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4. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 4.3 AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES — reconnaissance,northern portions of the project site were not being actively farmed. Mature — apricot orchards dominated the remainder of the project site. Lands to the north and east of the project site consist mainly of vineyards and almond orchards. According to the Soil Survey for San Joaquin County, crops grown historically in the immediate project region have included — grapes, alfalfa,beets,pumpkins, squash,peppers,beans,tomatoes,and onions (Soil Survey for San Joaquin County, 1992). FARMLAND QUALITY To characterize the environmental baseline for agricultural resources, ESA reviewed the — Important Farmland Maps (2000 Series)produced by the Department of Conservation's Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program(FMMp)2. The 2000 farmland maps for San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties indicate that a vast majority of the project site is classified as Prime Farmland — with other areas classified as Farmland of Statewide Importance. These farmland designations for the project site are illustrated in Figure 4.3-1. Prime farmland,as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA),is farmland characterized by the best combination of physical and chemical features enabling it to sustain _ long term agricultural production. Farmland of Statewide Importance includes lands that are nearly prime farmland and may produce as high a yield as prime farmland when treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods. Some lands in this category may include those that are set aside by state law for agricultural purposes(Department of Conservation, 2000). Table 4.3-1 provides an acreage summary for each respective farmland classification within the project site. — TABLE 4.3-1 IMPORTANT FARMLAND ACREAGE SUMMARY Farmland Designation Acreage Prime Farmland 571 — Farmland of Statewide Importance 101 Farmland of Local Importance 13 other" 2 a Acreage totals for individual farmland classifications within the 688-acre Mining Area. b Land not included in any other mapping category. Common examples include low density rural developments;brush, timber,wedand.and riparian areas not suitable for livestock grazing;confined livestock,poultry or aquaculture facilities;strip mines,borrow pits;and water bodies smaller than forty acres. Vacant and nonagriculmral land surrounded on all sides by urban development and greater than 40 acres is mapped as Other Land. Source: Department of Conservation,2000;modified by Environmental Science Associates,2003 2 2002 F7v W data for San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties were not available at the time of this analysis. — RMC Pack Vernalis Quany Mining and Reclamation Project 4.3-2 FSA/203015 Adm a stndvc Draft EIR March 2004