Adopted in Brunswick County, NC in September of 2001, VAD is the key North Carolina farmland preservation program that encourages owners to keep their land in farm or forest use. VADs mission in Brunswick County is to

• promote the health, safety, rural agricultural values, and general welfare of the county
• increase identity and pride in the agricultural community and its way of life
• encourage the economic and financial health of farming
• increase protection from undesirable, non-farm development
• increase the protection of farms from nuisance suits and other negative impacts on properly managed farms.

VAD encourages the preservation and protection of farmland and working forests, while allowing landowners to publicly recognize their farms. Properties enrolled in VAD are granted the following benefits: It also establishes an Agricultural Advisory Board in the county. The VAD Board is appointed by county commissioners and serves 3-year terms. The current board is: Charles Carroll (President), Jody Clemmons, Marc Green, Travis Potter, and Jim Stanaland.

• Public notice in title searches
• Recorded notice of proximity
• 50 ft buffer zone from developments
• Protection against nuisance lawsuits related to the production of agriculture

Enhanced Voluntary Agriculture District (EVAD) was adopted by Brunswick County in February of 2024. EVAD is an irrevocable 10 year conservation agreement that landowners can opt into if they meet the requirements of VAD. EVAD members are given additional benefits in conjunction to those listed above.

In order for farmland to qualify for participation under the terms of this program, it shall meet the following requirements: If you are interested in applying for VAD/EVAD please see the link below and follow the mailing instructions on the link.

• The farmland shall be real property consisting of at least three acres and not located in a planned development unless the development was originally designed and approved to accommodate agricultural uses and documented on the preliminary plan, site plan, and/or associated plats.
• The property must be engaged in agriculture and defined as a Bona Fide Farm per Article 12 (Definitions) of the Brunswick County Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).
• The property must be managed, if highly erodible land exists on the property, in accordance with the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture defined erosion control practices that addresses highly erodible land.
• The property is the subject of a Conservation Agreement, as defined in N.C.G.S. 121-35, between the County and the owner of such land that prohibits non-farm use or development of such land for a period of at least ten years, except for the creation of not more than three lots that meet applicable county watershed and subdivision regulations, or the regulations of any municipality which apply to the farm property.
• The property must be located in the unincorporated area of Brunswick County, unless there is an agreement in place with a municipality where the county is authorized to exercise the authority of the municipality on its behalf.

VAD Membership Application

If you have any questions about VAD/EVAD or the application process please direct them to our office at (910)-253-2610 or Taylor McDaniel (Horticulture Agent- Brunswick County Center) at (910)-253-2596.