Published: April 2026
Bibliographic reference: Simon Heinberg, Lindsay Bell. 2025 Agricultural Policy Landscape Case Study: North Carolina’s Durham and Orange Counties. World Food Policy Center, 2026
This brief examines the agricultural policy landscape in North Carolina’s Durham and Orange Counties as of 2025, highlighting key programs, funding mechanisms, and planning frameworks that shape the future of farming in these communities. Orange and Durham Counties, along with nearby areas, contain a remarkable density of small-scale, direct-to-consumer farms. This concentration made the region a compelling place to investigate how a comparatively strong local food system took root in climate-resilient practices and to explore what conditions would allow these farms (and the local economies they energize) to flourish in the future. Durham and Orange County administrations support local farmers using county-level policies and by overseeing state and federal programs, with the overarching goals of supporting farmers and preserving agricultural lands. Both counties administer conservation funding and technical assistance programs, provide tax incentives, support local food economies, and prioritize agriculture in land-use planning.