Agenda - 06-16-2009 - Infor Item 3

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1 The FPP contains a statement of the need for action, an overview of local agricultural 2 production and a discussion of challenges and opportunities; some are common trends 3 nationwide, others are unique to Orange County. The plan touches on new issues for the 4 agricultural community such as increasing fuel costs and the potential role for farmers to use 5 and produce alternative energy. The plan also speaks to the value of contributing to the local 6 economy, the health benefits of eating locally grown foods and a renewed interest in food 7 security. Most important, the FPP spells out a vision for the future of local agriculture and a 8 series of action steps to get there. 9 10 Farmers have great marketing opportunities in Orange County: a large regional population base 11 interested in locally grown products and a number of institutional markets including local school 12 systems, universities, and hospitals. Orange County is home to five active farmers markets and 13 ten additional (15 total) farmers markets are located within the greater Triangle region. The 14 County is working in partnership with State and federal agricultural agencies, Cooperative 15 Extension, the Orange County Soil and Water District (and NRCS), and Farm Services Agency to 16 improve agricultural infrastructure. A regional value-added shared use food processing center, 17 modeled after Blue Ridge Food Ventures in Asheville, is underway. PLANT (People Learning 18 Agriculture Now for Tomorrow), a new farm enterprise incubator program, is getting ready to 19 start its second year. 20 21 These are important steps, but there are five key areas where the County must do better. 22 23 1) Orange County must fundamentally change the way it perceives farmland with regard to 24 land use. Prime soils are a finite resource. The County can no longer afford to consider 25 working lands (agricultural or forestlands) as undeveloped. It is crucial that Orange County 26 retains active farming communities, contiguous tracts of agricultural and forestlands, large 27 enough to support agricultural infrastructure. 28 29 2) Orange County must begin to recognize and address the special challenges of conventional 30 farmers. These large acreage farmers are the stewards of our ~~rural experience." They 31 provide residents with open space and scenic vistas for recreation, such as cycling. Their 32 stewardship protects the county's soil and water resources, recharges groundwater, abates 33 storm water runoff and connects wildlife habitat. The perception that farmers will always 34 farm and maintain the rural parts of Orange County may be tested vigorously in the coming 35 years as the cost of this stewardship continues to rise. Enrollment in the Present-Use Value 36 Taxation program offers a reduced rate on property taxes on farmland, but not on farm 37 buildings or equipment. The reduced rate on farmland may not be enough to offset a bad 38 crop yield or the loss of a long-time renter who chooses not to lease another year. The 39 impact of residential development, increasing property values and nuisance complaints, has 40 taken its toll. This is an area where the County may need to pursue new forms of 41 assistance to ensure that these long-time farmers are able to stay in business. 42 43 3) Orange County must adopt a more pro-active approach toward attracting new farmers and 44 new farm operations to this region, by advertising for complementary operations, and even 45 offering incentives. The County should expand existing training programs in high schools 46 and work in partnership with local community colleges and the state university system to 47 encourage agricultural students to stay in North Carolina and work on local farms. The 48 County should work with potential farmers to learn more about the types of obstacles they Draft 6/1/2009 Executive Summary Page ii of v