Orange County NC Website
will support the increasing demand for programmatic support for farm entrepreneurship and <br />new farmer development. These existing programs provide a vital conduit in turning agricultural <br />enterprises in the County into economically viable components of the County's tax base. <br />The identified grant funds will enable current staff to provide services more efficiently with <br />programs, practices, and policies developed during the three-year grant. A strong proposal is <br />being developed through a partnership of Orange County, Piedmont Grown, and the Piedmont <br />Food & Ag Processing Center, as well as other possible partners outside Orange County. Grant <br />funds are capped at $250,000 per year and $750,000 for the three year period. <br />Funds obtained through this grant proposal may be used to provide resources for: <br />• Mentoring and apprenticeship activities <br />• Beginning and limited resource farmers <br />• Entrepreneurship and business planning <br />• Tax management and record keeping <br />• Model land leasing contracts <br />• Diversification and marketing strategies <br />• New technologies for crop and livestock production <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: Staff resources in Cooperative Extension and Economic Development <br />will continue to be dedicated to guiding activities at the Breeze Farm. The Orange County <br />budget allocation of $10,000 is considered in the cash match portion of 25% of the funds <br />requested. In kind match is provided by current staff salaries capped at 0.25 FTE per employee <br />and estimated to be a total of 1.2 FTE from Cooperative Extension, Economic Development, <br />and the Piedmont Food & Ag Processing Center. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board authorize staff to submit <br />a grant proposal to the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program via the <br />Grants.gov online. system. <br />