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Sampson County. Our ordinance passed in 2001; we began signing up farms the following year. Our program is a little different from most. We divided the county into five districts, and each district has a representative on the board. Though the main residential encroachment has come from the northern part of the county, most applicants have been from south of Clinton. The $25 application fee covers most of the costs of signs and paperwork. The county provides one sign for each farm, and people can purchase additional signs if they wish. Each farm enrolled costs the county about $5, which is a great investment if we can avoid even one nuisance complaint per year. We contracted with Future Farmers of America and vocational agriculture classes to make signs and posts, so we're also working with our next generation of farmers to make this program successful. The county provided larger signs on major roads to let drivers know that they were entering an agricultural district. Our board would like to see a sign on Interstate -40, but that would require state legislation. It took several meetings with the tax office and the registrar of deeds to figure out how the application and notification systems would work, but they've been very cooperative. They keep a full -sized map on the wall with the districts outlined, and they add a pin whenever we add a new farm. They also have a VAD notebook and other recording books. It has been very helpful for me to learn more about how those offices operate. With livestock production so important in this county, we needed a way to create a more positive approach to agriculture and the occurring changes. We've gotten several calls from real estate professionals who say they like the program because it gives them a sense of where agriculture is most active in the county. It has also given farmers a sense of pride during difficult times. I'm curious how many farms and acres are enrolled throughout the state. Every year we submit a report to the commissioner of agriculture on the number of farms and acres we have enrolled on our county. We would like to use this information for comparison of how we're doing in relation to other counties. A View from the Coast: Brunswick County By Mary Earp, Chair, Brunswick County VAD Board My husband, Wilbur, and I have operated Funston Farms for 45 years. I'm a member of the Cape Fear Resource & Conservation Development Council and a Brunswick Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. Despite all of our work on farming and conservation issues, I see a lot of good farmland and forests disappearing to development. Farmers will be paying the price for this development, with higher taxes, more restrictions and newcomers who don't understand working farms. Voluntary agricultural districts are farmer friendly and add value to the rural community. I currently serve as the chair of the Brunswick County VAD Board. This program gives our community an understanding of local farming, gives farmers protection from some costs and complaints from new neighbors and gives us a sense of pride that agriculture is here to stay. We had 69 farms enrolled, covering 8,950 acres, as of January 1, 2004. Where can we go from here? I'm interested in learning how other counties are expanding their VAD program beyond just the original signup. How do you get more landowners interested? How has this had an impact on the local agricultural community? Sharing our stories and successes across county lines will make this program successful. Please call (910) 253 -5643 or send email to earpmw @atmc.net with your ideas. Southeast Regional Office 24 Court Square NW, Suite 203 - Graham, NC 27253 336 - 221 -0707 - www.farmland.org 3