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2 <br /> <br />Update/amendment to existing VAD/EVAD: <br /> Nels and Nancy Anderson: upgrade from VAD to EVAD, plus added adding 1.44 acres to <br />their existing enrollment. This brings their total acreage to 59.86. The farm is in beef <br />cattle, pasture, hayland and managed woodland. Vanhook moved to approve the <br />amendment with additional acreage; seconded by McAdams; motion carried. <br /> <br />Hughes reported that this will bring us up to 12,554 acres in VAD. She will present these to <br />the BOCC in December, along with farms the APB has approved since July, 2017. <br /> <br />b) Approval of proposed meeting calendar: Sandbeck explained that members must approve <br />their proposed calendar for the coming year f or the County Clerk to post online. Compton <br />moved to approve the draft calendar; seconded by Shambley; motion carried. <br /> <br />6. Items for Discussion: <br /> <br />a) Feedback for Lands Legacy Action Plan: Staff reported on work by Kim Livingston, the <br />County’s new Land Conservation Manager, as she finishes up work on the action plan for <br />2017-2020. This is the final chance for members to have input. Members discussed the <br />comments made by this board for the 2013 to 2017 plan. There was interest in having this <br />program work in tandem with other related things, like the Mountains to Sea Trail. For <br />example, can we identify prime farmland that might benefit the trail project? Kim has a long <br />list of people interested in working with the county on conservation easements, many more <br />than can be funded. It is appropriate for this board to recommend that this program place a <br />special priority on protecting prime active farmland and/or working farms. The wording <br />should be stronger: “Prioritize working with farms…” Saiers moved to adjust the wording, <br />seconded by Dawson; motion carried. Staff will share with Kim. <br /> <br />b) Annual Report and Work Plan updates: Staff provided a brief overview of the updates <br />included so far in the handout. Discussion followed. There is an organization called NC Farm <br />Link, which operates a web site to link up new farmers with retiring farmers. Orange County <br />has been maintaining a similar web site. There is an ongoing challenge in connecting these <br />parties due to the complexity of the legal/land ownership transfer issues and the high cost <br />of land. Part of the issue is having better data on farming in the county. There is a need for <br />an updated sort of “ag census” to make it possible to get a handle on what is being raised, <br />how much acreage is being used for what etc. to allow us t o plan for the future. Members <br />believe that more land will be sold out of farming in the future based on present trends. <br />There is some interest in exploring the possibility of an ag support listserv. <br /> <br />c) Update on “Working Cats” program: Guests Bob Marotto and Maureane Hoffman provided <br />a presentation highlighting how Animal Services is promoting the concept of working with <br />farmers to find more homes for stray cats and help get more farm cats spayed or neutered, <br />and vaccinated. They continue to get a huge influx of new cats and kittens every spring.