cows bring in da dough$$

In this article, found in the Colorado Springs Business Journal, the author claims that cows bring in lots of money for local economies. In California, however, cattle farms and dairies are being pushed away. The farmers claim that the state regulations are making it hard for them to conduct business. So, places like Texas and Colorado look more enticing to the farmers because of the offer of less regulations. Farmers also claim that they were pushed away from the where they started due to urban sprawl. Can sprawl be to blame for the regulations and dairy farms leaving California?

It is true that more people usually mean that the city will have more regulations. This is because when there is a more dense population the government thinks that they need to keep a firm grip on it. They are afraid to let go of any power, so they instate more force among the citizens in the form of regulations. These regulations would make it harder to be a farmer, and thus I do believe that it would force them out, and even force them to leave California for a different state.
Also urban sprawl might be a cause for farmers needing move. If a city began to sprawl then there would be higher demand upon farm land. This could make the highest valued use of the land change which would force the farmers to move away, or further out of the city. And, as reviewed earlier more people makes for more regulations so the dairies are being hit from every angle. It would seem like moving away from California would be in the farmers benefit, but is it in the states? The obvious answer is no, it is not in the interest to push away these farms. If the facts of a cow's revenue building power are correct, then each cow is very valuable to the state and should be protected as an asset. The fact that regulations and sprawl are making these assets leave for different states is not good at all for California's economy.

So, wouldn't it be worth a little extra work (or a little less rules) to keep some cows around? I think yes.

http://csbj.com/2010/04/12/states-woo-calif-dairymen-with-less-regulation/