Agenda - 06-16-2009 - Infor Item 3

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 and water resources, recharges groundwater and abates storm water runoff, connects wildlife habitat, and safeguards the scenic and historic vistas that have defined the county`s character. Local residents and elected officials have long recognized the importance of this cultural and economic legacy and have sought to protect and enhance it, but pressures on local farms are intense. Residential development is moving into rural areas at an alarming pace, bringing with it the potential to compromise rural character, increase public service costs and consume agricultural lands. Rising land values, nuisance complaints, and impacts from growth-related public projects such as reservoirs and highways result from encroachment into farming areas. Coupled with external pressures such as shifts in commodity prices, global competition, and increased State and federal government regulations, it is exceedingly difficult for farmers to retain profitable operations. With fewer young people entering agriculture, aging farmers often see no alternative but to "grow houses" on their land. Reflecting the concerns of all of their constituents, the Board of County Commissioners renamed the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board to the Agricultural Preservation Board (APB) in 2000. The APBs mission is intended to benefit all Orange County residents, not just farmers.3 The Orange County Farmland Protection Plan (FPP) therefore addresses the interests of three primary 'stakeholders." Conventional or large farms (100 or more acres) with dairy, livestock, and grain crops that have generally been family farms far several generations. These farms have been the backbone of agriculture in North Carolina in the past but their number has declined dramatically due to land and labor costs, an increasingly fragile agriculture infrastructure, and development pressure on land resources. Small farms (less than 100 acres). Some of these farmers are raising produce, horses or livestock on limited acreage and selling to local markets. These farmers represent the largest increase in agricultural activity in the county. The non-farm population who benefits aesthetically from Orange County's rural character, and directly from locally produced food, clean water, clean air, green space, and rural vistas. It is this segment of the population who has the most to gain from a strong commitment to preserving our farmlands. The FPP attempts to describe the challenges of each of these groups and identify specific programs to encourage agricultural development in response. It offers a vision of what the farming community should look like in ten years, twenty years and beyond and outlines a series of action strategies to bring that vision into fruition. The document has been prepared in partnership with other key agricultural agencies that serve local farmers-Cooperative Extension, Farm Services, and the Soil and Water Conservation District/NRCS-and includes a comprehensive coverage of programs for farmers. The adoption 3 Recognizing the importance of agricu{ture and forestry a new chapter was added to the Orange County Comprehensive Plan during the recent 2030 update. The Agriculture chapter of the Natural and Cultural Systems Element (NCSE) provided an important link between agriculture, and land use polices and related regulations. It also showed the connection between agriculture and local economic development. Draft 6/I/2009 Introduction 2