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50 <br />1 c. Communicating and meeting on a regular basis with stakeholders in agricultural <br />2 economic development process. <br />3 d. Developing marketing initiatives for local agriculture. <br />4 The Agricultural Economic Development Coordinator has already spearheaded numerous <br />5 ventures. The two most notable projects are the development of a regional value-added <br />6 shared-use food processing center (in the works), and the establishment of a new farm <br />7 enterprise incubator program that will be part of a larger agricultural facility in conjunction <br />8 with North Carolina State University and Cooperative Extension Service (PLANK. <br />9 <br />10 2. Expand Business Development Assistance to Farm Businesses. <br />11 Farmers need more access to business development assistance, particularly as traditional <br />12 agricultural markets fade and alternative enterprises are needed. This assistance includes <br />13 business development and planning, market research and communication, and financing <br />14 opportunity. (The Orange County Agricultural Economic Development Coordinator assists in <br />15 many of these tasks.) <br />16 a. Establishing a business development program specifically targeted at agricultural <br />17 businesses, consisting of a network of business consultants, small business <br />18 development counselors, and attorneys familiar with small business and agricultural <br />19 law who are willing at a lower cast or volunteer basis to provide assistance. <br />20 b. Working with North Carolina Cooperative Extension to disseminate published materials <br />21 on agricultural business issues to area professionals to expand their knowledge of <br />22 agriculture thus increasing their ability to assist farmers. <br />23 c. Working with Cooperative Extension and the Soil and Water Conservation District to <br />24 offer workshops to farmers on business planning and development, research, <br />25 marketing, financing, conservation funding, and estate planning. <br />26 d. Provide grant-writing assistance for federal, state and other non-profit funding <br />27 opportunities to assist with diversification, etc. <br />28 e. Develop a local directory of the network described in (a) above. <br />29 <br />30 3. Improve Access to Financing and Capital. <br />31 Provide assistance in obtaining grants and low interest loans for business start-up, <br />32 expansion, retention and diversification. Orange County may wish to strengthen its existing <br />33 small business loan program through the Economic Development Commission (EDC) and <br />34 develop a new mortgage assistance program to help new farmers buy land for agricultural <br />35 purposes. The EDC could partner with the Agricultural Preservation Board and other <br />36 agricultural advisory boards to establish a ranking system to evaluate applications. For <br />37 _ example, applicants seeking to buy land already in production might receive a stronger <br />38 ranking. The APB might develop a farmer mentoring program to partner prospective <br />39 farmers with successful farmers. These are the kinds of companion programs that would <br />40 ensure the success of the financing program. <br />41 <br />42 4. Expand Efforts to Promote Orange County Farm Businesses and Farm Products. <br />43 New residents provide opportunities for county farmers in the form of new consumers. <br />44 Efforts are being made to educate all residents on the association between the agricultural <br />45 economy, healthy eating and the life-style many have sought to achieve by locating to our <br />46 county. Local institutions remain another, relatively untapped, market for local products. <br />47 One area where local government can help farmers is in the dissemination of information <br />48 and the preparation of directories, both printed and online. The County is continuing its <br />Draft 19/09/209 Action Steps to Ensure a Viable Agricultural Community 39 <br />