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29 <br /> NAME OF BOARD/COMMISSION: Agricultural Preservation Board <br /> Report Period: January 2022 — December, 2022 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS <br /> ANNUAL REPORT/ WORK PLAN FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br /> Board/Commission Name: Agricultural Preservation Board (APB) <br /> Person to address the BOCC at work session- if applicable- and contact <br /> information: <br /> Dr. Jane Saiers <br /> Primary County Staff Contact: <br /> Peter Sandbeck, DEAPR staff support <br /> How many times per month does this board/commission meet, including <br /> any special meetings and sub-committee meetings? <br /> Once every other month, on the third Wednesdays of January, March, May, July, <br /> September and November. <br /> Brief Statement of Board/Commission's Assigned Charge and <br /> Responsibilities. <br /> The Board's mission is "to encourage the voluntary preservation of farmland from <br /> non-farm development, recognizing the importance of agriculture to the economic <br /> and cultural life of the county." <br /> The Agricultural Preservation Board (APB) serves as the County's advisory board <br /> for agricultural issues and administers the Voluntary Farmland Protection <br /> Program. The APB advises the Board of Commissioners on agricultural <br /> development and farmland preservation, sustainable agriculture, emerging trends <br /> in agriculture, and other initiatives to help ensure that farming continues to be a <br /> viable activity here. The APB makes recommendations on proposed Voluntary <br /> Agricultural Districts (VAD) and Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural Districts (EVAD). <br /> The APB is responsible for preparing and updating the Countywide Agricultural <br /> Development and Farmland Protection Plan, and the implementation of the <br /> agricultural sections of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan, Natural and <br /> Cultural Systems Element (in conjunction with other agricultural agencies). <br /> What are your Board/Commission's most important accomplishments? <br /> • In 2022, the APB reviewed and recommended approval for 9 additional <br /> farms as Voluntary Agricultural District and Enhanced Voluntary <br /> Agricultural District farms, adding 367 acres to these programs after being <br /> approved by the BOCC. This increased the total enrollment in both <br /> programs to 17,212 acres on 147 farms throughout the County (14,596 in <br /> VAD and 2,616 in EVAD). <br />