Farmers please take the Island County Community Health Assessment Survey

[Martin Vandepas]

Introduction: Island County Public Health is currently working towards creating a food system plan for the county. It will take several years and there will be many opportunities for public input, but when it's completed, it will be used by the county government to inform their future policy decisions. Topics covered in a food system plan often include land use issues such as preservation of farm land, zoning, water use and wells, agricultural housing, emergency food resilience, assessment of current farmland usage, farm businesses within the county and many other topics relating to local food. Several of our neighboring counties including Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan counties have created Food System Plans recently. You will surely hear more about the development of our food system plan in the future.

So what does that have to do with this survey you ask? Well the county government uses the Community Health Assessment Survey to help decide how to prioritize their programs and to gauge public interest. The survey is not just about Food Systems, but there are several questions on it relating to food. So if you have an opinion about agriculture in the county, please take this quick survey and share your opinions. The survey closes at the end of April. Thanks!!

Here is the Community Health Assessment Survey

Martin Vandepas

Slow and Steady Farm