opinion that it would be imprudent for those currently in charge of interpreting and
administering these regulations to reduce the thoroughly researched and well-conceived
standards of the 300-feet of buffer in this case. Considering the characteristics of the properties,
I see no reason to grant an exception consistent with the guidelines presented in 24-84 of Butte
County Zoning Ordinances Exceptions to Agricultural Buffer Setback." I do not believe there is
sufficient evidence to make the finding of"clearly insignificant" adverse impacts from the
Nicolaus family farming operations. The narrow conformation of the creek, scant vegetation in
numerous areas does not seem likely to reduce the impacts of noise, dust, odor, of over-flight of
aircraft needed to apply materials that are real and present current impacts from the proper
operation of the walnut orchard, or potential future agricultural uses of that agricultural property.
Separation of these land uses by adequate distance appears to be the most effective method of
preventing future conflicts among land owners.
I will be happy to address any questions and appreciate the opportunity to submit my opinions
for your consideration.
Since ,
Rodney A. Carter, President
Accredited Farm Manager (AFM)
(A designation of the American
Society of Farm Manager&
Rural Appraisers)
Page 2 of 4
RODNEY A. CARTER, AFM
QUALIFICATIONS
GENERAL
President, Agriculture & Business Professionals, Inc. 2018—Present
Vice President Consulting—Golden State Farm Credit ACA 1998-2015
(Agricultural business consulting company)
President, Agricultural and Land Professionals, Inc. 1991-1998
(Agricultural brokerage, management & consulting company, „,,,,....__...�
(A9 9 ,
Colorado and Wyoming)
President Peterson Agri-Management Com an Inc. 1984---1991
(Full service agricultural real estate services firm in
Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas)
Trust Officer Nortrust Farm Management, Inc. Chicago, IL 1979-1984
(Farm management)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Denver Agricultural and Livestock Club Member since 1984
(Board of Directors - 1990, President- 1993) -
Community College& Occu ational Education Advisory CommitteeMember since 1990
American Socign of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers Member since 1979
National Continuinu Education Committee Chairman 1992--1992
Accredited Farm Manager Designation Awarded 1983
State Cha ter Secreta 1986--1992
Realtors Land Institute Membership 1982-1996
State Regional Vice President 1991-•-1992
California Real Estate Brokers License 2017--Present
EDUCATIONAL.ACHIEVEMENTS
Colorado State Universi M.S.-1996
B.S. ---1971
American Management Association Advanced Business Management School 1976
American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers
• Principles of Farm Management _ 1979
• Advanced Farm Management 1982
Farm and Land Institute
• Real Estate Financial Analysis 1984
• Farmland Brokerage 1988
Page 3 of 4
BACKGROUND OVERVIEW
Rod and Andrea Carter live in Chico, CA where they have established their home and businesses.
Rod is a native of Burlington, Colorado where he worked on the home farm and other irrigated crop
and livestock farms. During high school, he was active in FFA where he was chapter president
and attained the state farmer degree. His course of study at Colorado State University was
vocational agriculture with a concentration on animal science and business. His degree in
agricultural education led to teaching agriculture and farm management at the secondary and post-
secondary levels.
During the "exotic" cattle era of the 1970's, he served as a district sales manager for a major
artificial insemination and animal health company and was promoted to the position of national
training director for that company. In that position, he was responsible for developing,
presenting and administering all levels of technical, sales and management training for
approximately 150 employees and 2,500 distributors. While at the home office, he became the
product manager for an extensive line of animal health products and was promoted to assistant
to the president of the firm.
Making the change to the finance and farm management business in 1979, Rod managed
agricultural properties, qualified agricultural investments, appraised farms and ranches, and
provided consulting services to numerous clients in more than 20 states. In 1984, Rod formed a
new company to expand agricultural real estate services in Colorado and surrounding states.
The services provided to clients included farm and ranch management, property sales,
agricultural investments, appraisals, and a variety of consulting services, including an extended
relationship with the Bank of Mexico to train agricultural advisors as they privatized their
institutions. The business was merged with a larger, international company in 1991 through
Rod's negotiations.
In early 1992, he started a new agricultural management, brokerage and consulting. company
(Agricultural and Land Professionals, Inc.) which provided services to clients in Colorado and
Wyoming. In addition to that business, Rod was executive director of the Colorado Agricultural
Leadership Council, a private, non-profit organization chartered to enlarge the pool of trained
leaders available to serve agriculture.
In December 1998, Rod joined Northern California Farm Credit, now Golden State Farm Credit,
ACA, establishing a new division to provide agricultural business consulting services for existing
and new customers. Rod and his associates provided a wide array of business consulting
services to hundreds of farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses throughout California, as well as
providing board development, strategic planning and governance review services to numerous
Farm Credit Associations and other agricultural entities in six states. In 2015, having retired
from Farm Credit, Rod with Andrea created Agriculture And Business Professional, Inc. to
provide business consulting, management and related services for owners of farms, ranches
and agri-businesses. In 2017 Rod added Real Estate brokerage to the services provided by
Agriculture and Business Professionals, Inc.
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