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CABARRUS COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />REGULAR MEETING <br />DECEMBER 16, 2013 <br />1 <br />AGENDA CATEGORY: <br />Consent Agenda <br />SUBJECT: <br />Planning and Development - Soil & Water Conservation District - <br />Authorization to Submit an Application for State Matching Funds to <br />Purchase Agricultural Conservation Easement <br />BRIEF SUMMARY: <br />In 2012, the Conservation District Board submitted a grant application to <br />the N. C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences Agricultural <br />Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund in the amount of <br />$44,400 for the purchase of a permanent agricultural conservation <br />easement on 35.52 acres of farmland owned by Michael Barrier. After that <br />grant application was denied earlier this year, the Trust Fund made the <br />decision to invite applicants to resubmit. The District intends to apply for <br />federal matching funds from the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, <br />a federal Farm Bill program administered by the Natural Resources <br />Conservation Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The county <br />match on this application is limited to an in -kind match. A budget <br />amendment will be submitted at a later date if the grant funds are <br />awarded. <br />Farmland preservation supports goals of both the Board of <br />Commissioners and the Conservation District board by improving the <br />quality of life for County citizens. Permanently protecting farmland <br />ensures the land base necessary for the County's agricultural economy <br />while simultaneously keeping the tax burden low by maximizing land <br />acreage where the cost of County services is lower. <br />REQUESTED ACTION: <br />Motion to authorize the District board to resubmit a grant application to the <br />N. C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences Agricultural <br />F -10 Page 166 <br />