Yolo County, California, new food facility policy designed to help agritourism

Yolo County, California, has recently adopted a new food facility policy for homestays, and Bed & Breakfast Inns to encourage agritourism, reports the Wood Land Record while maintaining high public health standards.

Yolo County ranks agriculture and tourism at the top of their industry priority list for "sustainable, quality growth while providing economic opportunity and quality of life". Yolo has many wineries, recreational activities and unique agricultural communities. They include a 25-page section on agritourism in their Yolo County Agricultural permit Manual.

The new Agricultural Homestay/Bed & Breakfast Food Facility Policy was developed in cooperation with the following Yolo County departments: Agriculture, Planning & Public Works and the Economic Development division of the County Administrator’s Office.

Trinitas agritourism golf at odds with Calaveras County

Michael and Michelle Nemee own the Trintas Golf course, in Valley Springs, California – the course built in “stealth mode”, and at the centre of a conflict with Calaveras County Planning Commission’s zoning bylaws, reports Dana Nichols, staff writer with RecordNet.com. Trintas also has a Nature & Wildlife Preserve, and an Olive Oil & Orchard Tour.
Though County rejected an application to rezone, the owners vow to keep the course in operation."We are going to continue operating our lawful agritourism operation that we've been taxed on since 2005 by the county of Calaveras," Nemee said, reports Nichols.
Issues in this dispute involve: Trinitas, Calaveras County, a group called “Keep It Rural”, the “Williamson Act”, the California Department of Conservation, and the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Centre.