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

Browse Search

23 High taxes on my property, equipment, and buildings make it difficult to continue farming. The high values for the land make it impossible for another farmer to buy it. I'd rather it stay as farm, but it is getting harder and harder to keep it that way in this county. people want to live next to a fatm but they think they have the right to control what the farmer does with no concern for how hard it is to keep the farm. A full-time farmer is one that does not have a spouse or partner employed off farm. Ag advocate: but we need more than one; maybe three people involved in different types of agricultural activities. Problems hindering operation: The sheriffs department has done an outstanding job of patrolling our area If you are looking to help Orange County farmers -look into damage done by rescue squads (i.e. helicopter med evac) who do not have owner agreements to use landing sites in emergencies. Why not survey potential landing sites and mark with white washed 1/2 tires (no water for insects). Then confine operations to those areas instead of destroying farm fences etc! Fed CWA regs :these regulations scare me to death. Comments: environmental regs have had bad effects for me as a small farmer and cause me great anxiety. We purchased our land from a family who farmed it for many years with the intent of establishing our own family farm to provide ourselves with organic fruits and vegetables, possibly chickens and goats. We had hoped to buy additional land nearby to expand as needed, selling surplus produce to neighbors/farmers market to supplement income. Upon original landowners' death, the nearby land went into an estate (unfriendly to rural farming) and is now being developed as 27 houses on 30 acres ($175,000+). We are very interested in preservation of land and family farming, preserving rural areas, and as young farmers, would be very interested in farm link/fanm finder programs. Orange County is losing much of its rural character and flavor if more stringent restrictions on development aren't put into place. Growth is already overwhelming us. In the 2+ years we have been here, it's already changed where we live, in spite of our (and our neighbor's) efforts to prevent it from being overly developed. I don't think our county can pay me enough money not to sell my development rights. I foresee the county telling farmers if we don't sell our development rights there will be no more farm use. If the people who produce the food for this country were paid a good price for products we wouldn't be worried about losing land or farms Question 11: Agriculture is less profitable today than in previous years. The major problem in my view is the prices for selling products has been either flat or decreased over the last ten years. Inflation runs on average from 2.5%-3% annually. Gross commodity income does not but expenses do. Question 30: If a person's extreme desire is to farm it would be a great program. With the uncertainties today I would question their intent and the way to meet their goals. An ag advisor (financial/planner) for each county through NCState would be a plus. Question 6: Developers are fouling the creeks. Erosion is a big problem. Our animals drink from streams - development is causing us big problems because of runoff from development. We need buffers from development!!! Question 9: Taxes are very low on use-value land, ours has gone down. Question 11: We need motivative programs - Ag extension needs to be more helpful and connected to the changes that are taking place. We need programs to develop local markets and outreach to help water quality (septic and wells) and streams and conservation of resources. Question 25: If you want to develop your land then you are not a farmer anymore! This question does not make any sense! Question 26: We would need a lot Appendix C