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Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm Public to Private Transition Plan July 7th, 201-4 LOCALLY 6ROWN From 2009 through June of 201-4, the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm was managed by Cabarrus County government and served as a teaching facility in cooperation with Cabarrus County Cooperative Extension. The Board of County Commissioners has determined that operation of the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm is no longer consistent with its mission, and that such an endeavor would be more appropriately undertaken by the private or non -profit sectors. Many individuals, organizations and startup businesses have come to rely on the Lomax Farm. Still others have planned partnerships for future cooperation. The following proposal will allow operation of the farm to continue without any county funding. Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) is a member - based, farmer - driven, non -profit organization with a mission to promote local and organic agriculture in the Carolinas, including education and support for new farmers. CFSA (carolinafarmstewards.org), headquartered in Pittsboro, NC, is willing to assume the role of fiscal sponsor for the Lomax Farm, assume immediate operational management of the Lomax Farm and assist in the development of a long - range plan for its continued operation. To facilitate a smooth transition and ensure continued success of the current and future farmer - students, use and maintenance of all tools, equipment, and improvements purchased for and associated with operations of the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm will be assigned to CFSA solely for use at the Lomax Farm. It should be noted that, initially, all the tools, equipment and improvements at the Elma C. Lomax were purchased with proceeds from a Cannon Foundation grant award. Any tools, equipment or improvements purchased subsequently by the county were funded through the Cabarrus County Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. The county attorney has advised that a simple and brief interim operational agreement between Cabarrus County and CFSA can be drafted in short order that will provide for the transition of management and fiscal responsibility of the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm from Cabarrus County to CFSA. The following are among the items that should be included in the document: Attachment number 1 G -2 Page 165