Agenda - 11-05-2009 - 6a (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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W 1 contributing to the local economy often summarized in the slogan `think globally, act locally." 2 Still others are looking for a farm connection, a way to teach children where food comes from 3 and an opportunity to experience the sense of community often associated with farming. 4 Equestrian programs such as horse boarding and training facilities provide another niche 5 industry for local farmers based on the suburban community. 6 7 8 Existing Farmland Protection Tools 9 Many of the challenges that local farmers face are not unique to Orange County. The American 10 Farmland Trust and other conservation organizations have spent over twenty years researching 11 different strategies to preserve productive farmland nationwide. Some of these tools require 12 special legislation not available in North Carolina, such as transfer of development rights (TDR), 13 but many are available and are already in use in Orange County. 14 15 State Right -to -Farm Law 16 By statute, North Carolina farmers are granted the right to farm without legal interference from 17 non -farm neighbors and local governing bodies, subject to certain limitations .13 Pre - litigation 18 mediation of farm nuisance claims is mandatory. 14 The County should post information on the 19 Right -to -Farm law in County offices for public information, perhaps in conjunction with VAD 20 maps. 21 22 Present -Use Value Property Tax 23 Working farm, forest, and horticultural lands by state statute are afforded a property tax 24 assessment based on their agricultural working value, as opposed to their industrial or 25 residential development value. Agricultural designation is based on the North Carolina State 26 Use Value Law. The County Tax Assessors Office defines "qualifying" farmland based on certain 27 criteria such as acreage, soil type and use. Agricultural land requires ten acres of cropland and 28 average gross sales of $1,000 per year for the preceding three years. Some smaller tracts of 29 five acres may get use value with certain horticultural crops; forestry use requires twenty acres 30 and a plan on file with the Natural Resources Conservation Service or North Carolina Forest 31 Service. 15 As of 2008, 2,666 parcels were enrolled in the Present Use Value program - 32 encompassing 109,463 acres, or 43% of Orange County's total land area. This assessment 33 affords farmers some amount of cost control that would otherwise limit their ability to farm 34 profitably. 35 36 In July 2008, the NC General Assembly passed a new provision of the Present -Use Value tax 37 program that will expand coverage to properties managed for wildlife and conservation use. 38 This may enable farmers to place additional lands not cultivated into Use Value, providing 39 additional tax relief. Some farmers may also wish to explore complementary programs to 40 supplement their income as part of a wildlife management program. Hunting clubs, for 41 example, will often pay an annual fee in exchange for the opportunity to hunt on farms of a 42 certain acreage. 43 44 The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) may also create new programs 45 for farmers related to energy - -its production and its use. Information on funding is not yet 13 NCGS §106 -700 et seq. 14 NCGS §7A -38.3. " NCGS §105- 277.2. Draft 1012812009 Opportunities for Enhancing Agriculture in Orange County 24