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1 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: October 7, 2008 <br />Action Agen a <br />Item No. - G <br />SUBJECT: Contract with NC Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust <br />Fund for the Regional Value-Added Shared-Use Food & Agricultural <br />Processing Center <br />DEPARTMENT: Economic Development PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br />Cooperative Extension <br />-- <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Contract Brad Broadwell, 245-2325 <br />BOCC Resolution Feb. 19, 2008 Noah Ranells, 245-2330 <br />BOCC Minutes Feb. 19, 2008 Fletcher Barber, 245-2050 <br />BOCC Minutes Feb. 12, 2008 <br />Partner County July 17, 2008 Meeting <br />Agenda ' <br />PURPOSE: To approve a contract with the NC Agricultural Development and Farmland <br />Preservation Trust Fund fora $132,000 grant for the Regional Value-Added-Shared-Use Food <br />and Agricultural Processing Center. <br />BACKGROUND:. On December 11, 2007, the BOCC authorized staff to submit a grant <br />application to the NC Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund to <br />support the implementation of the November 2007 Feasibility Report. This project will build <br />capacity for local farmers to meet the increasing consumer demand for retail and wholesale <br />marketing of locally grown farm products in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. <br />At a BOCC Work Session on February 12, 2008, designation of the 500 Valley Forge Road <br />property and funding for implementing the feasibility study completed in November 2007 were <br />discussed by the BOCC. At the February 19, 2008 regular meeting of the BOCC, a resolution <br />was unanimously approved to "...formally allocating the former Orange Enterprise Building on <br />Valley Forge Road in Hillsborough for development of a regional value-added shared-use food <br />and agricultural processing center". In addition, it was resolved that "...the shared monetary <br />compensation for the Valley Forge property will be determined later and request that equitable <br />fiscal support among partners be pursued that recognizes the allocation of the Orange <br />Enterprise building owned by Orange County." The compensation issue for the facility was <br />shared with the commissioner group that is guiding this process on July 17, 2008. At that time, <br />the Valley Forge building was assessed at $250,973 and the land at $176,847. The <br />commissioner group will consider the funding issues pending the outcome of the various grant <br />applications. <br />The center will accommodate a range of processing needs and allow for future expansion. <br />Business development support and education (especially training for new food-based <br />businesses), developing business plans, and meeting food safety requirements will allow the <br />