Agenda - 01-21-20 8-a - Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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8 1 2 Jason Shepherd 3 VAD - 42.38 acres— High Rock/Efland Agricultural District— 1 parcel of land 4 Hay crops, soybeans, and managed woodland 5 In addition to farming, Jason is also the Orange County Fire Marshal 6 7 Annette and Mark McClish 8 VAD-14.1 acres — Cedar Grove Agricultural District— 1 parcel of land 9 Goats, heritage turkeys, guineas, chickens, beef cattle, bees, and pasture. 10 11 Orange County Voluntary and Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural Program 12 The Agricultural Preservation Board has approved all of the farms requesting enrollment, as 13 presented. 14 15 Requesting approval from Commissioners to accept seven (7) farms into the VAD program and 16 an additional 375 acres* in the Voluntary Agricultural District program 17 18 With this approval: enrollment will be increased to 19 121 farms: 12,868 acres in VAD and 2,566 acres in EVAD 20 Total of 15,434 acres in the program. 21 * = rounded acres 22 23 A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner McKee, for the 24 Board to certify the seven (7) farm properties noted above totaling 375 acres and designate 25 them as Voluntary Agricultural District farms within the Caldwell, Cedar Grove, High 26 Rock/Efland, Schley/Eno, White Cross, and Cane Creek/Buckhorn Voluntary Agricultural 27 Districts; and enroll the lands in the Orange County Farmland Preservation Program; Voluntary 28 and Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD and EVAD) programs. With approval of 29 these acres, the Orange County Farmland Preservation program will have enrolled 121 farms 30 totaling 12,868 acres in the VAD and 2,566 acres in the EVAD for a total of 15,434 acres in the 31 program. 32 33 VOTE: UNANIMOUS 34 35 Commissioner Price said this is Gail Hughes' last presentation, as she will be retiring. 36 She said she has done a fantastic job, and the County will be as a loss without her. She 37 thanked her for all her work over the years, and the way in which she worked with farmers. 38 Gail Hughes said there is a separate soil and water board, and there was membership in 39 the program, but it was not being run by anyone who understood farming and farmers. She 40 was happy to step into the role, and has enjoyed the opportunity to expand this program. She 41 said the success has been due to word of mouth, signage and the enthusiasm of the farmers. 42 Chair Rich said the VAD signs are so helpful in promoting and explaining the program. 43 Chair Rich referred to the selection of BOCC boards and commissions next week, and 44 said the Clerk sent out the draft listing, along with the process, today. She said commissioners 45 are able to save one board at the beginning of the process. She said last year Commissioner 46 Dorosin did not save a board, and she plans to do the same this year. She asked if one does 47 not save a board, does one get to pick a board after the saves are completed, and prior to the 48 second round beginning. 49 Commissioner Dorosin said he did not pick a board to save, and then did regular picking 50 in the second round. He said he did not get to pick a board in lieu of a save.