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NC LOCALLY 6ROWN <br />COOPER ATIVE <br />® EXTENSION <br />� Caba u5 County Cfitster � ° <br />rv�a <br />UNC CHAPJI TE f E <br />College orAm. Architecture <br />s <br />selwoul ufArc4f Irrlure <br />Lomax Agricultural Learning Center <br />Program Development Plan <br />2 0 1 4 - 201 7 <br />The University of North Carolina Charlotte (UNCC) College of Arts + Architecture has <br />been working with Lomax staff for 4 years in an effort to introduce students of <br />architecture, engineering and planning to the needs of agriculture. Professor Thomas <br />Gentry continues to use the farm as a way to program agriculture into studio projects <br />and carry out research related to the coordination of agriculture and the design process. <br />Future research by the University will include appropriately scaled technology and farm <br />equipment and processes that will be useful to farmers and the industries that support <br />farming. <br />In 2012 GO Local NC Farms became the first non - production based business to begin <br />incubating at Lomax. The business provides an online marketplace for locally grown, <br />raised and produced food products. GO Local NC Farms serves customers by <br />aggregating ordered products and delivering them to locations throughout the Charlotte <br />Region. Lomax serves as the distribution hub for this operation. This startup company <br />not only benefits area farmers by selling and distributing their products, it helps farmers <br />in training at Lomax begin to sell their produce even at the very earliest stages of the <br />development of their farming business. <br />Throughout the history of the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm, interested individuals <br />and groups have come to the farm for tours. Hundreds of people come to Lomax each <br />year to learn about the incubator farm and about agriculture and the revitalization of the <br />food economy here in Cabarrus County. Lomax has been a part of the Know Your Farms <br />Charlotte Regional Farm Tour every year since its inception. <br />officials including County Commissioners from all <br />over North Carolina, NC State legislators and US <br />Congressional representatives as well as county, <br />state and federal staff from a host of agencies and <br />entities. Each year several classes from regional <br />primary schools visit Lomax, giving those children <br />a chance to see as working farm, talk to farmers in <br />training and learn about the opportunity to <br />become a farmer. <br />Attachment number 3 <br />G -2 Page 171 <br />Lomax has hosted elected <br />