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I <br />2 <br />3 <br />4 <br />5 <br />6 <br />5. <br />b) Begin to consider how to get local residents, to consume 10% locally grown and <br />produced products in five years. <br />c) Ask local governments to adopt policies that will mandate their purchase of 10% <br />locally grown and produced products, for government functions, in five years. <br />Establish the groundwork to begin a brokering Wstem that facilitates the link between <br />7 <br />local producers and institutional markets. <br />8 <br />9 <br />10 <br />C. Critical Ongoing Action Steps <br />11 <br />✓ <br />Continue to recognize and support the right to farm. Protect farm operations from <br />12 <br />incompatible adjacent land uses or activities that will adversely affect the long -term <br />13 <br />agricultural investment in land and improvements. <br />14 <br />15 <br />✓ <br />Continue to promote existing programs to preserve farmland, including the voluntary <br />16 <br />agricultural district program and agricultural conservation easements. Continue to seek <br />17 <br />funding sources to offset the cost of purchasing easements, and promote the donation <br />18 <br />of easements for tax credits. <br />19 <br />20 <br />✓ <br />Develop programs and associated infrastructure facilities to make local farms more <br />21 <br />economically viable, including local farm product processing, development of a <br />22 <br />distribution center, and marketing initiatives. <br />23 <br />24 <br />✓ <br />Encourage farmers to continue to be model environmental stewards and promote good <br />25 <br />forest stewardship management practices using state and federal programs that provide <br />26 <br />financial assistance. <br />27 <br />28 <br />✓ <br />Encourage the use and production of natural fuel alternatives to petroleum -based <br />29 <br />products and pursue new types energy sources. Monitor new opportunities in the 2008 <br />30 <br />Farm Bill and elsewhere for farmers to produce and use alternative sources of energy. <br />31 <br />32 <br />✓ <br />Minimize the negative impacts of future public projects (such as roads, utility lines, etc) <br />33 <br />on farming operations and productive farmland. Conduct public review of projects <br />34 <br />proposed by entities that have the power of eminent domain, and consider the impact of <br />35 <br />such actions on agricultural activity. <br />36 <br />37 <br />✓ <br />Develop a single clearing -house information source for current agricultural topics, <br />38 <br />agricultural programs, and events sponsored by Orange County and /or for local farmers <br />39 <br />in conjunction with the Orange County Farms website. <br />40 <br />41 <br />✓ <br />Work with the North Carolina Farmland Transition Network and local FFA programs to <br />42 <br />establish an ongoing apprenticeship with Orange County farmers. Establish foundation <br />43 <br />for future land link program. <br />44 <br />45 ✓ Maintain experienced agricultural support staff for local farmers. <br />46 <br />47 <br />Draft 1012812009 Implementation Schedule 47 <br />