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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: December 1, 2014 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 6 -g <br />SUBJECT: Applications for Grants from the NC Agricultural Development and Farmland <br />Preservation Trust Fund and the Federal Agricultural Conservation Easement <br />Program for the Pope Farm Conservation Easement <br />DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, <br />Parks and Recreation <br />(DEAPR) <br />ATTACHMENTS: <br />ADFP Trust Fund Call for Applications <br />ACEP Call for Applications <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />David Stancil, 919 - 245 -2510 <br />Rich Shaw, 919 - 245 -2514 <br />PURPOSE: To authorize staff to apply for grants from the NC Agricultural Development and <br />Farmland Preservation (ADFP) Trust Fund and the federal Agricultural Conservation Easement <br />Program (ACEP) for funds to purchase a conservation easement at the Pope Farm in Cedar <br />Grove Township. <br />BACKGROUND: The acquisition of agricultural conservation easements to help preserve prime <br />farmland is a longstanding goal of the Board of Commissioners, and is a priority of the Lands <br />Legacy Program. To date, Orange County has protected over 2,000 acres of prime farmland <br />and riparian buffers through this program. <br />Since 2001 Orange County has been awarded $3.53 million from state and federal agencies for <br />the purpose of acquiring permanent conservation easements. Those funds were used to match <br />County funds and landowner donations to acquire conservation easements on 16 farms. This <br />coming year, the federal Farm Bill will provide nearly $2.3 million for similar projects in North <br />Carolina. <br />Over the past four years, Orange County has worked with Robert and Gail Pope and the Eno <br />River Association to secure funding to protect the 75 -acre Captain John S. Pope Farm with a <br />conservation easement. A conservation easement would enhance the protection of this historic <br />farm, which was designated a Local Historic Landmark by Orange County in 2012, and was <br />designated a Century Farm by the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, The <br />farm is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. <br />