(All photos courtesy of Laurie Paolicelli)
More than 100 people turned out for the 2015 Agricultural Summit, held at the Whitted Building in Hillsborough. Featured speakers included: Jeff Manley co-founder and director of The Rock Ranch, a 1,500 acre working-farm located in Upson County, Georgia and Annie Baggett, agri-tourism marketing specialist with the NCDA&CS Marketing Division and owner of Sunshine Lavender Farm located in Schley, in northern Orange County. Since 1992, food sales from farms directly to consumers in Orange County increased from $40,000 to $1,422,000 according to an Orange County, NC Census of Agriculture Data, 1992-2012. Farms selling food directly to consumers increased from 29 farms in 1992 to 120 farms in 2012.
The Orange County Ag Summit has become an example of strong partnerships within the agriculture industry. The success of the summit has always been a byproduct of side-by-side collaboration among Orange County elected officials, agriculture industry leaders, university research, teaching, and extension.
La Place was the site for a pre conference dinner with guest Jeff Manley Shannon and Matt Fox and Bernadette Pelissier
Laurie Paolicelli and La Place staff. The Visitors Bureau helped arrange a Sunday night welcome dinner for speakers
Organizers include Tina Miller Annie Bagget Gail Hughes and Tina Fuller
Shannon Fox of LaPlace hosted the Sunday night pre conference special event
About 100 people attended the annual Ag Summit
Anna MacDonald Dobbs and guest speaker Annie Baggett
Anna MacDonald Dobbs and Mark O’Neal
David Bailey of Bailey Bees in Hillsborough and other area farmers committed to local food networks
Bernadette Pelissier with fellow foodies Kether and Sharon
Brandon and Rodney Lloyd
Carl Matayac, Matt Roybal and James
Eno River Association and several other exhibitors participated in the Ag Summit
Jeff Manley and Earl McKee
Leslie Zimmerman and Mike Lanier
Mia Burroughs and Barry Jacobs
Mike Ortosky , the Economic Development Agricultural Manager with Tina Fuller
NC State University was one of many exhibitors at the Ag Summit
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