Agenda - 06-16-2009 - Infor Item 3

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In September 2005, the General Assembly passed House Bi11607 establishing the NC Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. The legislation also established a 19-member Trust Fund Advisory Committee to advise the Commissioner ofAgricultur~ on the prioritization and allocation of funds, the development of criteria for awazding funds, program planning, and other areas for the growth and development of family farms in Notch Carolina. How can tke funds be used? ^ Fund public and private enterprise programs that will proe~-ote profitable and sustainable farms by assisting farmers is developing and implementing plans for the production of food, fiber and value-added products, agritourism activities, mazketing and sales of agricultural products produced on the farm, and other agriculture-related business activities. ^ Fund farmland conservation agreements targeted at the active pnduction of food, fiber and other agricultural-products. + Support the purchasedf agricultural conservation easemeirts, including transaction costs. Eligibility Wko is eligible to submit proposals? -Any nonprofit conservation organization that 'matches 3t) percent of the Truss Fund monies it receives with funds from sources other than the NC Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund -An enterprise tier two or three county (G,S. 143B- 437.08) with. a countywide farmland protection plan shall match' 15 percent of the Trust Fund monies it receives with county funds. An enterprise Fier one county (G.S. 143B-437.08) with a countywide farmland protection plan will not be required to match the. Trust Fund monies it receives with county funds. Any county without a countywide farmland protection plan shall match 30 percent of the-Trust Fund monies it receives with county funds. Additional Considerations: Priorities of funds will be given to projects that involve: ^ Counties with Farm Frotection Plans ^ Goodness Grows farmers ^ Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District farmers ^ Voluntary Agricultural_District farmers ^ Farms with Farm Transition Pans ^ Farms with Conservation Plana ^ Farms with Forest Management Plans ^ Limited,resource farmers ^ Beginning farmers ^ Groups and individuals with other agricultural affiliations All applicants must provide documentation of membership or status. Benefits -Preserving North Carolina's Number 1 Industry: North Carolina agricultural economy is an over $68 billion business annually. The NC ADFP Trust Fund plans to sustain this agricultural economy by preserving the lands that produce these products for our economy. The success of the program will maintain farm family income and retain create agriculture-related jobs as well as increase public awazeness about the importance of farm families to North Cazolina's economy. -Countywide Economic Benefit: An American Farmland Trust study showed that for every dollar in taxes received from working land, governments pay only 34 cents in services. However, services paid to residential development are an average of $1.15 per dollar of taxes received. Therefore farmland is a net gain of revenue for the tax base and thus an economic bemfit for any county to preserve working lands. -Quality t-f Life: When farms are kept in agriculture it maintains the quality of life that each North Carolinian enjoys every day. Rural working landscapes are an integral part ofour heritage and economythat must be preserved for future generations. Ifwe do not save our agricultural areas we will destroy the rustic Iandscapes that attract and retain people and: industry to North Carolina.