Durham County farm campus feasibility study proposes phased incubator and education center on Orange Factory Road site

County Cooperative Extension and consultant HR&A presented a feasibility study recommending phased development of the Durham County Farm Campus on the county‑owned Orange Factory Road property.

Derek Fleming of HR&A summarized the plan’s goals: expand access to land, support beginning farmers through an incubator program, provide shared processing and teaching kitchen space, and host community and workforce programming. “The Durham County Farm Campus aims to be a welcoming, accessible, culturally farming, and safe space that promotes sustainable agricultural practices, environmental stewardship, food access, equity, and economic prosperity,” Fleming said.

The study maps a phased buildout: Phase 0 (year 0–1) site preparation and community activation; years 1–3 initial incubator plots and temporary infrastructure and programming; years 4–6 program expansion and physical upgrades; years 7–10 a fully realized campus with educational, food‑processing and healing‑garden elements. The report includes a 10‑year operating budget scenario and proposes governance through Cooperative Extension with a steering committee of farmers, community‑based organizations and technical experts.

Commissioners raised access and transit questions and asked staff to include transit phasing in the implementation schedule; the consultants and Extension noted shuttle options and potential future transit routing as implementation choices. County staff and consultants will continue outreach to philanthropic and grant sources to cover capital and operating needs and recommended hiring a farm manager to launch early programming.