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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-01-2014 - 6gORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: December 1, 2014 Action Agenda Item No. 6 -g SUBJECT: Applications for Grants from the NC Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund and the Federal Agricultural Conservation Easement Program for the Pope Farm Conservation Easement DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation (DEAPR) ATTACHMENTS: ADFP Trust Fund Call for Applications ACEP Call for Applications PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 919 - 245 -2510 Rich Shaw, 919 - 245 -2514 PURPOSE: To authorize staff to apply for grants from the NC Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation (ADFP) Trust Fund and the federal Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) for funds to purchase a conservation easement at the Pope Farm in Cedar Grove Township. BACKGROUND: The acquisition of agricultural conservation easements to help preserve prime farmland is a longstanding goal of the Board of Commissioners, and is a priority of the Lands Legacy Program. To date, Orange County has protected over 2,000 acres of prime farmland and riparian buffers through this program. Since 2001 Orange County has been awarded $3.53 million from state and federal agencies for the purpose of acquiring permanent conservation easements. Those funds were used to match County funds and landowner donations to acquire conservation easements on 16 farms. This coming year, the federal Farm Bill will provide nearly $2.3 million for similar projects in North Carolina. Over the past four years, Orange County has worked with Robert and Gail Pope and the Eno River Association to secure funding to protect the 75 -acre Captain John S. Pope Farm with a conservation easement. A conservation easement would enhance the protection of this historic farm, which was designated a Local Historic Landmark by Orange County in 2012, and was designated a Century Farm by the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, The farm is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Grant applications were submitted by the County and the Eno River Association in both 2012 and 2013, but they were not selected for funding. DEAPR would like to re -apply to both grant sources and this time offer County matching funds of up to $50,000 from the Lands Legacy Conservation Easement Fund. The Eno River Association remains interested in collaborating with the County in pursuing grant funds. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The County intends to re -apply for up to $120,000 in federal and state grant funds. The grant programs would require County matching funds should one or both grants be awarded. The County's matching funds for the easement purchase (up to $50,000) would come from the Lands Legacy Conservation Easement Fund. DEAPR would come back to the Board for authorization to commit County funds should grants be awarded. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board authorize staff to work with the landowners and Eno River Association on resubmitting applications for grants from the NC ADFP Trust Fund and the federal Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (both due December 19, 2014) in an amount not to exceed $120,000. Cycle VIII Page 1 of 1 K EVENTS 1131:!IP „III Irust 1F:!uiind Cycle 1111 1131131hIII ''III III'f PRESERVATION FAQ The ADFP Trust Fund application is now online. Please follow the links to complete the application. Budget documents necessary for uploading to the application are available for download below. CONTACT DOWNLOADS Applications deadline is Friday, December 19, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. 2014 Application Guidelines Please note: If completing applications for both conservation easement/agreement and agricultural development project/agricultural plan, you must register as a new user. Exisiting usernames do not cross over between the conservation easement/agreement and agricultural development project/agricultural plan applications. Conservation Easement /Agreement Application: Conservation Easement /Agreement Application Login Page Conservation Easement Budget and Narrative - Cycle VIII Matching Funds Information Project Timeline - Cycle VIII Financial Affidavit for Beginning Farmers and Limited Resource Farmers Agricultural Development Project /Agricultural Plan Application: Agricultural Development Project/Agricultural Plan Application Login Page Plan Project Budget and Narrative - Cycle VIII Matching Funds Information Project Timeline - Cycle VIII Downloadable form for private non - profit conservation organizations: NC Openbook Supplemental Information North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund 2 West Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 Phone: (919) 707 -3071 Jobs I Mission Statement I Accessibility Statement I Disclaimer I Privacy Statement Steve Troxler, Commissioner of Agriculture http : / /www.ncadfp.org /CycleVIII.htm 11/19/2014 Release No.: 00 19.14 Contact Stuart Lee, (919) 873 -2107 Stuart.Lee @nc.usda.gov Announcing the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program — Wetland Reserve Easement (ACEP -WRE) component application deadline for Fiscal Year 2015 funding consideration November 19, 2014, Raleigh, NC — December 19, 2014, is fiscal year 2015's deadline for ACEP -WRE applications to be filed by eligible landowners with their local USDA Service Center. Landowners that are interested in enrolling their land should contact their local NRCS field office to ensure their farm records are up -to -date, their eligibility forms have been completed, and that they have completed an NRCS -CPA- 1200 to apply for ACEP -WRE. Although the final rule has not yet been published for ACEP, the WRE component operates like the repealed Wetland Reserve Program (WRP). ACEP -WRE provides financial assistance directly to private and Tribal landowners to restore, protect and enhance wetlands on eligible land through the purchase of Wetland Reserve Easements. When the final rule for ACEP is published NRCS will notify WRE applicants of any further information or documentation that may be required to process and review the application. A separate application deadline for the other ACEP components: Agricultural Land Easements (ALE), and ALE - Grasslands of Special Environmental Significance (ALE -GSS), will be announced at a later date. Program Contact Greg Walker, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, 919- 873 -2104 For more information on Easements, Please Visit our NC Easement Page. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.