Grants to boost local farms and agricultural system
WNC AgOptions Intent to Apply deadline November 1;
Application deadline November 22

MARSHALL — Farm businesses that are diversifying or expanding their operations are eligible for grants to offset the risk of trying new ventures. WNC Agricultural Options will award in December approximately 40 grants ranging from $3,000 to $9,000 for farm diversification projects.

"We're proud to be the funding partner for the WNC AgOptions program," said William Upchurch, Executive Director of the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. "Over the past few years, the farmers in western North Carolina have developed very innovative projects and have shown that their ideas can generate some great results."

The North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission has supported WNC AgOptions since 2003. Since then, WNC AgOptions has administered more than 250 grants in 17 counties and the Cherokee Indian Reservation to mountain farmers diversifying or expanding their operations.

The new Family Farm Innovation Fund, which Gov. Beverly Perdue announced in August, is providing $100,000 to WNC AgOptions, in addition to the $225,000 that the program distributes annually. RAFI-USA's Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund, with which N.C. Cooperative Extension partners to administer WNC AgOptions, was included in the $18.4 million package to five state and federal programs assisting farmers.

Applications are available at www.wncagoptions.org or at county Cooperative Extension Centers. The postmark deadline of November 22 is earlier than previous years. Interested applicants should contact their local Cooperative Extension Agents by November 1 to express their intent to apply.

A Question and Answer Session will be held Monday, October 11 at the Swain Extension Center on 60 Almond Road, Bryson City and Tuesday, October 12 at the Jackson Extension Center on 538 Scotts Creek Road, Sylva from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Megan Riley, WNC AgOptions Project Manager, and Christy Bredenkamp, Area Agent, N.C. Cooperative Extension, will be available to assist applicants. For more information about these sessions, contact Bredenkamp at 586-4009 or 488-3848.

Individual farm business projects awarded in 2010 include: a produce packaging facility for improving sales to local grocery chains, a propagation house for food and medicinal plants, hops production for steep terrains, a maple syrup finishing cooker, no-till production of specialty winter squash, and a screened greenhouse for commercial disease-free strawberry plants.

Priority will be given to projects that provide demonstration to other farmers and encourage the economic sustainability of cooperating farm businesses. Applicants should extensively research the logistics, markets, expenses and timelines for their projects.

COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM

WNC Agricultural Options is also introducing a new community grants program that will support projects that are improving the local agricultural system. WNC AgOptions will fund at least three farmer-led group projects that address processing, marketing, packaging and other distribution needs in the mountain region.

The WNC AgOptions steering committee determined that logistical challenges related to distribution are the main barriers in improving the local agricultural system. "Solving distribution issues is often more challenging than growing the product," said Ross Young, Madison County Cooperative Extension Director and leader of the WNC AgOptions steering committee. "We hope applicants will use this opportunity to create systems that help local farmers respond to the high demand for local products, as well as improve the availability of locally grown products to consumers."

The size of the community grant is dependent upon the expenses associated with the project. The maximum amount to be awarded per applicant group is $20,000.

Successful community grant projects will require participation from a diversity of people, organizations, and institutions. Groups of farmers, farm coops, farmer associations, churches, local businesses, civic organizations, non-profit organizations or combinations of these are eligible and encouraged to apply. Western North Carolina farmers must be active in the leadership of the group.

The ultimate goal of WNC AgOptions is to protect mountain farmland by assisting the longevity of farm enterprises. Members of the WNC AgOptions steering committee include: representatives from the N.C. Cooperative Extension, HandMade in America, N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and other agricultural business leaders.

For more information, see the following: N.C. Cooperative Extension Centers: www.ces.ncsu.edu; Family Farm Innovation Fund: www.ncruralcenter.org; Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund, RAFI-USA: www.ncfarmgrants.org; N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission: www.tobaccotrustfund.org