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N -.a; LOCALLY G9ZQWN <br />COOPERATIVE <br />EXTENSION <br />JIIIIIIIIIIIIII Cabarrus County Center <br />UNC CHAI IUM <br />College of Arts + Architecture <br />Lomax Agricultural Learning Center <br />Program Development Plan <br />2 <br />The mission of the Lomax Agricultural Learning Center is to support and <br />promote the revitalization of the local food economy by providing the <br />programming and education necessary to create a healthier, more secure <br />and more economically productive food system in Cabarrus County. <br />1 ' <br />History of Operation: <br />The Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm was created in 2009 for the purpose of training new <br />farmers to ensure the continuation of the agricultural tradition and heritage of Cabarrus <br />County and to help meet the growing demand of the burgeoning local food economy. <br />Cabarrus County and the NC Cooperative Extension — Cabarrus Center partnered to <br />develop this agribusiness incubator aimed at helping citizens start farm -based <br />businesses. The program provided classroom instruction on the business of farming as <br />well as hands —on experience on the farm. Participants in the program developed and <br />managed their own agriculture business while receiving guidance from staff. <br />During the first five years of operations, the farmer training program at Lomax <br />continued to develop. During this same time period, other citizens within Cabarrus <br />County have expressed an interested in learning more about agriculture without <br />formally entering into the farmer training program. Several examples follow. <br />Attachment number 3 <br />G -2 Page 169 <br />