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CABARRUS COUNTY <br />REGULAR MEETING <br />1 0 FEBRUARY 16, 2015 <br />1 <br />1 P.M. <br />AGENDA CATEGORY: <br />Consent Agenda <br />SUBJECT: <br />CFSA - Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm Funding Request <br />BRIEF SUMMARY: <br />Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) assumed operations of <br />the Elma C. Lomax Farm in July after it was eliminated from the County <br />budget, effective July 1, 2014. Cabarrus County entered into a temporary <br />agreement with CFSA to operate the farm in September that was effective <br />through December 31, 2014. At the December BOC meeting, the Board <br />elected to extend the temporary agreement until December 31, 2015 in <br />order to give CFSA more time to resolve funding and management issues <br />of the farm. <br />CFSA is requesting the County's provision of $25,000 from the deferred <br />tax fund as a match for the more than $26,000 raised in the Barnraiser <br />funding campaign. The combined funding from the Barnraiser and <br />Cabarrus County would provide funding until June 30, 2015. This will <br />allow time for CFSA to make applications for grants to help with <br />operational costs. Due to timing, applying for grant funding for this year <br />was not feasible. Finally, Rowan Cabarrus Community College will be <br />offering instruction at the farm in 2015. RCCC has filed paperwork to <br />make the farm part of the official teaching location (campus). CFSA has <br />submitted a memo and a budget for the farm, both of which are attached. <br />The Elma C. Lomax Farm impacts the community by providing agricultural <br />education to Cabarrus County residents and food for hunger relief through <br />the community garden program. <br />REQUESTED ACTION: <br />F -3 Page 16 <br />