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markets, including grocery stores and institutions, such as prisons, medical centers and <br />schools, where county government allocates funds for food service budgets. <br />Issues to be explored <br />For small and mid -sized farms to function efficiently, they need infrastructure that is <br />scaled to meet their needs, meaning it is both appropriate for the volume they produce <br />and located nearby, so they can avoid the cost associated with driving long distances to <br />use it. <br />In its state action guide, CEFS defines food system infrastructure as the physical capacity <br />to get food from the farm to the market. It also includes the businesses that connect <br />farmers to markets. Food system infrastructure facilitates the creation of products that <br />extend the marketing window and shelf -life of seasonally produced foods at the same <br />time it adds value to farmers' raw products. Farmers need cold storage and transportation; <br />value -added processing centers; facilities for grading, aggregation and packaging; <br />community kitchens; dairy processing facilities; and grain milling in order to get their <br />sustainably- produced food to consumers. <br />This raises questions such as: What infrastructure is available to small and mid -sized <br />farmers in Cabarrus County? Does it meet local farmers' needs, and if not, why not? <br />What infrastructure is needed to expand market opportunities? Do opportunities exist for <br />regional collaboration? <br />IV. Economic Opportunity <br />Beef is the primary commodity -The 2007 USDA Census reports 306 farms —half the <br />County's farms —have cattle and calves in inventory. In 2007, 259 farms sold 7,237 cattle <br />and calves for a total of $4.47 million, ranking second in market sales value for the <br />County. <br />Cow /calf operations dominate -As in much of North Carolina, cattle farms generally fall <br />into one of two categories. Cow /calf operations sell animals weighing between 400 -600 <br />lbs. at livestock auctions, where they will be bought and taken to feedlots. County <br />Extension Director Debbie Bost estimates that 80% of Cabarrus cattle farms are cow /calf <br />operations, noting that this number has decreased in the last few years, from <br />approximately 90% to 80 %. <br />The remaining 20% of Cabarrus beef farmers "finish" between two and five of their cattle <br />and bring them to full weight to sell into local markets. This is sometimes referred to as <br />"freezer beef," which farmers sell directly to consumers through the Piedmont Farmers' <br />Market and other direct market channels. <br />Beef farmers interested in developing local markets- The County Cooperative <br />Extension office surveyed cattle farmers across Rowan, Cabarrus, Union, Mecklenburg, <br />Gaston, Davidson, Richmond, Anson, and Iredell counties. Survey results reveal a large <br />number of farmers are interested in developing local markets for their beef. Out of 236 <br />9 <br />Attachment number 2 <br />G -4 Page 518 <br />