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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: June 2, 2026 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 6-b <br /> SUBJECT: Acceptance of Updated Orange County Agricultural Viability and Farmland <br /> Stewardship Plan <br /> DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation (DEAPR) — <br /> Agricultural Preservation Board <br /> ATTACHMENT(S) INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Final Draft of Plan David Stancil, (919) 245-2522 <br /> Peter Sandbeck, (919) 245-2517 <br /> PURPOSE: To consider accepting the updated Agricultural Viability and Farmland Stewardship <br /> Plan for Orange County to replace the 2009 Plan document. <br /> BACKGROUND: In 2009, the BOCC adopted the County's first Agricultural Development and <br /> Farmland Preservation Plan, prepared by the Agricultural Preservation Board (APB) in response <br /> to state legislation passed in 2005 that encouraged counties to develop such plans as a means <br /> of enhancing local support for farmland preservation and improving the economic viability of <br /> farming operations. In 2022, the APB started work on a three-year project to update and replace <br /> the existing 2009 Plan. The timing of this Plan update project will allow the APB to meet its goal <br /> of having a completed Plan that can provide an agricultural preservation component for integration <br /> into the County's current Land Use Plan 2050 update process. <br /> The APB is pleased to present this updated version, entitled Agricultural Viability and Farmland <br /> Stewardship Plan for Orange County, to replace the existing Plan. This document represents <br /> hundreds of hours of dedication and hard work by the APB's Farmland Protection Subcommittee <br /> and includes input and feedback from area farmers, along with collaboration with the staff of the <br /> following: Orange County Center of NC Cooperative Extension, Orange County Soil and Water <br /> District, the Orange County Planning Department and Orange County DEAPR. <br /> An initial draft of the updated Plan was presented to the BOCC at a work session on April 8, 2025. <br /> At that time, BOCC members shared their insights and provided valuable feedback. The <br /> subcommittee edited and revised the Plan to address the various questions and issues raised by <br /> the BOCC. At the direction of the BOCC, the subsequent draft was then reviewed by Planning <br /> and Legal staff. Their recommendations have been incorporated into the attached final draft <br /> version. Once approved, the new Plan must be forwarded to the staff of the North Carolina <br /> Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund (ADFP) for acceptance. This is <br /> required to allow Orange County to continue to receive preference and enjoy reduced matching <br /> fund requirements for state ADFP Trust Fund grants, which are awarded on a competitive <br />