Agenda - 02-12-2008-2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Food Safety Inspection Service, and NCDA&CS's Meat and Poultry Inspection Division. • Promote the project's development to potential users and the general public in the primary service area of Alamance, Orange, Durham, and Chatham counties; • Work as the "owner's representative" and negotiate services with architects, general contractors, and specialized construction personnel before and during facility renovations; • Negotiate purchase and installation of key equipment needed to open for business; • Lead a search for the permanent facility manager/executive director and identify strong candidates for the job; • Develop a legal management structure for the facility as a 501-c-3 nonprofit corporation. A strong candidate for this position is Mr. Gerry Cohn, Southeastern Regional Director for the American Farmland Trust (AFT). Mr. Cohn has expressed interest in leading the project development phase as a component of his duties at AFT (See Mr. Cohn's resume attached). In October, the researcher held a conference call with Mr. Cohn and his supervisor at AFT headquarters in Washington, DC, and the interest in supporting local farms and food entrepreneurship through the development of this project was confirmed. AFT is a logical choice for project development for several reasons. First, AFT as an organization is recognized as a strong advocate for farming nationwide. The mission of American Farmland Trust is to stop the loss of productive farmland and to promote farming practices that lead to a healthy environment. Development of this project by AFT will ensure that farm-based producers are served in their efforts to produce locally grown value-added products, and will allow AFT to pursue an innovative grass-roots strategy to increase the economic viability of small farms in the four-county region. Secondly, AFT (through Mr. Cohn's representation) has an established presence in the region and has worked closely with leaders in Alamance, Orange, and Chatham counties. Mr. Cohn's office has recently moved from Graham to Hillsborough, and he should be able to incorporate project development duties into his normal work schedule. As a nonprofit organization, in certain cases AFT can serve as a fiscal agent during the fundraising and construction period. As circumstances permit, AFT could directly apply for several pools of grant funds, allowing grant management to be handled by the same entity overseeing project development. It is important to note that several organizations, including participant counties, service providers, and nonprofit agencies can also apply for and receive grant funds that can be used for the project's development. A demonstration of broad community support, especially across political boundaries, is a strong positive factor for many successful grant applications. 49