Upcoming Regional VAD Programs

Free workshops on Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) programs will be held in February and March across North Carolina. There are now over 84 of these programs in North Carolina.
Dates/Locations:

*February 4 - Plymouth, N.C. - Vernon G. James Research and Extension Center (Northeast)

*February 18 - Mount Olive, N.C. - Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center, Mount Olive College (Southeast)

*February 25 - Elon, N.C. - Elon University (Piedmont)

*March 6 - Newton, N.C. - Catawba County Agricultural Resources Center (Foothills/Western Piedmont)

*March 22 - Franklin, N.C. - Cowee Elementary School (West)

These workshops are for board members, program staff, including cooperative extension and soil and water conservation district employees, planners, municipal/county managers, farmers, citizens -- and those local governments considering adopting or amending a VAD or Enhanced VAD program ordinance.

Registration is now open: .

Topics to be covered will include:
*Overview of voluntary agricultural district programs and farmland protection planning
*Incentives for program participation
*Considerations for program success
*Overview of regional initiatives pertaining to farm operation and protection -- and economic development
*Program signage on right-of-ways and private property
*Farmland impact assessment for transportation planning
*Food Safety Modernization Act, estate planning and taxes, farm labor
*And other topics...


Registration and workshop information is available here: http://www.ncadfp.org/vadprogram.htm

 There is no fee for this workshop.