Title
Vote to approve the Letter of Funding Commitment for the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Local Agricultural Growth Zone grant application
Abstract
Introduction/Background: Chatham Soil and Water Conservation District is seeking to leverage the existing Article 46 Farmland Preservation and Enhancement funds to increase Chatham's farmland conservation easement programing activity through the application of the Local Agricultural growth Zones program through the Department of Agriculture.
The purpose of the Local Agricultural Growth Zones (AGZ) Application is to allow counties and conservation nonprofit organizations to enhance local investments in the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements by applying for matching funds from the state. Different regions in North Carolina have varying agricultural landscapes, land use pressures, and community needs. Accordingly, local AGZs allow for strategic approaches to farmland preservation at the community level.
Qualifying entities (county governments or private conservation nonprofit organizations) may request up to $2 million per Local AGZs application, which, if awarded, will serve as a dollar-for-dollar match to local dollars spent toward conservation easement efforts.
Local AGZ applications must include a cash contribution for agricultural conservation easement purchase equal to or greater than the Agriculture Development and Farmland Preservation (ADFP) Trust Fund grant request for agricultural conservation easement purchase. Future projections for cash contributions for agricultural conservation easement purchase may be considered.
Higher consideration will be given to Local AGZ applications with secured cash contributions for agricultural conservation easement purchase and other funds available to complete agricultural conservation easement projects.
Local AGZ applications may request ADFP Trust Fund grant funds for transactional costs to complete the agricultural conserva...
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