Are grants for farmers available?
In 2021, grants of $3,000 and $6,000 were awarded to qualifying farmers diversifying their operations in the following counties/units: Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Clay, Cherokee, Cleveland, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga and Yancey.
What are the requirements if I am selected for a WNC AgOptions award?
Awardees follow through with timeline and project activities as stated in their submitted application. Cooperative Extension Agents and the WNC AgOptions Project Manager will visit each of the farms throughout the season to discuss progress on the project and assist with technical and marketing questions. The $6,000 awardees are responsible for completing business plans for their projects. All recipients attend orientation workshops at the beginning of the season as well as submit income and expense forms, receipts for project expenses, and program surveys at the end of the funding cycle.
How do I locate previous WNC AgOptions recipients’ farms?
Contact Jennifer Ferre at admin@wncagoptions.org or (828) 252-4783.
Who do I contact to market my product?
Please refer to our list of resources in the region and across the state.
Who can assist me with an business plan?
Please refer to the list of resources in the region and across the state.
Who can help me with agritourism?
Contact Annie Baggett, NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Sciences Markets Division – Agritourism Office, at (919) 707-3120 or annie.baggett@ncmail.net. Please also see: www.ncagr.com/.
For more information, please contact your local Extension Agent.