Case Study: Protecting Farmland in North Carolina
Foothills Regional Commission (FRC) in North Carolina, serves a primarily rural region flanked by the fast-growing cities of Charlotte, NC, Asheville, NC, Greenville, SC, and Spartanburg, SC. As these large metro areas grow, surrounding rural areas are experiencing their own growth pressures as suburban areas expand and urban residents look for more affordable housing options across the region. Many of these urban residents are choosing to move to communities in the FRC region due to the affordable housing options and the ability to commute on major interstates into the larger metro areas. This new influx of growth conflicts with the region’s storied agricultural tradition and history of family-owned farms.
Rutherford County in particular has struggled with this issue and sought assistance from FRC to help them address farmland depletion, promote regional and local food system entrepreneurship, and build a plan to promote local ownership of agricultural land. Through FRC, the Rutherford County Soil and Water Conservation District commissioned the Rutherford County Farmland Protection Plan.
FRC planners worked with county stakeholders and farmers to understand the extent of the issue, identify tools and resources that farmers can use to preserve their livelihoods, and find new ways to incentivize residents to begin new food systems businesses, retain existing food system businesses, or strengthen existing food value chains.
One of the highlights of the plan is Rutherford County’s desire to protect farmland from encroaching residential and commercial development. FRC identified Voluntary Agricultural Districts (VAD) as a vital tool for retaining existing farmland. VADs are a land classification tool managed at the county level that provide several benefits to farmers who want to continue farming on their land. Benefits of a farmer establishing a VAD on their property include greater protection from nuisance lawsuits, suspension of water and sewer assessments, protection from redevelopment through a public hearing process, and representation of their agricultural interests through a county-level Agricultural Advisory Board. In Rutherford County, FRC found that many farmers were not aware of the program, citing a need for greater marketing and awareness campaigns to get eligible farmland enrolled. In addition to VADs, the Present-Use Value Tax program allows farmland to be given preferential treatment under the county property tax program. Farmland is taxed at its “present-use value” rather than being assessed in relation to adjoining land that may have been developed into residential or commercial uses. Instead of being assessed on the potential value of redevelopment, the property is taxed at a rate that more accurately reflects its use as agricultural land, greatly lowering a farmer’s expected annual property tax bill.
In addition to these tax and land classification programs, FRC identified a need for additional farmer and entrepreneur support programs that can assist farmers in getting their products to market, amplify their marketing, reduce costs, and find new avenues for residents who want to start their own food businesses. FRC found through surveys and interviews with stakeholders that many farmers did not need assistance in managing agricultural activities on their farms and had adequate access to training from local USDA Cooperative Extension offices, but they lacked support and training on the business side of operating a farm.
Outside of these recommendations, FRC highlighted the need for a greater connection between the local community and local agricultural producers. FRC’s recommendations like those below will help increase awareness of local food systems and strengthen existing networks through:
The Foothills Food Hub is a separate project being led by the McDowell Local Food Advisory Council in neighboring McDowell County. The Foothills Food Hub is a vital link in the local and regional food system where producers can bring fresh and frozen foods that can be aggregated and then distributed to local food pantries, social service agencies, and those in need.
The Foothills Food Hub provides an outlet for farmers looking to sell products in bulk, reduces potential food waste, and connects residents in need with fresh, locally sourced food, all while helping to address food insecurity in the Foothills Region. FRC hopes to support the Foothills Food Hub in expanding to new markets and meeting the current needs of the region.
Through the Rutherford County Farmland Protection Plan, FRC has given one of their counties a roadmap for strengthening their regional and local food system through their existing assets. This model is replicable at regional organizations across the country through a variety of local, state, and federal funding sources. FRC aims to assist other counties in their region that are experiencing similar food access and affordability issues.
Lessons Learned: