Welcome & Ballot Basics

Amanda Benbow Lunn 0:09

Hello, friends. I am your host, Amanda Benbow Lunn, and I'm welcoming you back to the NC Deep Dive, and we will continue on with our candidate conversations for the 2026 general election. It looks like we'll have 18 contested races with 46 candidates in Southern Wake County, specifically in Holly Springs and Fuquay Varina. There are some races that have only one candidate running. We will not be including those in our NC Deep Dive. Of course, the races on your particular ballot will vary based on your address and the specific districts your residence falls within. You can always find your jurisdictions and eventually your sample ballot by searching NC Voter Search made available by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. When you get to the page, you'll fill out your information and it will populate with all those who share your name or the information that you provided. You will scroll until you find your information and you'll click on it, verify your name and address are correct, and then you can scroll down to see the appropriate sections for jurisdiction, sample ballot, your voting history. You can also track your mail-in ballot if you are voting that way. Since there are so many races, your ballot will likely have both a front and a back. So make sure you are aware of that. Make sure you flip it over so you can vote for as many races as you are eligible to do so. Keep in mind, if your time is short, you can always search out the episode's chapter titles for the particular questions that we're asking. So you can look and see which ones most interest you. And you can also go to www.ncdefive.com and check out each episode's transcript if you would prefer to skim through those. For this episode, we are delving into the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Race. There are six candidates running in this race, and you will have the opportunity to vote for two of them. Now, please note this is a nonpartisan race, meaning that these candidates will not have an R or a D or an L or any party affiliation notated on your ballot when you go to vote. If this is important to you for your voting strategy, you will want to make note before you head in to fill out your ballot when you're voting. The candidates that are running for this particular race include Samantha Krop, who is affiliated with the Democratic Party, Jim White, who is affiliated with the Republican Party, Terence Thomas, who is not affiliated with any party. He is unaffiliated. CeCe Grant, who is affiliated with the Democratic Party, Beth Farrell, who is affiliated with the Republican Party, and Brian Lewis, who is affiliated with the Libertarian Party. Again, this is a nonpartisan race. So when you go to fill out your ballot, many races will have an R or a D or an L next to the candidate's name. For this race, those letters will not be there. So if it is important to you, take note. Otherwise, without further ado, my friends, let's dive in.

Beth Pugh Farrell: Intro, Why, & Experience

Amanda Benbow Lunn 3:20

On this episode, I am excited to be speaking with Beth Pugh Farrell, who is running for the Wake Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Seat. Thank you so much for joining us, Beth. If you want to take a few moments to introduce yourself and then you can go into why you're running for this office and what experiences have prepared you to serve in this role.

Beth Pugh Farrell 3:41

Well, thank you, Amanda. I really appreciate the opportunity to join you and have this conversation and share more about me and what the Wake's Soil and Water Conservation District does. That I am actually seeking re-election, that four years ago I did the big brave thing and put my name on every ballot across Wake County, that there was a completely open seat at that time. And my background is that I grew up on small family farms in Northwest North Carolina in a place called Piney Creek in Allegheny County, and that I was super active with our soil and water conservation district, that our family took advantage of cost-share programs to help implement practices like stream exclusion for our dairy cattle, that our soil and water conservation district helped us figure out how to keep those cattle from getting into the stream to improve water quality and install water so that our cattle could have access to clean, fresh water. So I knew what the BMP's best management practices that districts do and the importance that they play, especially to the agricultural community. That as a student, I grew up participating in the contest sponsored by our local district, including the poster contest, speech contest, and had an opportunity to attend NC State as a high school student for resource conservation workshop. Saw year after year in Wake County, especially, that there were a lot of candidates on my ballot who didn't understand what districts are and what they do and why for over 90 years they've been important. That solid open seed is an opportunity to get out and educate folks about what districts do and why they matter. It's been an honor to serve for the last four years, making sure that farmers have access to programs that community conservation is reasoned to make impact, improve water quality, and protect soil erosion, and to make sure those education opportunities that I benefited from are still available for Wake County students. And so that's why you'll see my name on every ballot in Wake County again this year, that I've done a lot of good work in the last four years. I have learned a lot and I am ready to continue with my service to our community. Excellent.

What The Soil & Water Conservation District Actually Does

Amanda Benbow Lunn 5:44

What does a Wake Soil and Water Conservation District actually do? And why should voters care about it?

Beth Pugh Farrell 5:50

We are recognized as an independent entity of government and that the General Assembly allocates money to support soil and water conservation districts through the Soil and Water Commission. And the Soil and Water Commission in North Carolina allocates back to the district level what monies are available for programs. Because of the way the funding comes from the General Assembly, most of it is centered around agriculture, that it helps support the agricultural cost share program and ag water resource program, that those are direct farmer impact programs. There's also community conservation assistance programs. But the challenging thing there, because that's the only monies allocated for non-agricultural land, is that there's only $400,000 statewide. And you and I both know that $400,000 doesn't get very far when you're looking at statewide impacts on non-agricultural lands to address very important natural resource concerns. The district also receives requests from others who are interested in applying for grant programs because we are a governmental entity. We can apply for NC Divisional Water Resources Grants, North Carolina land and water fund grants to help address additional resource concerns across our communities. That the district also helps provide up resolutions to make impacts to how the statewide programs are implemented. And so it goes before the district first. We come up with an idea, then it has to go to our area meetings, which is a group of surrounding counties, to see if they agree with the changes that are being proposed for how these programs are implemented. And then ultimately up to the state group so that all 96 conservation districts across North Carolina can agree that that's a change that needs to be made. For example, in the last four years, that right now strawberry farmers are busy planting next year's strawberry crop. They'll be out all winter. That traditionally farmers use a lot of overhead water to provide insulation when it gets below freezing to protect those plants. That the Wake District helped elevate up the need to add incentives for doing row crop covers so that they're not using water, that they're pulling a cover over those plants to protect them when there's frost. And we were able to get that successfully implemented as a best management practice that growers and producers statewide can apply for. And that came because there was a need identified here in Wake County. Another example of that that we have utilized is a lot of the conservation practices, because they are state funds, that there's a period of maintenance required. And that's historically been 10 years. Looking at land availability in Wake County, a producer may not have the option to farm a land for 10 years and to commit to that conservation practice. That looking strategically at what options are available out there, we're able to work through the district, the area, and the state level and through the commission to get that reduced to a five-year period for certain practices. And what that does is make sure that farmers have access to conservation so that it's adapting to the realities of modern farming, that a lot of land is rented, and so that farmer doesn't own the land and they don't know if the landowner will let them have access for 10 years. And so our thought process behind that was any conservation is better than no conservation. And if we can make sure these practices are relevant to our producers today, then it helps increase participation in programs.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 9:11

Okay. And could you clarify for me, are the funds mandated by the state legislature, is there a specific amount that is mandated to go towards agriculture and a specific amount that's allocated to go towards non-agriculture? Or is that something that you have flexibility with?

Beth Pugh Farrell 9:28

So the General Assembly for the ag cost share programs allocates $6.3 million annually to put that in perspective, the requested need identified statewide last year was $19 million. And then for the community conservation programs, like I said earlier, that that's $400,000 statewide. And so it's highly competitive.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 9:48

All right.

Biggest Issue for Wake County

Amanda Benbow Lunn 9:49

What do you believe is the most important issue or challenge facing the people you would represent?

Beth Pugh Farrell 9:54

There's no shortage of challenges, especially when you're looking at natural resources in a very rapidly urbanizing and growing county. That from our producer standpoint, farmland preservation remains a huge issue. Will they be able to continue farming here? That when you look at the price of farmland in Wake County, going for about $250,000 an acre currently, that it limits the opportunity for farmers to expand or new farmers to gain access to land here. Another challenge that I see is that the way that the current programs are structured statewide is that it addresses primarily highly productive agricultural land where those practices are higher prioritized to get funded. When you've got limited land resources, that I see a need for us to start looking at soil quality, soil health. How do we build up the lands that farmers have access to now to make sure they're as productive as possible to meet modern challenges? From a community standpoint, that there have been implications because of land conversion out of agriculture. But when you look at impervious surfaces, and so that's asphalt, rooftops, et cetera, that come along with development, it changes how water moves through our watersheds. That there's not the land there, the grassy areas, the trees to absorb rainfall events, which means that water is moving through our watersheds at a more rapid rate. A lot of the modeling that's used currently hasn't taken that into consideration. And we don't think about the recharge on our groundwater because of this development. And so what that's doing too is it's making urban flooding more prevalent. And for our producers, it's pushing water onto their lands and they're having erosion issues that they had never encountered before. It could be a family that's had a farm for 200 years and all of a sudden there's development around them. And so they're having erosion issues because of upstream impact. And so it's going to take a very comprehensive approach and look to see how do we best protect our resources across the 12 municipalities and across Wake County.

Groundwater Recharge And Drought

Amanda Benbow Lunn 11:59

Okay. Could you go into a little bit about what the recharging of groundwater means?

Beth Pugh Farrell 12:05

If you think about the water cycle, it rains, it goes into the ground, we have access to water. So I think about especially those families that rely on wells, that that's where they get their water from. If we're moving water through the watershed much faster than what historically has happened, it has to have implications there. And granted, as a soil and water district, we only look at water quality currently. I think that there's a growing need to look at it as a comprehensive approach. It's not only water quality, it's water quantity. That, like I said, I'm a small farmer myself, and so I understand the implications of drought. And our farm's located near Jordan Lake. So I've seen what's happened in the last year since this drought has been going on. But we also need to not only think about what happens in times of drought, but times when there's too much water. If we're going to truly look at building resiliency into our communities, it has to be more than just isolated events that we're discussing and planning for.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 12:59

Okay.

Erosion And Flooding Near Development

Amanda Benbow Lunn 13:00

And when you talk about the erosion impacts, what do they look like for farmers near new development? Like what does that actually mean?

Beth Pugh Farrell 13:07

Yeah. So what it looks like is there could be a gully cut out through their pasture land or through their cropland, so that it's actually where the soil strips away and that there's a rut. And so that there's unproductive soils that can develop. It pushes that water. So if they have an on-farm pond that they're having to absorb more water with that pond, which may cause it to overflow, that it may cause issues with the structural quality of that dam because now they're having to deal with more water coming onto their property too. And then what happens if there's an incident? Because they're having to absorb water from upstream if something happens to damage the integrity of that dam or if there's a breach? What happens then downstream? And so looking at opportunities too across Wake County and the state, are there ways that through the new North Carolina flood resiliency blueprint, could we incentivize farmers to raise the edges of their dam to be able to hold more water? So then it prevents it from going downstream, but also gives those farmers, if like now in cases of drought, access to additional water that they could utilize to irrigate crops to make sure that they're still able to produce and yield food, fiber, and the resources we need.

Priorities & Hopes for Accomplishment

Amanda Benbow Lunn 14:16

Okay. If elected, what would you prioritize and what specifically would you hope to accomplish during your term?

Beth Pugh Farrell 14:22

Yeah. What I would prioritize is one, making sure that the strategic plan that the district looks at at prioritizing areas of need, that it remains relevant because that's the document that we use when we're distributing fund throughout the year. And so that there's opportunities to make sure that we're addressing high impact, high need areas. That's first. Second is that Wake has established a one-water plan that looks at strategic water resources in Wake County for the next 50 years. That was a process that was developed by Wake County government along with all the municipalities to start looking at how do we address water quality going forward and anything else that impacts water, including stormwater and runoff issues, that to make sure that that plan gets implemented and that the district is plugged in for implementation where appropriate. I assume in the last several years I've had the opportunity to participate in developing the Wake County Farmland Preservation Plan, which is the first such document ever created for our county. So within that plan that was approved by our county board of commissioners in June are several strategic initiatives to help make sure that farmland stays important here in Wake County. Want to make sure that those get implemented, the conversations to make sure there are no barriers to implementation occur. It will take buy-in from not only the county commissioners that approved it, but also our local municipalities too, because they have what's called ETJs where their bounds stretch outside of where the city limits are as they're planning for growth and development. So there could be farms located in those ETJs that could benefit from some of the ideas suggested within the strategic plan for farmland preservation and to make sure that we're having comprehensive approaches that I have worked to try to get out to the municipalities to share about the farmland preservation plan because if it's going to be something more than just a document that sits on a shelf, it takes engagement and active movement from everyone within Wake County.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 16:23

Okay.

Balancing Development with Protecting Resources

Amanda Benbow Lunn 16:24

How should Wake County balance rapid development with protecting water quality, watersheds, farmland, and natural resources?

Beth Pugh Farrell 16:32

That it's a big challenge. We're talking about a county that has a certain amount of acreage. We're not going to be making any more land for Wake County. We know there are housing shortages. We know that we have 664 working farms in our county that remain with farm and forestry on 62,000 acres, contributing 62 million dollars to our local economy on the farm level alone. We also know that there's a housing shortage in Wake County. The one thing that we know that won't happen is that there won't be any more land created here. That we have to look at how we address these issues comprehensively, that we need to make sure that our farms that are here are able to stay in production if they want to be. We've got to make sure that there is good resource planning as we're developing and adding, and farmland is converting out of farmland to make sure that we're not having unintended consequences through environmental impact because of the growth and development. And we have to look at it holistically because solving a problem today is no good if it creates a crisis down the road.

District Role Managing Stormwater Erosion & Water Quality

Amanda Benbow Lunn 17:34

Okay. What role should the district play in helping farmers, landowners, developers, and communities manage stormwater, erosion, and water quality?

Beth Pugh Farrell 17:43

Yep, like I said earlier, the district, most of the funds that we get are geared towards agricultural land because that's how those state programs are structured. That we need to start thinking about how do we look at our development ordinances? Where do those need to be strengthened? That that's not directly something that the district does, but we do have the opportunity to look at what is being proposed across the municipalities, across Wake County to make sure that we're looking at it from a water quality standpoint, that we're looking to see what could be added in place. Could there be additional buffers, requirements that don't currently exist to help mitigate some of the floodwater concerns? That it takes strategic partnerships, it takes engaging, it takes thinking and working outside of traditional boxes if we're truly going to make an impact to address these

Approach to the Responsibilities and Decision-Making Authority of this Office

Beth Pugh Farrell 18:34

things.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 18:34

How would you approach the responsibilities and decision-making authority of this particular office?

Beth Pugh Farrell 18:39

This is a role that I take very seriously. And so what I do is I weighed in each year on what is that strategic plan look like for Wake County for our decision making? What does our scoring metrics look like when we're evaluating applications for funding? Also, when I was first elected, I noticed that there was not an opportunity for the public to provide feedback and comment during our board meetings because they are all open to the public. And so one of the things that I did was implement a public comment period at every meeting. So if there's someone within the community that has a concern that they want to bring before the Wake's Low and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, they have an opportunity to let their voice be heard. That good sound governance is important. Also, I feel that making sure that how we communicate what the district does is done in a very clear, transparent manner, that there's a very excellent annual report that's published. I have been having conversations with staff about how do we better articulate on our website how you interact with the district. What are the opportunities there for collaborations? What does the district do exactly so that we can help folks? We're in a digital era, people look online much easier than they pick up the phone to call. So the public can know how to interact with the district and we can learn how to better support our communities. Okay.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 19:58

And you have mentioned water quality. Are you looking specifically at the chemicals like perhaps PFAFs that are within it? Or what does water quality mean in your context?

Beth Pugh Farrell 20:09

From the what the district does, it's all pertaining to non-point source pollution. And primarily it means nutrient runoff. So looking at nitrogen, phosphorus, et cetera.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 20:19

Okay. And

Adapting Conservation Efforts for Growth

Amanda Benbow Lunn 20:20

you've answered this a little bit prior, but how should conservation efforts adapt to Wake County's continued population growth?

Beth Pugh Farrell 20:27

I go back to the genesis of soil and water conservation districts, that it all started with a North Carolinian. And I think that he's probably one of the biggest heroes out there that no one has ever heard of, Dr. Hugh Hammond Bennett. That in the early 1900s, he was looking at soil characteristics across the nation. And then we had the Great Dust Bowl. And he saw the need for us to start conserving, especially soil. That if we were going to grow food and have availability, we needed to stop another event like the Dust Bowl from occurring. And so he started lobbying at Congress. And he was actually presenting in Congress during the Great Dust Bowl when the cloud moved over DC, talking about the need to establish a national mechanism to look at soil conservation. And so then I can't imagine anything more impactful in making a point than a dust cloud from the Midwest rolling over DC when you are trying to convince those in power to support an effort that probably seemed pretty nebulous at the time. If you're sitting in DC, you don't think about soil in the Midwest and other states necessarily. And so his testimony before Congress led to the creation of the Soil Conservation Service. And he actually served as the first chief of that through the United States Department of Agriculture. The first soil and water conservation district in the United States was established in his home county of Anson, and that was almost 90 years ago. The Wake District has been in place for 60 years helping address concerns. As population has changed and Land is converted out of agriculture. Some of the relevance of just the general population being able to relate to the work of the district, I think, has been lost, especially with it still being primarily agricultural land. Like I mentioned earlier, that I'm very passionate about looking at the best management practices and to see how we can make sure that they're still relevant for producers today, including things like conservation practices being in place and maintained for 10 years if you're participating in state programs to reduce that to five where it makes sense, just to make sure that we are meeting producers where they are today. Land conversion isn't just happening in Wake County, it's happening across the state. The front page of the Allegheny News, my little weekly hometown newspaper recently was Loss of Farmland. And that's talking about a county with 10,000 residents. That I understand the responsibility of a county like Wake to look at how are these conservation practices being implemented? Because even though we've been facing growth and development for years, it has statewide impact, and other communities are starting to feel that. So the Wake District has a very unique role in being the sounding board as these changes occur to help make sure that not only our county is positioned for the future, but every other county in North Carolina is better equipped to deal with the pressures of development as population continues to increase. Like I said earlier, we have 62,000 acres of farmland remaining in Wake County. We've lost a third of that amount in the last 10 years. If you look at some of the projections out there, we could lose another half or more in the next 10 years if we're not careful. That having access to local food production is important, that we can't rely on our neighboring counties to supply the food that we need in Wake County because they're facing growth and development too. And so that we really need to look at those farms that are in production and operation. How do we make sure they stay in production and are profitable and that they have opportunities for as long as they want to continue farming?

What Land Conversion Looks Like

Amanda Benbow Lunn 24:02

Okay. And kind of like your dust bowl example, how it can seem very abstract to people who aren't necessarily in the know and experiencing it. When you talk about lost farmland and land conversion out of agriculture, what does that mean that voters might better understand what that looks like?

Beth Pugh Farrell 24:20

When land is an agricultural production, not only is it producing food, that it it truly is helping protect our environment and our water quality, that it serves as a buffer with the rains fall to help stop soil erosion, that it helps make sure that wildlife has habitat, that there are trees in place that help make sure that we have healthy, vibrant communities. Conversion means when it comes out of agricultural production, it could go into industrial growth and development, it could go into housing, that it's changing our landscape, that it is how our communities look and how they function, so that it really looks at how our communities are shaping and forming, that we all want growth and development. There's need for growth and development. But how can we do it more strategically than perhaps it's been done in the past? One, so that we make sure that we have the resources like clean water available for those that live here. And two, that we're not having negative impacts on our watersheds because of this increased development.

Zoning And Conservation Easement Tools

Amanda Benbow Lunn 25:22

Okay. And that would look like zoning decisions from the local, municipal, and county governments?

Beth Pugh Farrell 25:29

Yes, that that's where that decision is made on how land is used is through the zoning process. That one of the recommendations within the recently approved farmland preservation plan that I'm most excited about is an option for voluntary agricultural zoning. So what that means is that farmers who have land in agriculture or forestry now would have the option to put their land into an agricultural zoning, that it would not be mandatory. It wouldn't be that every acre of farmland in the county would utilize that mechanism. But what that would do is be another resource where farmers could tell the public that they want to stay in production, that they have plans for this land to stay in production. Like I said, I grew up on a family farm and understand the importance very intimately about making sure that land that's been farming and part of my family's legacy remains so, so that it gives an additional tool there. Another thing that I'm really excited about that was just announced as part of the farmland preservation plan, that we in Wake County have been trying to figure out how do we put land in permanent conservation easements. And what permanent conservation easements are is an opportunity for landowners to permanently sell their development rights. So that's one mechanism that would help keep farmland in production. Our county commissioners that when land comes out of agricultural use, there's a rollback period where you pay the property tax difference between present use value so that the farmland was being taxed based on its use rate. That when it comes out of production, there's a look back window of three years. And our Wake County commissioners have been frontrunners in the state and nation about dedicating 100% of that to conserve farmland into perpetuity. And that is a legal transaction. It takes a long time that this year the General Assembly allocated $47 million in non-recurring funding to help support perpetual farmland preservation easements. Wake County is going to benefit from that, that we have received notification recently that there will be 12 farms and about 600 acres that are able to participate. That in addition to that, the Wake County received $2 million for an agricultural growth zone funding. And what that means is that the local match versus being 30% for those projects is reduced to 15%, recognizing the rapid urbanization across Wake County. So Wake County will be getting about $10 million in one-time funding this year to help with those efforts. And while that is great, with it being one time, the efforts will need to continue to make sure that option and tool is there for those farm families that are willing to participate. I also see an opportunity to look at what if a family doesn't want to make a permanent commitment, but they want to farm for the next 10, 15 years. Is there a way that we could incentivize if you commit to keeping your land in agricultural production for 10 years, so an enhanced voluntary agricultural district to show and recognize their commitment to preserving farmland and increasing environmental qualities for our communities that's not permanent? That that may be a good bridge tool for some families as they're thinking about what that land transfer look like down the road if they don't have the next generation coming on. Does it give them an opportunity to identify another farmer for their land before they go into a permanent program? Does it make sure that there's an opportunity for a younger beginning farmer to have access to farmland in Wake County? That I think that while I'm very grateful for permanent conservation programs, that doesn't work for every family. And we need additional tools in the toolbox that remain relevant, especially in a county like Wake. Like I said earlier, farmland sells for $250,000 an acre.

Conservation Easement Possibilities for Municipalities

Beth Pugh Farrell 29:17

Amanda Benbow Lunn 29:17

Okay. And just a question, you may or may not know, with the conservation easements, is that something that a municipality could potentially do for land that they actually owned? Can they put earmark, if you will, a park or certain land into a conservation easement such that it stays and residents can know that it's guaranteed to kind of stay in that kind of format?

Beth Pugh Farrell 29:41

Yes. So there's all sorts of conservation easements out there and there's different durations on some of them, but there's absolutely an opportunity for municipalities to participate and to put that designation on land and to make sure that as there's changes within leadership, within government, that they could ensure that it stays as open land where residents have an opportunity to access, enjoy, and that the community gets the benefit of that open space. That there are different options. What we as the Wake Soil and Water District have concentrated on have been the agricultural easements, but there are definitely many different mechanisms, including like those that support wildlife and other habitats.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 30:22

Okay.

Deciding What Takes Precedence

Amanda Benbow Lunn 30:23

When priorities compete or resources are limited, how would you decide what takes precedence?

Beth Pugh Farrell 30:28

Yep. Resources are very limited in the conservation space. And so I go back to we have an annual process to set our plan in direction for the year as a board to make sure that as other things are coming up throughout the year that we're capturing it for consideration in the subsequent year and that we're ranking and prioritizing. And if a farmer or landowner comes to us needing help and assistance, are there other programs out there that we can help direct them to? Are there opportunities through the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service where they may be eligible to apply for some of their funding and programs? Are there grant opportunities like North Carolina Land and Water Fund, like Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Water Resources Funds? Are there other sources out there outside of what the district gets through state allocations where we can help address that need? And if there's not now, to look to see what may be coming forward in the future so that we can address as many requests, as many issues as possible.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 31:29

Okay.

What Should Be Preserved & What Should Be Changed

Amanda Benbow Lunn 31:30

What do you think this office is doing right? And what would you like to see changed?

Beth Pugh Farrell 31:34

Some of the things that I think the Wake Conservation District is doing right is that we have phenomenal staffing, that um Wake County helps provide staff for the district, and that they are very dedicated resource conservation professionals. That is an absolute strength. Something that the Wake District does that not every district does across the state is that we do the big sweep program for Wake County, where volunteers have the opportunity to go out and help clean streams, help pull debris from our waterways to help make sure that those are clear and accessible. Because water moving through a stream, if it runs into tires, if it runs in, I think about all the things that they have found shopping buggies, car seats, you name it, they have been able to pull it out to the tune of over 70,000 pounds worth last year. But I think that's something that we do really well. Farmland preservation is something that the district has set a statewide model for. For over 20 years, they have hosted a keep the farm workshop to help communicate to landowners what options are available, what things do they need to take into consideration. That's been really good. We've got the rollback taxes from Wade County. We have two staff members dedicated to farmland preservation efforts, that we really have been a model statewide in that effort. Our education program is phenomenal. Last year, that between the poster contest and the envirothon, where students learn hands-on about conservation efforts, about how to be good stewards of their natural resources, that we've had statewide winners in the poster contest, so competing against 96 different districts. Our envirothon team that in Low High School this year placed second in international competition. That we have youth in this county that are excited about preserving natural resources. We have good collaborations with Wake County's FFA program that I see so much energy around preserving our natural resources. Things that we could do different. One of the things that the last several weeks has really been challenging to me is that the Wake Solent Water Conservation District is housed in the Ag Services Building off Pull Road, Carrier Drive. Within that building itself is housed not only the district, but Cooperative Extension, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency, and USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service for Wake County. Having all of those entities under one roof provides a one-stop shop for our farmers and landowners. If they have questions, we can physically connect them to resources. Wake County has announced that they will be tearing down our building and the Commons building next door, which serves as a meeting space for all kinds of things that our master gardeners use it for their meetings, that our annual Keep the Farm workshop is hosted there, that that is a very utilized space. And there's not a lot of conference spaces within Wake County that are affordable and easy access, that Wake County is going to be tearing down those buildings and putting in a new $220 million office complex. And so that our offices will be dislocated until phase two of this project. And there's not really a timeline on that yet. We have no idea where the Wake Conservation District is going to be housed. They haven't identified a site for that or the USDA offices at this time, Cooperative Extension will be relocating to Cary until they get phase two completed. My concern is how does that impact what the district is able to do? If our staff has to pack up and move all of their records, if people have to learn where we are physically located to get the assistance they need, if a farmer has to go across Wake County to access the services they need, that right now Carolina Farm Credit has an office directly across from where this building is located, it becomes a one-stop shop for our producers. The biggest way for profitability in agriculture is efficiency. It feels like we're taking away an efficiency of being able to be a one-stop shop by sending them who knows where across the county because we have farmers in the northern end of the county and the southern end of the county. There'll be a lagging time that our staff can help serve people if they're packing up their offices and physically having to move. And this was a decision that was made without ever coming before the Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, that we've never had an opportunity to weigh in on this, to share what the impacts are. So I've worked at reaching out to our county commissioners, and I'm really grateful for Commissioner Adamson and Commissioner Stallings for being able to raise some of the questions I posed to them before the county commissioners. And while we still don't have answers, that Commissioner Adamson was able to facilitate, we're at least someone from the county manager's office is going to be coming in to an upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting and share this plan. And what I really want to make sure is that anyone who is interested in this has an opportunity to have their voice be heard. That I think our county government needs to hear from those most impacted by this project about what it means to them. And so I'm really hoping to have engagement from not only our producers, but our other partners in soil and water conservation, as well as extension volunteers and those that utilize our cooperative extension service in Wake County. It is a very small unit of government. I recognize that. But for those landowners and farmers that we serve, we're a vital component of what Wake County offers them. And we want to make sure that they have accesses to the services they need. And if you're not familiar with Cooperative Extension, what that does is it connects information and resources from NC State and NC A&T university. So what their research is showing directly into communities that really is an outreach of our state's land grant universities and manages things like the 4-H program, Master Gardeners, helps communities tremendously.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 37:28

Okay, and I'm not familiar with NC ANT. What is that school?

Beth Pugh Farrell 37:32

Yeah, North Carolina Agri and Tech. So NC A&T is the historically black college and university that has the land grant responsibility in North Carolina. So they're very similar to NC State. They're located in Greensboro and they're still focused on education, research, and extension. So it's getting the knowledge cleaned at a university out into the community so that it can make meaningful impact. Perfect.

Accountability: What & How

Amanda Benbow Lunn 37:57

What should voters hold you accountable for if you are elected and how?

Beth Pugh Farrell 38:01

So for four years I have been concentrating on preserve, conserve, collaborate, and educate. Those are the four tenets that drive everything that I do. Hold me accountable for making sure that we're moving forward with efforts to preserve farmland in Wake County. Hold me accountable that we're utilizing our resources to help conserve natural resources, soil and water, based on the funding that we have available. I will continue to collaborate and work across different units of government to help elevate the concerns of the district and our constituents around natural resource issues. I'll continue to work to educate not only the public, but make sure the district focuses on educating citizens and students about the importance of natural resource conservation. That I always have an open door policy, that I am happy to answer any questions, and I know that I am in the seat to serve. Hold me accountable for being engaged not only locally, but on the area level and statewide. That within the statute that regulates soil and water conservation districts, supervisors are required to get six supervisor credits per term. That in my first term, I've gotten 61.5 hours. That I'm engaged not only on the county level, but the area level and the state level. Because if you're not connected on all three levels, you can't make the meaningful impacts that our landowners and our farmers need. Hold me accountable for making sure that we're looking at the best management practices that are available to make sure they're still relevant to modern production, modern communities. I helped advocate for the statewide funding to support additional farmland preservation efforts. I am working on getting what is the true ROI, return on investment, of conservation dollars. I want to see that $400,000 for community conservation assistance program elevated, that there's an opportunity and a proven history of soil and water conservation districts of getting boots on the ground to implement conservation. It's not just think tanks, it's not just talking, it is doing. Help hold me accountable to those pieces.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 40:08

Okay. And for clarity, is this board a regulatory board versus an advisory board? And what does that difference look like? Yeah.

Beth Pugh Farrell 40:16

So the Wake Soil & Water Conservation District and any of the districts across the state are neither regulatory. We do not create policy, we do not enforce existing rules, we do not set those standards. The direct role of the role of the district is not advisory. We are decision makers. We do have the opportunity to weigh in in an unofficial advisory capacity to groups like local municipalities, to the county commissioners. But our true function is as an independent body of government and so that we have responsibility to our district to make sure that those state cost share programs are implemented, that our staff is providing technical assistance to landowners to help address resource conservation needs. So that it's not regulatory, it's not advisory. We serve a very important role within our community.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 41:05

Okay.

Last Thoughts

Amanda Benbow Lunn 41:06

And as we wrap up, do you have any last thoughts? Is there anything we haven't discussed that you would like voters to know or anything from our conversation that you'd like to expand upon or clarify?

Beth Pugh Farrell 41:16

That I think that with the name Wake's Sol and Water Conservation District. Soul and water is big. Sol and water impacts everything. It can get misconstrued about what we have authority over and what we don't. That I think back to the first time I ran for office and this time too, that there's a misconception that we approve development, that we're the ones who make that decision, and we're not. That what the Wake district has done for 61 years now is to provide tangible resources to address water quality and soil erosion across the county. As the county has grown and changed, that there's additional opportunity, of course, and looking for additional partners, ways to collaborate. And how do we look at this systemically? That it can't be just the Wake Soil and Water District addressing this issue, that we need Wake County as a whole. We need the municipalities as a whole. And there's opportunities to engage the communities around us too. Thinking ahead 20, 30 years from now, arbitrary governmental borders are not where resource concerns stop. That we have to look at it holistically and have the conversations to begin moving that direction.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 42:30

Okay.

Reminder & Where to Learn More

Amanda Benbow Lunn 42:31

And just a reminder for voters, they will have the opportunity to vote for two candidates within this race?

Beth Pugh Farrell 42:37

Yes, you have two votes in this race. I really encourage you to check out all the candidates and you can visit my website at www.bethpugh farrell dot com to learn more about me. That my entire life has been spent in agriculture and looking to solve solutions, building collaborations. My professional role is I work at our State Department of Agriculture. I have a small farm in Apex. I feel firsthand what happens when we have drought. I've had two crop failures out of the last three because of lack of water resources. I know that districts help farmers address those. And so I am working on doing irrigation too, because there's nothing more frustrating than working all year long and being ready to open to the public to come pick fresh berries, and you have nothing to show for your work. And so while my operation is small, I understand firsthand. And it takes farms of all sizes to feed our growing population.

Amanda Benbow Lunn 43:40

Thank you so much, Beth, for participating today, for choosing to speak to voters directly. I really appreciate you showing up, and I wish you the best of luck with your campaign.

Beth Pugh Farrell 43:49

Thank you, Amanda. Have a great day. You too.

Closing Reflections & Voting Info

Amanda Benbow Lunn 43:53

Democracy is built on participation. Politics can sometimes feel distant or abstract, but the decisions made by our elected officials at the county, state, and federal levels have a profound effect on the communities we call home and the way we live our lives. From the roads we drive on and the schools our children attend to public safety, parks and recreation, housing, health care, taxes, the economy, and the many other services and amenities that make up our communities. Government plays a role in shaping both our everyday experience and our future. That makes taking the time to understand the choices on your ballot and the people asking for your vote an important part of being an engaged member of your community. Early voting for the 2026 midterm election begins October 15th and runs through October 31st. In Southern Wake County, there will be early voting locations at the Hunt Center in Holly Springs, the Hilltop Needmore Town Park Clubhouse in Fuquay Varina, Beech Bluff County Park, and Southern Wake Tech Campus close by. Election day is November 3rd. A general reminder that you will need a valid photo ID to vote. The regular voter registration deadline is October 9th, although you may still register when you vote during the early voting period. Please note that you cannot register to vote on Election Day itself, and that that day you will absolutely have to vote at your designated precinct location to have access to your full ballot. And because there are so many races and ballot measures this year, your ballot will likely be double-sided. It can be helpful to start on the back so that you don't accidentally overlook anything. You'll vote for the races that apply to your jurisdiction along with statewide amendments and for Southern Wake County voters, local Wake County bond referenda. Voting is one of the ways we take part in the communities we share. You don't have to agree with your neighbors or even with the candidates you've heard here to recognize that our communities are shaped by the people who show up, ask questions, learn about the choices before them, and cast their ballots. So please take the time to get informed, make your voice heard, and encourage the people around you to do the same. Your vote matters. Your voice matters. And you absolutely matter, my friend. And with that, this episode of the NC Deep Dive has come to an end. Please feel free to check out this episode show notes at ncdeepdive.com for further information and relevant links for this candidate along with general election information. As always, if you have any topics or thoughts you'd like to share, you can find us on social media or email us at ncdeepdive at gmail.com. If you found value in this episode, I'd love for you to subscribe, rate, and share it so that others may more easily be informed. Please make sure to stay tuned for all the relevant candidate amendment and referenda episodes for the 2026 midterm election by visiting ncdeepdive.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, or wherever you currently listen to your podcast. Until next time, my friends, Nama today. The Love and Light in me sees and honors the Love and Light in You.