Agenda - 01-21-2010 - 4m - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: January 21, 2010 Action Agenda Item No. ~- - m SUBJECT: Contract between the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Orange County for 2009 Specialty Crops Block Grant Program - _ Enhancin Sustainable Specialty Crop Production in the Piedmont DEPARTMENT: Cooperative Extension & PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Economic Development ATTACHMENT(S): Contract (Under Separate Cover) INFORMATION CONTACT: Noah Ranells, Economic Development, 245-2330 Joey Knight, Interim Cooperative Extension Director, 245-2050 Brad Broadwell, Economic Development, 245-2325 PURPOSE: To approve a $20,000 contract with the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDACS) - 2009 Specialty Crops Block Grant Program to support activities of the PLANT @ Breeze Farm Enterprise Incubator Program. BACKGROUND: A proposal entitled "Enhancing Sustainable Specialty Crop Production in the Piedmont" was submitted to the NCDACS 2009 Specialty Crops Block Grant Program on June 19, 2009 by Orange County Cooperative Extension & Economic Development. The grant proposal was developed to support the emerging needs at the PLANT @ Breeze Farm Enterprise Incubator Program. Specifically, grant funds will be used to support training and field activities including sustainable soil and water management, insect, disease, and. weed management, fruit and berry applied research, and business planning. Training supplies and hiring of a mentor farmer will allow for program expansion to better serve apprentice farmers and workshop participants. The PLANT @ Breeze Farm Enterprise Incubator is a successful part of the concept plan for the WC Breeze Family Farm Extension and Research Center developed at a Fall 2006 joint meeting of Orange County representatives and administrators from the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Implementing the concept plan for the WC Breeze Family Farm Extension & Research Center is guided by the Breeze Planning Committee, composed of Orange County Cooperative Extension and Economic Development staff as well as representatives from NC State University, NC A & T State University, and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems. There was agreement by the Committee to submit a grant proposal to NCDACS 2009 Specialty Crops Block Grant Program to further develop the Incubator Component of the Breeze Concept Plan.