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3 <br /> position. All of this will require building connections with the commissioners. Members <br /> thanked the subcommittee and especially Saiers for all of the hard work on this. <br /> b) Annual Report and Work Plan: Staff referred members to the draft plan that was sent out, <br /> with the new updates and changes highlighted in yellow. Our final plan will be coming due <br /> on January 17t". Members should look over the current draft and email any changes to staff <br /> by then. <br /> c) Feasibility of future APB educational initiatives: Hughes spoke about his interest in having <br /> the APB look into ways that we could be educating the general public about the work of the <br /> APB and the goals of our new plan. Maybe we can create a subcommittee to start talking <br /> about this idea. This could take the form of good videos as well as talks/programs, at <br /> different venues like the Chapel Hill library, the Grange etc. Discussion followed. Members <br /> generally agreed that this should become a focus of our activities going forward. Ortosky <br /> mentioned the video that they produced a few years ago, that might be applicable or edited <br /> down. We may need to develop a core script for what we're trying to do, maybe hold <br /> community listening sessions, or work with local radio and media outlets, like WHUP in <br /> Hillsborough, WCHL, or even Spectrum local news to have interviews and they could have a <br /> link on their websites. Part of our mission is to reach out to the public about our work and <br /> about the farmland preservation challenges, maybe have Ashely Parker or Jeff Sykes tell <br /> their stories. That might get the general public interested in speaking up to their county <br /> commissioners. Another approach might be to have commissioners visit farms so they can <br /> hear the stories and concerns from members of the farm community. <br /> 7. Informational Items/Future Agenda Items: <br /> a. 2025 Ag Summit is coming up on Feb. 10th: Staff will share the link and information so that <br /> members can register online. About 100 have registered to date. <br /> b. Farm Succession Program follow-up: Staff covered this earlier in this meeting. <br /> c. VAD breakfast follow up: Covered earlier in this meeting. <br /> d. Extension and Ag Economic Development activities: Ortosky discussed current <br /> developments. The grant program has made 129 grant awards to date, with more will be <br /> coming. They expect to get a large grant to help fund the agrovoltaic demonstration project. <br /> e. Membership: Staff reviewed the roster briefly, noting that four members will be retiring off <br /> the APB on June 30, 2025, after serving two full terms: McPherson, Myers, Saiers and Sykes. <br /> Members should start looking around for prospective new members and share with staff. <br /> f. County Land Use Plan update: No new updates at this stage. The consultants collected and <br /> posted all the results from the various public information meetings. There seems to be <br /> more emphasis on the protection of farms and natural resources. <br /> 8. Time for Information Sharing: None <br /> 9. Adjournment: McPherson moved to adjourn, seconded by Totten; meeting adjourned at 8:34 <br /> pm. <br />