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34 <br />Agricultural Development and Farmland Protection Plan, and the <br />implementation of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan, Natural and <br />Cultural Systems Element (Agricultural section). The Board also advises <br />the Board of Commissioners on agricultural and farmland preservation, <br />agricultural issues including sustainable agriculture, emerging trends in <br />agriculture, and other ventures, initiatives and projects. The Board assists <br />in other programs such as the annual Agricultural Summit. <br />What are your Board /Commission's most important accomplishments? <br />• In 2014, reviewed and recommended approval for 14 additional farms <br />as Voluntary Agricultural District and Enhanced Voluntary <br />Agricultural District farms, adding 1004 acres to these programs. <br />This amount increased the total enrollment into both programs to <br />7,144 acres on 52 farms throughout Orange County and increased <br />acreage in all of the seven Agricultural Districts. <br />• Purchased and began installing new road signs to identify farms <br />enrolled in the Voluntary Agricultural District programs <br />• Generated revised wording for the County's Voluntary Farmland <br />Protection Program Ordinance to conform to recent changes to NC <br />General Statutes, including removal of the present -use tax value <br />requirement which potentially restricted new farmers and some small <br />farm operations from participation in the Voluntary Agricultural <br />District programs <br />• Partnered with Animal Services to develop language to better define <br />nuisance livestock for the proposed Unified Ordinance <br />• Promoted the creation of an "Agriculture Investment Grant" program <br />as one of the projects to be funded by revenue generated by the new <br />one quarter (1/4) cent "Article 46" sales tax enacted in 2012 (5% of the <br />annual revenue, or approximately $60,000) <br />• Creation and approval of the Orange County Agricultural <br />Development and Farmland Protection Plan <br />• The 10% Campaign for Local Foods <br />• Preparation of educational materials on Voluntary Agricultural <br />Districts, right -to -farm law, and other agricultural topics <br />• Assistance in planning the annual Agricultural Summit <br />• Developed list of livestock operations throughout the county for the <br />Animal Services department <br />• Convening meeting of all county agricultural boards and committees <br />for joint goal- setting and planning <br />List of Specific Tasks, Events, or Functions Performed or Sponsored Annually. <br />Assist in the annual Agricultural Summit. Biennial /triennial meeting of all <br />