Back in 2013, the CVB worked with International Focus (IF) to host a group from Zimbabwe through the International Visitor Leadership Program (ILVP), the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. These short-term visits provide dignitaries with a unique opportunity to learn from, educate, and engage Americans on key issues through on-site, hands-on experiences in Chatham County and across the country.
Each year, 3,000 to 5,000 exchange participants come to the U.S. through the IVLP. More than 200,000 International Visitors have engaged with Americans through the IVLP, including more than 500 current or former Chiefs of State or Heads of Government. Participants are nominated and selected annually by U.S. Embassy staff worldwide.
Recently, we had the privilege of hosting another group in Chatham County, this time from Côte d’Ivoire, focusing on agricultural policy, agritourism, and farmland preservation. The group, comprised of six mayors accompanied by three translators, traveled to Washington, D.C., Iowa, Charlotte, and Raleigh before arriving in Chatham County on the eve of their departure.
The CVB organized a concise itinerary focused on our agritourism assets, farm-to-table experiences, and entrepreneurship. A nonpartisan visit, the afternoon included a farm-to-fork lunch at the Inn at Celebrity Dairy, complete with a “cheese chat” and tour; a visit with the Chatham County management team at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center (CCACC); and a tour and talk at Starrlight Mead & Cider.
The visit began with an impressive cheese course showcasing Celebrity Dairy’s housemade Chèvre in three styles:
- Serendipity: Signature creamy goat cheese spreads available plain and in a variety of sweet and savory flavors.
- Logs: Montrachet-style logs rolled in flavors ranging from ginger and toasted sesame to blended sweet and medium curry powders.
- Mold-Ripened: Distinctive cheese inoculated with a white penicillin mold and aged into one of four house styles: “Blue Streak”, “Silk Hope”, “Crottin”, or “Morbier”.
Topics ranged during this introductory “cheese chat”, touching on Chèvre styles, day-to-day operations, and the Inn’s seasonal internships, opportunities that extend the legacy of farming. Our visitors then savored an authentic taste of North Carolina with a farm-to-table luncheon featuring Brunswick stew and gluten-free cornbread, followed by a creamy goats’ milk kefir dessert topped with maple granola and seasonal fruit. The goats, award-winning goat cheese, and a glimpse of rural American farm life were all a part of this stop that kicked off an exciting showcase of Chatham County.
Time with the county management team and the CVB at CCACC provided our visitors with additional background and context to learn from and take back to their communities, as well as valuable insight into Chatham’s thriving agritourism businesses, farm-to-table offerings, and craft beverage scene. The conversation also covered:
- Chatham County’s agricultural policies and farmland preservation efforts, including educational programs from grade school to our tri-county community college system.
- How the CVB supports our agritourism businesses by connecting them with visitors, pitching guided itineraries and press trips, and promoting them across multiple marketing channels.
- Challenges faced here and abroad, particularly in retaining talented community members and preserving family farms.
Following our discussion, the County Management team delighted our guests by presenting them with special challenge coins, provided to distinguished guests and employees who go above and beyond.
The day ended with a production and facility tour of Starrlight Mead, with some fanfare of certificates distributed by International Focus and a lot of talk with owners, Becky and Ben Starr, who graciously invited all the guests to stay in touch to keep the conversations going. We mentioned more visitor businesses throughout the day, and although time together was limited (with some delays due to winter weather), neither language barriers nor icy weather conditions prevented participants from enjoying a fun and fulfilling day in Chatham County.
It was an honor to host our Côte d’Ivoire visitors and offer a look at Chatham County’s rural character and the abundance of independently owned, distinctive small visitor businesses. The CVB continues to showcase all the agritourism businesses and was honored to plan and host an itinerary, to IF’s specifications, in accordance with the IVLP. More trips will be planned, and we look forward to partnering with International Focus on future exchange programs, possibly in 2026.
