Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
7 <br /> 1 overall acreage in the program. The farm includes grain and hay crops, and transitioning to <br /> 2 pastures. The farm has been evaluated against each of the VAD certification requirement <br /> 3 standards and meets or exceeds all of the measures above. <br /> 4 <br /> 5 10) Owners Michael and Sherry Miller Scully have submitted an application to update ownership <br /> 6 for one (1) parcel of land totaling 44.2 acres as qualifying farmland for the Voluntary Agricultural <br /> 7 District (VAD) program in the Caldwell Agricultural District. The parcel is part of the original <br /> 8 Miller Family enrolled in the VAD program in 2002; therefore, these acres will not increase the <br /> 9 overall acres in the program. <br /> 10 <br /> 11 Gail Hughes, Soil Conservationist, made the following PowerPoint presentation: <br /> 12 <br /> 13 Orange County Voluntary Farmland Preservation Program <br /> 14 Voluntary and Enhanced Voluntary <br /> 15 Agricultural District Program <br /> 16 Orange County Board of Commissions Meeting <br /> 17 June 6, 2017 <br /> 18 <br /> 19 > Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) is a 10 year commitment for farm to be in active <br /> 20 farm production, but the landowner can withdraw from the VAD at any time, for any <br /> 21 reason, with a 30 day notification to the Agri. Preservation Board. <br /> 22 > Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) is an irrevocable 10 year <br /> 23 commitment to be in active farm production, therefore the "enhanced" qualifies farm for <br /> 24 up to 90% cost share rates and a priority for state and federal grants funds. <br /> 25 <br /> 26 Benefits include: (listing a few) <br /> 27 > Makes public more aware of the local agricultural and its vital role in the economics of <br /> 28 the county; <br /> 29 > Recorded notice of agricultural district property is recorded at County Land Records <br /> 30 office; <br /> 31 > Land search on all properties within a 1/2 mile radius has notification of the agricultural <br /> 32 status, therefore, the agricultural landowner has increased protection from nuisance <br /> 33 lawsuits. <br /> 34 > Agricultural Preservation Board can request public hearings for proposed condemnation <br /> 35 of VAD land and utility assessments may be suspended or waived on EVAD land if not <br /> 36 connected to the utility. <br /> 37 > Farm may receive up to 25% of gross sales from the sale of non-farm products and still <br /> 38 maintain its zoning exemption as a bona fide farm. (EVAD only) <br /> 39 > VAD District signs are placed on farms, for public to know location of VAD/EVAD farms <br /> 40 <br /> 41 Allan and Christine Green (Woodcrest Farm) <br /> 42 • VAD — 18.5 acres — Cane Creek/ Buckhorn Agricultural District <br /> 43 • Organic vegetables/crops, pastureland, cattle, managed woodland <br /> 44 • Currently enrolled in the EVAD program with other parcel of land in the community <br /> 45 <br /> 46 Vann Bennett and Bernadette Pelissier <br /> 47 • EVAD —90.47 acres- Cedar Grove Agricultural District—3 parcels of land <br /> 48 • Blue berries, black berries, fruit and vegetable crops, managed woodland. <br /> 49 • Conservation Easement on farm held by Orange County. <br /> 50 <br /> 51 Charles (Gene) and Ruth Williams <br />