WNC Agricultural Options is now accepting applications from farmers that want to diversify or expand their businesses. WNC AgOptions helps offset farmers’ risk of trying new ventures and expanding their farms with $4,000 and $8,000 grants. With Funding from the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, WNC Ag Options is distributing $228,000 to western North Carolina farmers in 2024. Farmers from Yancey County, 20 other WNC counties, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are eligible to apply. The application deadline is November 17, 2023. Applicants must contact their Cooperative Extension agents by October 13, 2023 to set up an appointment to discuss their potential projects. Potential applicants should also plan to attend one of the 6 informational sessions being offered throughout the month of September.
Are you wondering if this grant will be good for a project on your farm? Priority will be given to those applicants who:
Are diversifying or expanding their farmer operations so that they remain suitable for this and future generations. There are many types of projects that will qualify for this program;
Have sufficient experience and expertise to accomplish the projects and/or have identified proper cooperators to supplement gaps in their skills and abilities; that have sufficiently researched the production methods, markets, expenses and timeline for their projects;
Are proposing projects that demonstrate successful farming practices, methods, and/or markets to the agriculture community;
Exhibit working relationships with their local Cooperative Extension Agents.
To present the best project and application possible, don’t delay in contacting NC Cooperative Extension of Yancey County about your potential project. Those farmers interested in applying for this grant can contact David Davis (david_davis@ncsu.edu) or Adam McCurry (adam_mccurry@ncsu.edu) to discuss their potential projects.
Several Yancey County farmers have had projects funded in previous years. Some examples of projects that have been funded have included adding a produce packing shed that complies with USDA GAP/FDA food safety standards, adding infrastructure to allow for expanded agritourism, and purchasing specialized equipment which allowed for reduced produce harvest and production costs. Other counties in WNC have had other projects approved which have included purchasing coolers/freezers to enter into direct retail sales of beef, purchasing cattle handling facilities to cut labor cost, and purchasing specialized farm equipment to increase pasture production for sheep/goats. This program allows for many different types of potential projects.
To access a complete list of requirements for WNC AgOptions, to access the application materials, or if you would like more information contact NC Cooperative Extension of Yancey County by calling (828) 682-6186.
