Agenda - 02-02-1999 - 10e - Laserfiche WebLink

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22 Happy to have the roads to use. Ag advocate: not if it will cost more taxes Ag advocate: as long as farmers pick the advocate! Our county leaders need to do something to promote agriculture. Money was set aside for an ag complex yeazs ago. nothing has been done but talk. We need a complex for farmers mazket, horse, cattle shows etc. Amulti-purpose ag complex could be used almost every day. As long as Chapel Hill people run this county there will be little benefit for farmers and no new industry brought into this county. thank you. Taxes aze factor in profitability not for land, only buildings. Ag advocate: if this person was really sincere in working for better farming conditions and had a real hands-on background Conservation easements, sale of development rights etc sound great and I support those actions. But, I have trouble believing that there is enough money available to make much difference. I mean, if we spend millions and get four or ten farm museums, then so what? The thing that makes farming viable is its ability to produce income. The most obvious and hardest dilemma is the difference between retail prices and market prices available to farmers -pork chops aze $5 a pound and pigs aze .30 a pound; steak is $6 a pound and cows aze .75 a pound; corn is $2.75 a bushel, while corn flakes aze $4 a pound; and so on. Farmers markets address this somewhat, but they azen't for everyone. Livestock fanners aze especially challenged, not only by environmental regs, but federal meat processing and marketing regs have shut down most local slaughter houses and prohibit on-farm processing and sale. This keeps local stockmen from selling locally and getting part of the retail dollar. Perhaps, as part of the perennially proposed Hillsborough livestock center, there could be a center for killing and processing animals. Even just being staffed once or twice a month would probably be enough. Possibly, the staff could work in other counties across the state on other days (this problem is statewide, if not national) to provide full time employment. I've read that in England there are completely mobile and self-contained slaughter operations. The idea of a farm advocate is great. One potential role for this person would be to organize co-operative buying and selling of products. Stockmen could possibly band together to buy soybean meal and other necessities. Direct marketing of products might also be done in this manner. Lastly, in thinking of ways to support an ag community, don't forget the emerging class of micro farms and farmers. Very small farms can be very productive and there is a potential also for those farms to be part of the support network for lazger farms by buying hay, straw, grain, manure, and so on. Thank you for your interest and support. Old age is factor most influencing reason to discontinue operation. I am tired of government rules and regulations dictated by people who know nothing about farming. I would like to have some control over prices paid for products produced on my farm. I have to pay set prices for supplies needed to produce my products. We need to reduce so many regulations that are of no benefit. If this area continues to develop, it needs water and sewer service. The farm is being forced to compete with housing developments and there is no way we can. I think the PDR and TDR programs have great potential for preserving the rural character of Orange County while fairly addressing the needs of the farmers for long term fmancial security. I am not sure that our 10 acres is really "agriculture". I have answered some of the questions. I am retired so is my husband-we built this house and barn, paddock and fencing for horses. At this time I have 2. I do the barn work myself. My husband does the maintenance. We hope to remain here for the next 5-10 years. Hopefully the land will not be split and remain for horse people. There is continuous shrinking of horse trails. My husband grew up on a farm sold some time ago. My daughter has 53 acres in VA with hay and horses. Appendix C