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6 <br /> FINAL DRAFT-5-27-26 <br /> Preface <br /> The Orange County Agricultural Preservation Board is pleased to present this <br /> new version of our Agricultural Viability and Farmland Stewardship Plan for <br /> Orange County, to replace the existing plan adopted in 2009. This document <br /> represents hundreds of hours of hard work by our Farmland Protection <br /> Subcommittee and includes input and feedback from area farmers, along with <br /> collaboration with the staff of the following: Orange County Center of NC <br /> Cooperative Extension, Orange County Soil and Water District, the Orange <br /> County Planning Department and the Orange County Department of <br /> Agriculture, Environment, Parks and Recreation. <br /> In April 2025, a draft of this plan was presented to the membership of Orange <br /> County's Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), who provided valuable <br /> feedback and shared their insights. The subcommittee undertook additional <br /> research and editorial work to address questions and issues raised by the <br /> Commissioners. A revised draft was then reviewed by Planning and Legal Staff. <br /> Their ideas and input have been incorporated into this final version. Once <br /> approved by the BOCC, our new plan must be forwarded to the staff of the <br /> North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund <br /> (ADFP), for acceptance. This is required to allow Orange County to continue to <br /> receive preference and enjoy reduced matching fund requirements for ADFP <br /> Trust Fund grants. This program has been and will continue to be a major source <br /> of funding for our farmland preservation projects. <br /> Our plan articulates current conditions in local agriculture and presents a vision <br /> for how Orange County can work proactively to enhance the viability of <br /> agriculture and promote farmland preservation. The plan provides <br /> recommendations for future actions and articulates a series of implementation <br /> steps to be carried out over the next few years as the Agricultural Preservation <br /> Board presents specific recommendations and requests for consideration by the <br /> BOCC. <br /> 4 <br />