Agenda - 04-24-2007-4h - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 24, 2007 Action Agenda Item No. SUBJECT: Regional Value-Added Processing Center DEPARTMENT: Economic Development PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Dianne Reid 245-2326 Noah Ranells 245-2330 PURPOSE: To appropriate an additional $3,000 for a feasibility study for an agriculture products regional value-added processing center. BACKGROUND: During the past few years, the local and regional farming community has evolved to meet local market opportunities. The tremendous increase in consumer interest in locally grown, healthy, nutritious, and fresh farm products has supported an increase in farmers selling at farmers' markets, direct to consumers, from farm stands, and through local coops and conventional grocers. In addition, there is strong interest from local school districts, universities, and hospitals to obtain locally grown or raised farm products. An oft-cited limitation to marketing local farm products is the lack of processing facilities. In 2005, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners appointed interested citizens and farmers to a working group that examined, among other concerns, the need and justification for a value-added, shared-use processing facility. The report submitted by the Agricultural Center Work Group, presented to the commissioners on May 25, 2006, contained a recommendation that the Board move to conduct a feasibility study for avalue-added, shared-use processing facility. In October of 2006, then BOCC Chair Barry Jacobs sent a letter to neighboring counties (Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, & Person) and to local grocers (EarthFare, Weaver Street Market, & Whole Foods) offering the opportunity to partner with Orange County to conduct the feasibility study. As of March 13, 2007, Alamance, Chatham, Durham, and Orange Counties have each pledged $2,500. Additionally, Weaver Street Market and Whole Foods have pledged $1,000 each, for a total of $12,000. The partnership that has developed will likely be able to leverage local investment with state and federal grants.