Palo Verde Valley Agriculture Conversion Task Force
RIVERSIDE - The Riverside County Board of Supervisors is calling for the formation of two additional regional Agricultural Conversion Task Forces—one in the Palo Verde Valley, and one on the extreme western end of the county—to advise the Board about the amount of farm land which should be allowed to be converted to other uses.
The two regional Task Forces would compliment a Coachella Valley Ag Conversion Task Force, which has already been formed.
The Riverside County General Plan, adopted in October 2003, calls for the formation of these three regional advisory bodies in the event a large amount of agricultural land is targeted by developers for other uses, including homes, shopping centers and industrial parks. Since the amount of proposals for other land uses has dramatically increased in the Coachella Valley, the Coachella Valley ag task force was the first to be established. Now, however, the Board of Supervisors wants to establish the other two regional panels.
All three task forces will advise the Supervisors on the amount of farmland conversion within their respective regions.
In order to be eligible for membership on the five-member Palo Verde Valley Agriculture Conversion Task Force, a candidate must be a resident or landowner in the Palo Verde Valley actively involved in farming or a closely-related field. For example, agriculture finance experts and members of the Farm Bureau would be eligible.
For more information, contact Fourth District Supervisor Roy Wilson’s office in Palm Desert.