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�i <br />whether privisions of an easement could require that if a property owner <br />who ceases to be an active farm would have to plant in trees and use best <br />management practices. <br />Tate noted that many farms are leased because the farm owners are no <br />longer interested or able to do the farm work. Kleese suggested a two tier <br />approach where the county works to develop conservation easements that <br />are agriculturally oriented, and at same time identifies people that might <br />want to go into farming, so that as farmers retire they might sell land to a <br />ready pool of interested buyers. Mandell asked for investigation of the <br />Farm Link Program and developing that idea. Kleese suggested <br />investigating a group in the mountains who are doing the Farm Link <br />Program. <br />Renalls suggested the county buy land in the northern part of the county <br />and resell to young farmers with stipulation of continued farming. Jacobs <br />explained the legal problems involved in such an effort. Kleese suggested <br />a hybrid of this idea might be the county actually purchasing prime land in <br />county and holding it, renting out pieces for farming to young farmers <br />with the intention that they would working to bring produce into local <br />markets. <br />Concluding the discussion, the Board noted the importance of land to a <br />farmer, the Cates farm in Efland being for sale, the number- of subdivisions <br />planned for Efland area, cost of farming equipment, farming assets and <br />profits, and the capital investment (both) view of farmland. <br />Stancil suggested that staff write up a recommendations regarding <br />watershed protection being the umbrella under which agricultural <br />easements occur, that Cane Creek watershed is an area of focus under that <br />umbrella, and that the lands building around the critical mass of farmland <br />be a priority. He also noted that the upper Eno water supply is also an <br />area where there's a lot of farmland and an important water supply area <br />for Orange County residents. A short and long term vision statement was <br />suggested as: short term being to get something started and get a few <br />easements out there that shows that this is a program that works; Long <br />term explore ideas about farmland trusts, holding land for renting to young <br />farmers, need to produce products for Hispanic population in this area. <br />Jacobs noted the importance of protecting water supply for several <br />townships. <br />Recor suggested a number of ways to meet multiple objectives, including: <br />preserving parkland in a park -farm concept, that working farms make <br />produce for our citizens. Strayhorn said that a similar project had been <br />tried at Mason Farm some time ago. Recor commented that if a person <br />actually leased the land there would be more commitment, and it could <br />serve all ethnic groups. It would make people aware of what is going on. <br />DRAFT Page 3 of 5 <br />