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January 18, 2012 Draft Meeting Summary 1 <br />DRAFT, MEETING SUMMARY <br />AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION BOARD <br />January 18, 2012 <br /> <br />MEMBERS PRESENT: Roland Walters, Howard McAdams, Allan Green, Kim Woods, Lynnette Batts and <br />Patrick McGarry <br /> <br />MEMBERS ABSENT/EXCUSED: Elizabeth Walters, Spence Dickinson, Louise Tate and Joe Thompson. <br /> <br />GUESTS: Matthew Roybal, Renee and Mike McPherson <br />STAFF: Tina Moon, Natural and Cultural Division <br /> Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation <br /> <br />ITEM #1: CALL TO ORDER <br />Chair Roland Walters called the meeting to order at 7:38 p.m. <br /> <br />ITEM #2: CHAIR COMMENTS (none) <br /> <br />ITEM #3: CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONS TO AGENDA (none) <br />Roybal provided an overview of the safety and sign-in requirements to using the Piedmont Food and <br />Agricultural Processing Center meeting room. <br />Staff revealed that Roybal had another evening commitment, so the APB agreed to rearrange the order of <br />the meeting agenda to allow Roybal to provide the tour of the facility first, and then leave. The Special <br />Presentation/Tour of the facility was shifted from Item #7 to Item #4 and all other agenda items were <br />moved back one position, i.e. the Minutes became Item #5, the Items for Decision became Item #6, etc. <br /> <br />ITEM #4: Special Presentation/Tour <br />a. Piedmont Food and Agriculture Processing Center <br />Roybal provided a thorough tour of the new Processing Center facility and provided APB members with an <br />opportunity to ask questions throughout. Roybal explained how the existing equipment was selected and <br />how new equipment was considered. Roybal also shared information about his own areas of expertise and <br />explained that part of his role as the manager (of the Processing Center) was to help clients recognize which <br />equipment would most benefit their operation and to provide training on how to use it. <br /> <br />ITEM #5: APPROVAL OF MINUTES December 21, 2011 <br />McAdams motioned approval of the minutes; Woods seconded the motion. The APB voted unanimous <br />approval of the December 21, 2011 minutes. <br /> <br />ITEM #6: ITEMS FOR DECISION <br />a. McPherson EVAD Application <br />Staff provided a brief explanation of the Voluntary Agricultural District program and the application process, <br />including a little information about the Enhanced Districts (EVADS) which are a relatively new addition to the <br />program at the state and county level. The McPhersons are the first farmers to apply for enhanced district <br />status. Staff also reported on a question from the last APB meeting regarding the McPherson’s conservation <br />easement. Staff contacted Brandon King, NCSU Cooperative Extension staff, regarding any potential <br />programs for a farm under conservation easement to enroll in the EVAD program, which essentially works <br />like a term easement. King indicated that unless the terms of the easement prevented the land from being <br />under cultivation or otherwise used for farming purposes he saw no conflict with having land under <br />easement enrolled as an EVAD. <br /> <br />Staff explained that if the APB recommends the McPherson farm for enrollment in the VAD program, staff <br />will forward the application materials along with the APB endorsement to the Board of County <br />Commissioners (BOCC). The BOCC will review the application and make the final decision. <br /> <br />Woods asked the McPhersons for more information about their farm and what they raise. Mr. McPherson <br />reported that they grow corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. McAdams made a motion to recommend the