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5 <br />Agricultural Center Work Group Report <br />Executive Summary <br />Across North Carolina, many counties have responded to their respective community <br />needs for adequate facilities for agricultural programs and constnacted new ag centers to <br />better serve the farmers as well as the general public. In the late 1980's, Orange County <br />reviewed the need for an agricultural center when the local livestock market was closed. <br />Records indicate that $350,000 in county funds were designated for the purrhase and <br />construction of an ag center facility however, those funds were transferred for other capital <br />projects and are no longer available. <br />At the request of the Agricultural Preservation Board, the Board of County Commissioners <br />decided to revisit the need for an agricultural center. In early 2005, the commissioners <br />appointed citizens to the Agricultural Center Work Group (Work Group) to review available <br />information, solicit public input, and submit a report to the commissioners in April 2006. <br />The Work Group had many thoughtful discussions, visited 2 ag centers, 1 ag education <br />facility, and 1 shared used value added facility, conducted 2 surveys, and held 1 community <br />outreach event. The Work Group concluded that an agricultural center is needed by <br />Orange County. Short term needs include parking and confidential meeting space for <br />farmers when they visit county ag agencies, as well as a demonstration area for <br />horticultural and environmental education purposes. Long term needs require additional <br />time for evaluation. The Work Group recommends a thorough examination of local food <br />production and local markets for farm products. <br />A survey conducted by the Work Group indicated strong support far an agricultural center <br />with 4 of every 5 respondents indicating that they believed the county needs a new <br />agricultural center. There was especially high support for 4-H and youth programs, as well <br />as for medium sized meeting rooms. <br />The Wark Group recommends the following to the Board of County Commissioners. First, <br />the physical space needs of the agricultural agencies are paramount, with an immediate <br />goal of providing adequate customer parking and office space. The current location of <br />Revere Road allows for limited expansion, however, moderate accommodations may <br />provide temporary relief. <br />Secondly, the Work Group strongly recommends that the BOGC embark on a capital <br />improvement plan that includes a new freestanding Agriculture and Natural Resources <br />Center to allow agriculture in Orange County to not just survive, but to thrive well into the <br />future. Adopting a capital improvement plan to obtain a suitable site and facility that would <br />provide for most if not all services related to an "Agriculture and Natural Resources <br />Education Center", preferably in a single location. Such services and activities include <br />workshop facilities, outdoor field plots, demonstration areas, and outdoor events such as <br />annual ag summits, possible farm-city days, and annual ag breakfasts. It is clear that a <br />single location would provide the best efficiency of resources, and encourage thorough and <br />continued use of an outdoor area for horticultural and farm -related workshops, as well as <br />demonstration areas for various ag program components. <br />Thirdly, to support viable farm enterprises that are blessed with close proximity to Durham <br />and Chapel Hill and their associated plentiful direct and wholesale market opportunities, to <br />Agricultural Center Work Group Report Page 3 <br />