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6 <br /> ➢ Voluntary Agricultural District is a 10 year commitment for farm to be in active farm <br /> production, but the landowner can be withdrawn from the VAD at any time, for any <br /> reason, with a 30 day notification. <br /> ➢ Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District is an irrevocable 10 year commitment to be <br /> in active farm production, therefore the "enhanced" qualifies farm for up to 90% cost <br /> share rates and a priority for state and federal grants funds. <br /> Benefits include: (listing a few) <br /> ➢ Makes public more aware of the local agricultural and its vital role in the economics of <br /> the county; <br /> ➢ Recorded notice of agricultural district property is recorded at County Land Records <br /> office; <br /> ➢ Land search on all properties within a 1/2 mile radius has notification of the agricultural <br /> status, therefore, the agricultural landowner has increased protection from nuisance <br /> lawsuits. <br /> ➢ Agricultural Preservation Board can request public hearings for proposed <br /> condemnation of VAD land and utility assessments may be suspended or waived on <br /> EVAD land if not connected to the utility. <br /> ➢ Farm may receive up to 25% of gross sales from the sale of non-farm products and still <br /> maintain its zoning exemption as a bona fide farm. (EVAD only) <br /> ➢ Signs are placed on farms, for public to know location of VAD/EVAD farms. <br /> Brief Farm Descriptions <br /> Parker Family Farm <br /> Randall and Renee Parker <br /> Owner Randal Parker has submitted an application to enroll two (2) parcels of land totaling <br /> 26.89 acres as qualifying farmland for the Voluntary Agricultural District program (VAD) in the <br /> Caldwell Agricultural District. The farm operation includes tobacco, small grain, hay and <br /> managed woodland. These parcels are adjacent to other parcels owned by the Parkers and <br /> are already enrolled into the Voluntary Agricultural Program. The Parker property has been <br /> evaluated against each of the VAD certification requirement standards and meets or exceeds <br /> all of the measures above. <br /> Sykes Family Limited Partnership <br /> Jeff Sykes <br /> Cane Creek/Buckhorn Agricultural District. Farm operation includes dairy cattle, pastures, <br /> corn, grain, hay crops and managed woodland/forestry acres. Owners of the Sykes Family <br /> Limited Partnership, Jeff Sykes and family, have submitted an application to enroll four (4) <br /> parcels of land totaling 284.96 acres as qualifying farmland; 125.61 acres for the Voluntary <br /> Agricultural District (VAD) program and 159.35 acres for the Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural <br /> District program (EVAD) in the Cane Creek/Buckhorn District. The farm operation includes <br /> dairy cattle, pasture, corn, grain, hay crops, and managed woodland. The Sykes property has <br /> been evaluated against each of the VAD and EVAD certification requirement standards and <br /> meets or exceeds all of the measures above. <br /> VAD=125.61 acres <br /> EVAD= 159.35 acres <br /> (included in an Orange County permanent conservation easement) <br /> Total farm acres = 284.96 <br />