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New plan could help Rowan County farmers

In the future, the county wants to start educating citizens and local governments on how to preserve the industry.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A new plan could help Rowan County farmers for generations to come.

Let's connect the dots. 

Rowan County farmers grow everything from tomatoes to goats, But interest in key industries is fading.

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In the past decade, the county saw a loss of 100 farms. Now there's a push to help grow an industry where the average farmer is 59 years old with almost two-thirds of them saying they don't have a plan when they retire.

In the future, the county wants to start educating citizens and local governments on how to preserve the industry.

The recommendations include supporting youth agriculture education programs and encouraging elected officials to promote local farming initiatives. Plus there's a push to make it so no farms can change their zoning designation. A decision on how to move forward is expected in the coming weeks.

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