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61 <br />1 County. Offer workshops on conservation programs and forestry that can <br />2 supplement revenue to existing operations, particularly for large landowners. <br />3 <br />4 3. Produce new farmers. <br />5 a) Expand existing programs that teach farming, such as the PLANT incubator at the <br />6 Breeze Farm. <br />7 b) Continue and expand existing programs for farmers through Cooperative Extension <br />8 and the Soil and Water Conservation District. <br />9 c) Begin a dialogue with successful farmers regarding a future apprentice program. <br />10 <br />11 4. Improve community awareness of farming and the relationship between local farms and <br />12 food security. <br />13 a) Begin to promote the pursuit of farming as an honorable occupation. <br />14 <br />15 5. Begin the dialogue with local officials to ensure that future schools are designed and <br />16 built with commercial kitchens capable of cooking food from scratch. <br />17 a) Ask local governments to start buying locally grown and produced products for <br />18 government functions where food is provided. <br />19 <br />20 <br />21 B. Second Year Action Steps <br />22 1. Decrease impediments to profitable farm ventures. <br />23 a) Pursue new measures for additional tax relief (some of which may require special <br />24 legislation). <br />25 b) Expand on conversations between Orange County and the municipalities regarding <br />26 the future of local farming. Develop a mediation or ombudsman program to <br />27 evaluate the unintended consequences of zoning changes and annexation to existing <br />28 farmers. Consider adopting memorandums of understanding to support agricultural <br />29 programs. <br />30 <br />31 2. Attract new agricultural operations to Orange County. <br />32 a) Advertise for new agricultural operations. <br />33 b) Advertise for existing operations to relocate, or begin a new `branch" in Orange <br />34 County. <br />35 c) Consider sending an existing local farmer for training sessions to learn about a new <br />36 type of crop or production process. <br />37 <br />38 3. Produce new farmers. <br />39 a) Develop a mentoring system to link successful farmers with new farmers. The <br />40 program does not have to include a formal apprentice component, although it can. <br />41 Rather it should provide the new farmer with an advisor. <br />42 b) Build on existing programs between 4 -H and local FFA programs and commodity <br />43 organizations, and agricultural advisory boards. <br />44 <br />45 4. Improve community awareness of farming and the relationship between local farms and <br />46 food security. <br />47 a) Evaluate the regional food system. <br />Draft 9012812009 Implementation Schedule 46 <br />