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12 <br /> FINAL DRAFT-5-27-26 <br /> b) Offer conservation easement workshops and training tailored for VAD/EVAD farmers. <br /> 5) Provide farmers with education and resources on transition planning and farmland <br /> conservation. <br /> a) Offer farm succession and transition planning education to VAD/EVAD landowners and <br /> farmer-landowners holding Lands Legacy Program conservation easements. <br /> b) Convene an annual Transition Planning/Estate Planning summit for County farmer- <br /> landowners. <br /> c) Educate owners of forestland about the benefits to the environment and the climate of <br /> conserving forestland and the financial benefits of managed forestland. <br /> d) Conduct a County-wide outreach program to better understand farmer and landowner <br /> perspectives on transition plans to support customized approaches to transition planning <br /> and conservation. <br /> 6) Establish an Agricultural Viability and Farmland Stewardship coordinator role in the <br /> County. <br /> a) Define the duties of the coordinator role in collaboration with relevant program staff. <br /> b) Determine the appropriate place in the County organizational structure for this role and <br /> identify potential funding sources. <br /> GOAL 3: Enhance the Economic Viability of Agriculture by: <br /> • Providing new business opportunities for farmers through market development, <br /> education, diversification, and cooperation; and <br /> • Increasing local demand for Orange County farm products by increasing <br /> awareness of their value and benefits. <br /> Enhancing the economic viability of agriculture in the County entails agricultural <br /> development that facilitates productivity as well as market development that increases <br /> demand for local agricultural products. <br /> GOAL 3 RECOMMENDATIONS: <br /> 7) Expand educational opportunities in agriculture and agricultural business <br /> development. <br /> a) Offer both new- and established-farmer-targeted coursework and bootcamp with <br /> curriculum to include business development, agritourism, crop production, livestock <br /> management, marketing. <br /> 8) Support farmers in expanding and diversifying their businesses through agritourism. <br /> a) Form a County Agritourism Networking Group for peer-to-peer agritourism education and <br /> support. <br /> b) Incorporate an agritourism module into the new and beginning farmer education <br /> program (Priority Action 7a). <br /> 9) Support farmers in efforts to expand into wholesale markets. <br /> a) Educate farmers about the benefits of GAP certification. <br /> b) Implement a farm-to-school pilot program to get food from Orange County farmers into <br /> Orange County Public Schools. <br /> c) Provide opportunities for aggregation, sale, and distribution of Orange County farm <br /> products to County and NC-wide markets through collaboration with a local food <br /> 10 <br />