Final Project- Suitability Analysis for An Organic Farm in LA County

Keepin' It Real
A Suitability Analysis for the location of Mother Earth Organics in Los Angeles County
By
Corey Rozar
Drake Hebert
Gwendolyn Thorn









Introduction:
Los Angeles is a city focused on health, and this focus manifests itself in consumer food preferences. Local organic food is the new trendy purchase, “local” appealing to consumers as a greener option and “organic” appealing as greener and healthier. With this in mind, it makes sense to establish an organic farm in Los Angeles County to service the nearby population. Organic produce, because of the lack of preserving chemicals, does not travel far distances well, so having farms within the county make for a better business model than importing the produce from another area. Thus, determining the prime location within Los Angeles County for an organic farm, based on various factors of the environment, is a study which proves practical and worthwhile.
Before embarking on a journey into the world of organic farming, one must examine the basics for farming in LA County. According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, there were 1,734 farms on 108,463 acres of farmland (US Dept of Agriculture). Further research revealed that, as of 2006, there were only 16 organic farms within LA County, covering a mere 111 acres (LA County Farm Bureau). That's less than 1% of both the number of farms and the acres of farmland devoted to organic produce. There's plenty of room for growth in the organic sector within LA County,
Development is not a task to be undertaken lightly, requiring an array of factors to align to create the perfect conditions. Land is not easily modified, and must undergo serious manipulations to be development-ready. Transforming stagnant land into active farmland, for example, is a change that requires foresight and planning. Before undertaking a conversion of land use, one must consider the qualities of the land and how these factors will impact the new use. When analyzing the best location for an organic farm within Los Angeles County the conditions of the land must be examined. Thus, the questions to be answered in this analysis are where is the best location for an organic produce farm in LA County, and what factors dictate this ideal location.
Before examining these factors, the requirements of organic certification for produce must be established. In 1990, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) created organic certification procedures in the Organic Foods Production Act. This legislation specified the preconditions of the USDA organic label, centering the requirements around two central issues. First, the food product must “have been produced and handled without the use of synthetic chemicals” (USDA). The second requirement for organic produce is that it be grown on land that has been free of chemicals for the previous 3 years (USDA). When these two conditions are met, products can earn USDA Organic Certification.
Other factors must also be considered when determining the best location for an organic farm within LA County. According to Gary Hubbell, an organic-farm specific real estate broker, there are 4 central factors to note in the search for appropriate farmland: soil, climate and elevation, water, and proximity to markets (Aspen Ranch Real Estate). Soils must be adequate for the proposed crop. Additionally, the best soil is fertile soil that has been dormant and not been stripped of resources. The climate of the area and the plot's elevation are also to be considered, since climate is key to what crops will flourish and elevation impacts the levels of sun and water the area receives. Water is a central component to farming, so accessibility to water as a source of irrigation is important. Finally, proximity to markets ensures a nearby location in which to sell your products, especially essential for organic produce which has a limited shelf life.
The final list of factors analyzed for land suitability were soil quality, distance from sources of run-off, land use classification, slope of the land, and proximity to streams.

Methods:
A suitability analysis was performed in order to evaluate the best location for an organic produce farm in Los Angeles County. The factors considered in the analysis included soil quality, land use classification, distance from sources of runoff, slope, and proximity to streams. The factors were reclassified into 5 categories which represented a value of suitability. The values ranged from 1-5 with 1 representing the least and 5 representing the most suitable areas.
Soil Quality (Map 1, Figure 1):

Soil is an essential component of farming, and the variety of soil has a definite impact on the success of the crop. The more organic matter in the soil, the higher the quality of the soil because the organic matter contributes nutrients to the soil which helps crops grow (Prince Edward Island Dept of Agriculture).
The soil data was compiled from soil data mart, a web site run by the National Resources Conservation Service. For Los Angeles County, the data was not all compiled together, but instead it was split into 5 different rasters which were the Edwards Air Force Base area, the Antelope Valley area, the Santa Monica Mountains area, and the Angeles National Forest area. These rasters were combined using the raster mosaic tool and clipped to the Los Angeles County shapefile. Some areas however were missing, most notably the southern part of the county which is comprised of the City of Los Angeles. This is most likely because most of this area is now concrete so a comprehensive soil survey was not possible. At soil data mart, there is the ability to generate reports about each area to get more information on the soil. In order to understand which soils were most conducive for agriculture, a report was generated from soil data mart, “Irrigated and Non-irrigated Yields by Map Unit,” which along the left side ranked the soils from 1 to 8, 1 being the best soil and 6 through 8 being unusable for various reasons. The values were reclassified into 5 categories according to their suitability for agriculture (Table 1). Highly suitable soils were reclassified as 5 whereas the least suitable soil and areas with no data were reclassified as 1.
Suitability Index Reclassification Soil Data Mart Classification
5 1 (slight limitations)
4 2 (moderate limitations, may need conservation practices)
3 3 (severe limitations that restrict choice of plants or require special conservation practices)
4 (severe limitations that restrict choice of plants or require careful management
2 5 (little erosion, but have severe limitations)
1 6-8 (unusable for cultivation), and no data
Table 1: Reclassification of Soil Data
Land Use Classification (Map 1, Figure 2):
Land use was one of the most important factors to consider when deciding the appropriate site selection for the organic farm due to laws and regulations that either allow or prohibit agriculture. Zoning policies limit the locations where agriculture is a plausible mode of use for the land.
A land use shapefile for Los Angeles County was attained through the California Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) and included the categories of reserve public/ private, agricultural public/private, working areas public/ private, urban private, and urban public. The land use types were reclassified from 1-5 based on the likelihood that farm development would be permitted (Table 2). Land classified as agricultural public/private was reclassified as 5 because it was most suitable for a farm and would most likely allow for the development of a farm. Contrastingly, reserved land was the least suitable and reclassified as 1 because it prohibits development and would require extensive policy adjustments in order to allow for the development of a farm.

Suitability Index Reclassification Land Use Classification
5 200 Ag / Sparse Res / Private
201 Ag / Sparse Res / Public
4 210 Ag / Rural Res / Private
211 Ag / Rural Res / Public
3 400 Working / Sparse Res / Private
401 Working / Sparse Res / Public
410 Working / Rural Res / Private
411 Working / Rural Res / Public
2 110 Urban / Private
111 Urban / Public
1 300 Reserve / Sparse Res / Private
301 Reserve / Sparse Res / Public
310 Reserve / Rural Res / Private
311 Reserve / Rural Res / Public
Table 2: Reclassification of Land Use
Distance from Sources of Runoff (Map 1, Figure 3; Map 2):
According to USDA standards for organic products, all organic production must be done without any exposure to chemicals, which can potentially enter the crop via runoff from nearby sources. Thus, one must ensure proper distances from sources of potential chemical runoff. The three central sources identified as potentially having chemical or otherwise undesirable runoff include landfills, non-organic farms, and livestock farms. Landfills combine unsavory combinations of waste which, after a rain storm, creates a runoff and may infiltrate groundwater supplies. Similarly, non-organic farms utilize chemicals which form runoff after a rain, and livestock farms contain animal waste which may also pollute groundwater. Ensuring there is an appropriate distance of land between these potential sources of runoff and an organic farm is essential to ensure protection of organic crops from chemical runoff.
Landfills, non-organic farms, and livestock farms in Los Angeles County were located using Google Maps and the website www.pickyourown.org. The 9 landfills, 16 non-organic farms, 8 livestock farms were geocoded in order to assign them geographic coordinates. Using the straight line distance tool within spatial analyst, the distances from the sources of runoff were calculated (Map 2). Initially, the straight line distance from each source was calculated. The raster calculator was then used to add the distances and generate a total distance raster. The values were reclassified using natural breaks into 5 categories ranked 1-5 from least to most suitable. Areas closer to sources of runoff were considered less suitable whereas areas farther away were more suitable for an organic farm.
Slope (Map 1, Figure 4):
Slope was determined to evaluate places in Los Angeles County where produce would grow best. Elevation data was attained from the USGS Seamless Server and slope was calculated with the spatial analyst tool. The slope data was then reclassified into 5 classes using natural breaks. Areas with the largest slopes were classified as 1, or least suitable, because it is difficult to grow crops on a slope due to difficulty with harvesting, maintenance, and an uneven distribution of water and sunlight. Similarly, areas with the smallest slopes were classified as 5, or most suitable, because flat areas maximize crop production as more crops can be grown per meter squared, irrigation is more efficient, and there is an even distribution of access to sunlight for all the crops.
Proximity to Streams (Map 1, Figure 5):
Water is another central feature of farming, and proximity to a source of water is crucial to the success of a farm and the preservation of funds that otherwise would have to be spent on pumping water from a faraway source. Close proximity to streams provides a constant source of water that can be used for irrigation purposes in the fields.
Stream data for Los Angeles County was attained through the UCLA Mapshare website. A multiple ring buffer was created around the streams with values .2, .4, .6, .8, and >1 mile(s). Areas closest to the streams (.2 miles) were reclassified as most suitable (5) whereas areas farther (>1 miles) were reclassified as least suitable (1) (Table 3).
Suitability Index Reclassification Stream Buffer Values (miles)
5 .2
4 .4
3 .6
2 .8
1 >1
Table 3: Reclassification of Stream Values

Final Calculation (Map 3):
Using the raster calculator, the factors were weighted and added together in order to generate values of suitability with the following calculation: (((soil quality) * .3) + ((land use)* .2) + ((distance from runoff) * .2) + ((slope) * .15) + ((proximity to streams) * .15)) * 5. The factors were weighted according to their level of importance when determining the location of an organic produce farm (Table 4). Soil quality was most important and therefore, given more weight, because it was deemed the most important factor when determining the location of an organic farm. While important to consider, physical factors such as slope and proximity to streams were weighted less because they are not as essential to organic farm location compared with soil quality. After conducting the final calculation, values ranging from 8-31 were generated. Using natural breaks, these values were reclassified into 5 categories ranging from 1 (least suitable) to 5 (most suitable).
Factor Weight
Soil Quality .3
Land Use Classification .2
Distance from Sources of Runoff .2
Slope .15
Proximity to Streams .15
Table 4: Factor Weighting

Additional Factors (Map 4):
In addition to the suitability analysis, watershed and service area analyses were performed. The watershed analysis was performed using the hydrology tools in spatial analyst in order to evaluate surface water distribution in Los Angeles County. Elevation data was retrieved from the USGS Seamless server while stream and lake data was attained from the UCLA Mapshare site. The service area was generated using the network analyst tool to gain a greater understanding of the area that the organic farm would serve given its most suitable areas. The street network used for the analysis was attained from the UCLA student drive. Palmdale was chosen as the origin for the service area because it was observed as a highly suitable area for the location of an organic farm. Additionally, a 60 minute time parameter was chosen because it was deemed a reasonable time limit without significant travel costs.

Results:
The final suitability analysis for the location of a organic farm within Los Angeles County can be seen in Map 3. When looking at the final map, a trend quickly develops. The southern part of the county is the least suitable, and as you move north the land becomes increasingly suitable for an organic farm (as indicated by the bright red shade). This is due to a multitude of factors including the largely urban landscape of the city of Los Angeles leaving little soil for growing crops, the land use classification forbidding agricultural endeavors, and the proximity to landfills making the area unsuitable for organic farms. But as one travels north away from the city of Los Angeles, the area becomes much more suitable. The best location in Los Angeles County for an organic farm is the north-eastern part of the county in the Palmdale, Lancaster, and Lake Los Angeles area. This area has the greatest amount of most suitable factors for organic farming. It has good quality soil, is close to a networks of streams, is already classified as agricultural land, is very far from sources of runoff, and is located in a flat area, all of which are the factors we choose to determine the prime organic farm location. To confirm this selection both a watershed analysis and a 60 minute service area network analysis were created. Both of the watershed and network analyses can be seen on Map 4. The watershed analysis was undertaken to see if this area actually has a suitable stream network with ample water for use with the crops. The analysis shows the northeastern part of Los Angeles County has by far the most extensive stream network in county, which would help provide water for the crops. Furthermore, we wanted to ensure that this area was economically feasible for an organic farm. The main point of our project was to find an area where organic crops could be grown locally for Los Angeles consumers, so we wanted to make sure that the crop was easily transported to market. A 60-minutes service area analysis was performed with Palmdale as its starting point (origin) as this city is centrally located within the most suitable area. 60 minutes was chosen because this amount of time is reasonable travel time when transporting farm products while ensuring that the produce is not heavily damaged en route. This service area covers an extensive area making up about half the entire county. Even better, the service area reaches all the way down into Burbank and west Los Angeles, both areas with much higher populations then the northern part of the county and therefore areas with a large market where a farmer has a high probability of finding buyers for his product. From our suitability analysis it is evident that the northeastern part of Los Angeles County is the best location for an organic farm.

Discussion:
Our analysis shows that the northeastern part of Los Angeles County is the best location for an organic farm, but there are some other factors that should be taken into account. First of all, this is a very general report meant to show the best area for an organic farm, but different types of crops require different soils, water, light, and temperature conditions. This map does not take into account the prime conditions for specific crop types because, once again, it aims to find the best location for a farm, not for area with a specific crop. However, this information is important and must be taken into account before planting anywhere. The organic certification requirement that the soil be free from chemicals for the 3 previous years was also difficult to find data for as no one has compiled the resources to do track this for any area except farmers who are already planning on starting a farm at the specific location. Our suitability analysis shows where a farmer should look to buy land, at which point he would then be forced to track down records of chemical use on the land or keep the land chemical-free for 3 years to meet this USDA standard. Finally, we could not find the location of any wholesale organic produce purchasers, which we would have included into our network analysis to further show the economic viability of our location.


















Bibliography:
Paper References:
Aspen Ranch Real Estate. “The Dynamics of Organic Farming.” District of Columbia, 2009. http://www.aspenranchrealestate.com/organic-farming-dynamics/organic-vegetable- produce-farms.html

Los Angeles. LA County Farm Bureau, “2006 Los Angeles County Crop and Livestock Report.” Los Angeles, CA, 2006. http://www.lacfb.org/CR2006.pdf

Prince Edward Island. Department of Agriculture. “The Importance of Soil Organic Matter.” Prince Edward Island, Canada, 2000. http://www.gov.pe.ca/af/agweb/index.php3?number=71251
United States. Department of Agriculture. “2007 Census of Agriculture.” Los Angeles: State of California, 2007. http://ucanr.org/blogs/losangelesagriculture/blogfiles/1766.pdf
United States. Department of Agriculture. “Title XXI: Organic Certification.” District of Columbia, 2005. http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5060370&acct=nop geninfo


Data References:
Soil
Soil Data Mart, http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/
Non-Organic Farms
Pickyourown.org, http://www.pickyourown.org/CAla.htm
Livestock Farms
Google Maps, http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
Landfills
Sanitation Districts of LA County, http://www.lacsd.org/
Land-Use Classification
Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP), http://frap.cdf.ca.gov/
Proximity to Streams
UCLA Mapshare, http://gis.ats.ucla.edu/mapshare/
Slope
United States Geological Survey (USGS) Seamless Server, http://seamless.usgs.gov/
Watershed
UCLA Mapshare, http://gis.ats.ucla.edu/mapshare/
USGS Seamless Server, http://seamless.usgs.gov/
Service Area
UCLA student drive (as provided for Geography 170's Week 8 lab)