STREET ADDRESS Buncombe County 94 Coxe Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 255-5522 Phone (828) 255-5202 Fax Map & Mailing Information ![]() |
For more information, contact Jeff Jennings, Program Officer Jeff.jennings@ncagr.gov, 919-733-2160 Tobacco Trust Fund Commission Western NC Farmers Eligible for FundsAwards totaling $675,000 over a three-year period will be granted to western NC farmers.The grant will be provided by the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, which will partner with Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) and the WNC Agricultural Options program to accept applications and monitor the recipients' projects. Through this partnership, WNC AgOptions, a program established in 2004 and managed by N. C. Cooperative Extension Centers in the West District, will continue assisting mountain farmers transitioning from tobacco and other crops through 2011. This grant was put in place to lessen the economic distress caused by soaring input and energy costs and the lingering effects of the state's drought conditions. Current and former tobacco growers are the primary audience for the program; however, any farmers living in tobacco dependent communities are eligible. "We anticipate a large number of farmers benefitting from this unique opportunity," said William Upchurch, Executive Director of the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. "Our experience has shown that farmers utilize these grants for innovative, resourceful and profitable enterprises that can make a huge impact on their farming operation." In 2009, WNC AgOptions will award demonstration contracts valued at $3,000, $6,000 or $9,000 through a competitive application and review process. Awards will total $225,000 each year within 17 western North Carolina counties and the Cherokee Reservation. "I am very pleased and excited for the farmers of Western North Carolina to receive this grant, said NC Representative Bruce Goforth. "$225,000 a year for the next three years is a great opportunity for farmers in our district to expand and diversify their crop production." NC Senator Martin Nesbitt stated, "We are very grateful for the grants to our Western North Carolina farmers. This is a great boast to help with the transition to other crops." The ultimate impact is preservation of the family farm. Award recipients are encouraged to explore crop diversification, ways to replace lost tobacco income and marketing & production techniques that demonstrate economic sustainability. "It is gratifying for Western North Carolina farmers to be able to benefit from this new grant opportunity," said NC Representative Susan Fisher. "Many of our farmers have been hard at work in the transition away from growing tobacco, and this will go a long way toward enabling our farm families to continue to provide locally grown crops to our mountain communities while at the same time preserving land that has been actively farmed for generations." "Many of our farms have had tobacco grown on them for over 100 years," said Ross Young, Madison County Extension Director and leader of the WNC AgOptions steering committee. "Changing to other farm enterprises is the only hope some of these farms have." "The challenge is that trying different crops, livestock or other agricultural enterprises is risky," Young continued. "The purpose of the award program is to help farmers minimize their financial risk, as well as provide additional educational support on production, marketing and business management. Successful projects will serve as models for other farms in western North Carolina." Several N.C. Cooperative Extension directors and agricultural agents make up the WNC AgOptions steering committee, along with the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, community agribusiness leaders, former WNC AgOptions recipients and Handmade in America. Examples of past WNC AgOptions projects include:
The Project Partners: Tobacco Trust Fund Commission: www.tobaccotrustfund.org Established in 2000 by the NC General Assembly to manage funds that are part of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. Grants target farm areas that have historically depended upon tobacco income through farming or tobacco-related businesses. William Upchurch, Executive Director, 919-733-2160 Jeff Jennings, Program Officer RAFI-USA: www.rafiusa.org Rural Advancement Foundation International Private non-profit that promotes sustainability for family farmers and communities. Jason Roehrig, Project Director, 919-542-1396 Jason@rafiusa.org WNC AgOptions: www.wncagoptions.org Operated by the NC Cooperative Extension Centers in the 17 western counties and Cherokee Reservation, WNC AgOptions builds sustainable farming communities in our mountain region by providing resources directly to farmers who are diversifying and expanding their operations. WNC AgOptions works with farmers in Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, The Cherokee Reservation, Clay, Haywood, Henderson, Graham, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, McDowell, Polk, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey. Megan Riley, Project Manager, (828) 649-2411 x305 info@wncagoptions.org Handmade in America: www.handmadeinamerica.org The mission is to celebrate the hand and the handmade, to nurture the creation of traditional and contemporary craft, to revere and protect our resources, and to preserve and enrich the spiritual, cultural and community life of our region. N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Sciences - Marketing: www.ncdamarkets.org The mission of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is to improve the state of agriculture in North Carolina by providing services to farmers and agribusinesses, and to serve the citizens of North Carolina by providing services and enforcing laws to protect consumers. |