Bladen County Voluntary Agriculture District (VAD)
 
North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the country, which has led to significant loss of farmland and forest land. While Bladen County has not lost much farmland and forests, we did see a 9% increase in population from the 2000 to 2010 census numbers.  New residents moving into the county may not understand or appreciate rural land uses such as forestry or farming.  In North Carolina there are local ordinances, called voluntary agricultural district (VAD) ordinances that establish programs to promote and preserve farming and forestry.  A VAD ordinance was passed on June 4, 2007 and amended on January 17,2012 in Bladen County. 
 
The purpose of the ordinance is to promote the health, safety, rural agricultural values, and general welfare of the County, and increase identity and pride in the agricultural community and its way of life; encourage the economic and financial health of agriculture; increase protection from non-farm development; and increase the protection of farms from suits and other negative impacts on properly managed farms.
 
BENEFITS
Listed below are some of the benefits to landowners:
Notices – notification provisions are intended to reduce nuisance issues between farm and for­estry and other types of land uses in­cluding residential.  The following notice is displayed in a prominent position in the Office of the Register of Deeds and the public access area in the Bladen County Tax Department:
 
NOTICE TO REAL ESTATE PURCHASERS IN BLADEN COUNTY
BLADEN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS
Bladen County has established agricultural districts to protect and preserve agricultural lands and activities.  These districts have been developed and mapped to inform all purchasers of real property that certain agricultural activities, including but not limited to pesticide spraying, manure spreading, machinery and truck operations, livestock operations, sawing, and similar activities may take place in these districts any time during the day or night. Maps and/or information on the location and establishment of these districts can be obtained from the Cooperative Extension Service Office, County Planning Department, Register of Deeds, Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Farm Service Agency Office, and the County Tax Department.
 
Signs – Signs identifying Bladen County as a Voluntary Agricultural District are placed near the county entrances of major roads. Also, members of voluntary agricultural districts are provided with a sign to place on their prop­erty.
 
Public hearings on condemnation of farmland – The VAD advisory board can hold public hearings on public projects likely to have an impact on an operation or if projects involve condemnation of all or part of qualifying forest, farm, or horticultural land. Before a state or local government agency can condemn any interest in qualifying land within a VAD, it must request that the local agricultural ad­visory board hold a public hearing.
 
Waiver of water and sewer assessments – Water and sewer assessments may be held in abeyance, without interest, for farms inside a voluntary agricultural district, until improve­ments on such property are connected to the water or sewer system for which the assessment was made.
 
Subdivision and development review – Developers of major subdivisions or planned unit developments shall designate on preliminary development plans, the existence of the agricultural districts within one aerial mile of the proposed development.
 
Public expenditures – Before the county can spend funds to convert land in a voluntary agricultural district to non-farm uses, the County or any other local unit of government shall submit to the Agricultural Board detailed information showing that it has considered alternatives.
 
QUALIFICATIONS TO JOIN
The farmland and forest requirements to be qualified for the VAD program are:
1.)    farmland shall be real property engaged in agriculture as defined by G.S. 106-581.1
2.)    land must have a Farm Service Agency (FSA) issued farm or tract number
3.)    the property shall be certified by the USDA FSA, NRCS, Bladen Cooperative Extension, and the Bladen SWCD as being a farm on which at least two-thirds of the land is composed of soils that: (a) have good farming qualities and (b) are favorable for crops, livestock, ornamentals, Christmas trees or timber common to Bladen County.               
 
STEPS TO ENROLL
Request an application from the Bladen County Cooperative Extension Office located at 450 Smith Circle Drive or call 862-4591. 
Complete your application including all farm and tax numbers that are required. 
Return your completed application to the Bladen County Cooperative Extension Office with a check payable to Bladen County Cooperative Extension in the amount of $65.  This fee will cover the cost of a sign which designates a farm’s membership and the charges involved in filing the document with the Bladen County Register of Deeds Office.  
 
For more information, contact Bladen County Extension Office at 862-4591, Bladen Soil and Water Conservation District at 862-3179 ext. 3 or Bladen County Planning Department at 862-6905.