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CABARRUS COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />REGULAR MEETING <br />OCTOBER 21, 2013 <br />1 <br />AGENDA CATEGORY: <br />Consent Agenda <br />SUBJECT: <br />Planning & Development - Soil & Water Conservation District - <br />Acceptance of State Funds and Application for State and Federal <br />Matching Funds to Purchase Agricultural Conservation Easements <br />BRIEF SUMMARY: <br />The NC Department of Agriculture awarded Cabarrus Soil & Water <br />Conservation District up to $228,112.50 from the Agricultural <br />Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund to purchase <br />development rights and place a conservation easement on a portion of <br />Porter Farms. The District intends to apply for $456,225 in federal <br />matching funds from the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, a <br />federal Farm Bill program administered by the Natural Resources <br />Conservation Service in the US Department of Agriculture. The county <br />match on this application is limited to an in -kind match. These funds will <br />be used to purchase development rights and place a permanent <br />agricultural conservation easement on an estimated 182.49 acres of <br />farmland owned by Porter Farms. A budget amendment will be submitted <br />at a later date if the federal matching funds are awarded. The District also <br />intends to apply for additional state Agricultural Development and <br />Farmland Preservation Trust Fund monies to place one or more <br />conservation easements on additional farmland. Farmland preservation <br />supports goals of both the Board of Commissioners and the Conservation <br />District board by improving the quality of life for county citizens. <br />Permanently protecting farmland ensures the land base necessary for the <br />county's agricultural economy while simultaneously keeping the tax <br />burden low by maximizing land acreage where the cost of county services <br />is lower. <br />REQUESTED ACTION: <br />F -3 Page 101 <br />