Agenda - 09-06-2012 - 5g; VAD - Parker Farm

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2 3. Be certified by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the United States Department of Agriculture as being a farm on which at least two-thirds of the land is composed of soils that: a. Are best suited for providing food, seed, fiber, forage, timber, forestry products, horticultural crops and oil seed crops; b. Have good soil qualities; c. Are favorable for all major crops common to the county where the land is located; d. Have a favorable growing season; and e. Receive the available moisture needed to produce high yields for an average of eight out of ten years; OR at least two-thirds of the land has been actively used in agricultural, horticultural or forestry operations as defined by N.C.G.S. §105-277.2 (1, 2, 3) during each of the five previous years, measured from the date on which the determination must be made as to whether the land in question qualifies; 4. Be managed, if highly erodible land exists on the farm, in accordance with the Natural Resources Conservation Service defined erosion-control practices that are addressed to said highly-erodible land; and 5. Be the subject of a non-binding conservation agreement, as defined in N.C.G.S. §121- 35, between the County and the owner that prohibits non-farm use or development of such land for a period of at least ten years, except for the creation of not more than three lots that meet applicable County zoning and subdivision regulations. The Parker farm has been evaluated against each of these standards and meets all of the measures above. On May 16, 2012 the Agricultural Preservation Board reviewed the findings of the staff assessment and voted unanimously to recommend approval of the certification of the 293 acres of farmland and its inclusion in the Voluntary Agricultural District program (Caldwell Agricultural District). To be formally designated as part of a voluntary agricultural district, the Board of Commissioners must approve that the farm meets the certification requirements as per the APB's findings. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this item. Voluntary agricultural districts are non-monetary and non-binding conservation agreements. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board certify the 293 acres of the Parker farm as denoted in the attached documentation as qualifying farmland, and designate it as a Voluntary Agricultural District farm within the Caldwell Agricultural District.