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1 2. Expand Business Development Assistance to Farm Businesses. <br />2 Farmers need more access to business development assistance, particularly as traditional <br />3 agricultural markets fade and alternative enterprises are needed. This assistance includes <br />4 business development and planning, market research and communication, and financing <br />5 opportunity. (The Orange County Agricultural Economic Development Coordinator assists in <br />6 many of these tasks.) <br />7 a. Establishing a business development program specifically targeted at agricultural <br />8 businesses, consisting of a network of business consultants, small business <br />9 development counselors, and attorneys familiar with small business and agricultural <br />10 law who are willing at a lower cost or volunteer basis to provide assistance. <br />11 b. Working with North Carolina Cooperative Extension to disseminate published materials <br />12 on agricultural business issues to area professionals to expand their knowledge of <br />13 agriculture thus increasing their ability to assist farmers. <br />14 c. Working with Cooperative Extension and the Soil and Water Conservation District to <br />15 offer workshops to farmers on business planning and development, research, <br />16 marketing, financing, conservation funding, and estate planning. <br />17 d. Provide grant-writing assistance for federal, state and other non-profit funding <br />18 opportunities to assist with diversification, etc. <br />19 e. Develop a local directory of the network described in (a) above. <br />20 <br />21 3. Improve Access to Financing and Capital. <br />22 Provide assistance in obtaining grants and low interest loans for business start-up, <br />23 expansion, retention and diversification. Orange County may wish to strengthen its existing <br />24 small business loan program through the Economic Development Commission (EDC) and <br />25 develop a new mortgage assistance program to help new farmers buy land for agricultural <br />26 purposes. The EDC could partner with the Agricultural Preservation Board and other <br />27 agricultural advisory boards to establish a ranking system to evaluate applications. For <br />28 example, applicants seeking to buy land already in production might receive a stronger <br />29 ranking. The APB might develop a farmer mentoring program to partner prospective <br />30 farmers with successful farmers. These are the kinds of companion programs that would <br />31 ensure the success of the financing program. <br />32 <br />33 4. Expand Efforts to Promote Orange County Farm Businesses and Farm Products. <br />34 New residents provide opportunities for county farmers in the form of new consumers. <br />35 Efforts are being made to educate all residents on the association between the agricultural <br />36 economy, healthy eating and the life-style many have sought to achieve by locating to our <br />37 county. Local institutions remain another, relatively untapped, market for local products. <br />38 One area where loca{ government can help farmers is in the dissemination of information <br />39 and the preparation of directories, both printed and online. The County is continuing its <br />40 efforts to encourage the public school system, the University of North Carolina at Chapel <br />41 Hill, and the UNC-hospital to purchase local food products whenever possible and is working <br />42 to develop the infrastructure needed to help facilitate this exchange. The county is <br />43 fortunate to house the Weaver Street Market cooperative, which is a substantial buyer of <br />44 locally grown products. Several areas restaurants also support local growers. <br />45 <br />46 <br />47 <br />48 <br />Draft 6/1/2009 Action Steps to Ensure a Viable Agricultural Community 39 <br />