Orange County NC Website
1 <br />2 <br />3 <br />4 <br />5 <br />6 <br />7 <br />8 <br />9 <br />10 <br />11 <br />12 <br />13 <br />14 <br />15 <br />16 <br />17 <br />18 <br />19 <br />20 <br />21 <br />22 <br />23 <br />24 <br />25 <br />26 <br />27 <br />28 <br />29 <br />30 <br />31 <br />32 <br />33 <br />34 <br />35 <br />36 <br />37 <br />38 <br />39 <br />40 <br />41 <br />Kev Stakeholders and Their Roles in Implementing the Plan 33 <br />1. Farmers; <br />2. County Government. <br />3. Town Governments. <br />4. State Agencies: <br />5. Federal Agencies: <br />6. Business and Industry: <br />7. Non - governmental Organizations: <br />8. Residents: The success of this plan ultimately relies on the participation of county <br />residents in the local agricultural market. The proximity of their purchases to the <br />producers ensures that more of each dollar paid for an agricultural item will return to <br />the farmer, thus increasing his or her profitability and increasing the likelihood that he or <br />she will continue to farm their land. Residents of the county must also recognize the <br />importance of working farms to the local economy and environment and heritage of <br />Orange County by supporting an effort to establish and subsequently support funding <br />for a purchase of agricultural conservation easements program. <br />Implementation Schedule <br />A. First Year Action Steps34 <br />1. Decrease impediments to profitable farm ventures. <br />a) Get the Piedmont Value -Added Regional Processing Center up and running. <br />b) Amend Orange County Voluntary Farmland Protection Ordinance to include the <br />designation of Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural Districts. <br />c) Continue work with the county and local municipalities to revise local zoning <br />regulations that may limit innovative farm ventures. <br />d) Begin a dialogue with staff and elected officials in Orange County and the <br />municipalities in and adjacent to Orange County to discuss agricultural issues. <br />e) Work with county departments and educate landowners to ensure that the Present <br />Use Value program and the exemption from county zoning for agriculture are fully <br />utilized to promote agriculture, horticulture, and forestry. <br />f) Meet with conventional farmers, individually and in groups, to discuss the challenges <br />that are unique to large landowners and to determine if local government can help. <br />g) Work with NCSU staff to explore new ways to provide tax assistance for farmers. <br />2. Attract new agricultural operations to Orange Count). <br />a) Work with the Economic Development Commission and agricultural agency boards to <br />develop a profile of the types of agricultural ventures that will enhance Orange <br />33 Rensselaer County, New York Farmland Protection Plan, 65. <br />34 The schedule will depend, in part, on when this plan is approved, taking into account the county's fiscal <br />cycle, and particularly county farmers' seasonal availability to participate in workshops and other <br />implementation elements of this plan. <br />Draft 1012812009 Implementation Schedule 45 <br />ME, <br />