Agenda - 03-14-2000-10 - Laserfiche WebLink

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FARMLAND PRESERVATION STAKEHOLDERS As members of the Agricultural Districts Advisory Board (ADAB) began to prepare a list of stakeholders, it quickly became apparent that all county residents enjoy some indirect gain from farmland preservation. Clearly, everyone who eats benefits from the quality and convenience associated with locally grown fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and farm_raised beef and poultry. Moreover, everyone who travels along county roads enjoys the scenic vistas retained through tilled fields, pasture and forestlands. Who then should have a voice in the development of a program to preserve agricultural lands? The ADAB feels that it is those who are "directly" affected by agricultural policies and those who gain their livelihood from the land. The following list represents the ADAB's assessment of stakeholders who will be directly affected by policies directed at preserving farmland. The list focuses on those whose ability to conduct business is linked to agriculture, as well as property owners subject to the economic impact of changing land values. Stakeholders Active Farmers (both traditional and organic/ alternative) Land Owners (mainly farmland and rural land owners, but also to a lesser degree property owners in surrounding towns) Farm Suppliers 8~ Sales Businesses (farmers' markets and other businesses linked to agriculture) Rural Industry (large-scale agricultural operations, poultry, hog operations and processing plants, which can provide part-time employment to rural residents) Rural Recreation (hikers, runners, cyclists) Real Estate (including developers and lending institutions) Utilities (DOT, OWASA, power, phone, etc.) Aesthetic/ Environmental (including town residents and environmental organizations) Civic/ Professional Associations Directed at Farming (Grange, Ruritan, and farm professional organizations such as Carolina Farm Stewardship Association)