The purpose of the Agricultural District Program is to encourage the preservation and protection of farmland from non-farm development. This is in recognition of the importance of agriculture to the economic and social well being of North Carolina.

In Chapter 106, Article 61 of the North Carolina General Statutes, the North Carolina General Assembly authorized counties to undertake a series of programs to encourage the preservation of farmland. As a result, counties throughout the state of North Carolina have begun to adopt Voluntary Agricultural District Ordinances (VAD) and Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District Ordinances (EVAD).

The ordinance provides for the creation of an Agricultural Advisory Board to administer this program. The Board reviews and approves applications for qualifying farmland as well as establishing the agricultural district.

For more information, contact N.C. Cooperative Extension, Franklin County Center at 919-496-3344.

• Cliff Freeman – Chair
• Dwight Williams – Vice Chair
• Tony Horton – Secretary
• Kevin Mitchell
• Greg Foster
• Tonya Pearce
• Bob Gardner
• Ed Wheeler
• Jeff Wood
• Brent Strickland

More information regarding the VAD/EVAD Program:

VAD and EVAD Approved Ordinance > VAD_EVAD Approved-Ordinance

VAD and EVAD: A Comparison > Comparison of VAD and EVAD

VAD New Application > VAD_Application_for_Participation

VAD_Conservation_Agreement > VAD_Conservation_Agreement

VAD New Application for Change > VAD_New Application_for_Change in Participation

EVAD Application for Participation > EVAD_Application_for_Participation

EVAD Conservation Agreement > EVAD_Conservation_Agreement

EVAD New Application for Change > EVAD_New-Application_for_Change_in_Particiption