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ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: January 22, 2009 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 4 - p <br /> SUBJECT: Contracts with Tobacco Trust Fund and Golden Leaf Foundation for the <br /> Piedmont Value-Added Shared-Use Food & Agricultural Processing Center <br /> DEPARTMENT: Economic Development PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br /> Cooperative Extension <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Tobacco Trust Fund Contract Brad Broadwell 245-2325 <br /> Golden Leaf Foundation Contract Noah Ranells 245-2330 <br /> Fletcher Barber 245-2050 <br /> PURPOSE: To approve 1) a $479,000 contract with the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and <br /> 2) a $250,000 contract with the Golden Leaf Foundation for the Piedmont Regional Value- <br /> Added-Shared-Use Food and Agricultural Processing Center. <br /> BACKGROUND: On August 19, 2008, the BOCC ratified submissions of grant applications to <br /> the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund and the Golden Leaf Foundation to support the <br /> implementation of the November 2007 Feasibility Report. This project will build capacity for <br /> local farmers to meet the increasing consumer demand for retail and wholesale marketing of <br /> locally grown farm products in the Piedmont Region of North Carolina. <br /> At a BOCC Work Session on February 12, 2008, designation of the 500 Valley Forge Road <br /> property and funding for implementing the feasibility study completed in November 2007 were <br /> discussed by the BOCC. At the February 19, 2008 regular meeting of the BOCC, a resolution <br /> was unanimously approved "...formally allocating the former Orange Enterprise Building on <br /> Valley Forge Road in Hillsborough for development of a regional value-added shared-use food <br /> and agricultural processing center". In addition, it was resolved "...the shared monetary <br /> compensation for the Valley Forge property will be determined later and request that equitable <br /> fiscal support among partners be pursued that recognizes the allocation of the Orange <br /> Enterprise building owned by Orange County." The compensation issue for the facility was <br /> shared with the commissioner group that is guiding this process on July 17, 2008. <br /> The center will accommodate a range of processing needs and allow for future expansion. <br /> Business development support and education, especially training for new food-based <br /> businesses, developing business plans, and meeting food safety requirements will allow the <br /> center to engage rural farm communities with the opportunities offered by the center. Revenue <br /> projection from user fees that provide incentives for sourcing locally grown farm products is <br />