In March 2005, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler delivered his "Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Strategy" to the General Assembly as a State priority. During 2005 legislative session, the General Assembly passed House Bill 607 establishing the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund.

The purpose of the fund is to support the farming, forestry, and horticulture communities within the agriculture industry by:

• Supporting the purchase of agricultural conservation easements (on farm, forest, and horticulture lands), including transaction costs.
• Funding public and private enterprise programs that will promote profitable and sustainable family farms through assistance to farmers in developing and implementing plans for the production of food, fiber, and value-added products, agri-tourism activities, marketing and sales of agricultural products produced on the farm, and other agriculturally related business activities.
• Funding conservation agreements (on farm, forest, and horticulture lands) targeted at the active production of food, fiber and other agricultural products.

To learn more about the North Carolina Agriculture Development and Farmland Preservation program, call the Chatham Soil & Water Conservation District at (919) 542-8240 or visit the NC Agriculture Development and Farmland Preservation program website.