Source: NCDA&CS, 12/10/21
The N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission (N.C. TTFC) awarded over $4 million through 23 grants for agricultural and economic initiatives across the state. These grants place a high priority on projects that stimulate the agricultural economy, train current and future farmers and help farmers execute innovative ideas.“Through these grants, our Commission has been able to fund a diverse group of projects that will benefit farmers in every corner of the state, whether they produce livestock, row crops or any number of other commodities in North Carolina.” said Bill Teague, Chairman of the N.C. TTFC. The $4 million supports projects that assist counties with
facility enhancements, universities with research and educational
opportunities, commodity groups with marketing and farmers with operations
improvements and diversification. Six of the awarded projects are to improve agricultural programs and facilities at high school, community colleges and universities. Another project partners with the city of Sanford to build kitchen space and equipment at the new farmer’s market. In addition to these grants, the N.C. TTFC has renewed its partnership with the WNC Communities - AgOptions program. This program’s purpose is to provide small grants directly to on-farm projects that support increasing farm profitability. The N.C. General Assembly created the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund
Commission in 2000 to lessen the financial impact to farmers and tobacco-related businesses caused by the sharp decline of tobacco in the agricultural economy. The commission’s original funding was established through tobacco industry annual payments as a result of the Master Settlement Agreement. Its current funding
comes from a set appropriation of funds. Since 2002, the N.C. TTFC has awarded
more than 400 grants to public and nonprofit agencies that meet the goals of
strengthening the rural and tobacco-dependent economies of North Carolina. For more information and a list of grant recipients, see list
below or visit the N.C. TTFC website at www.tobaccotrustfund.org. 2021 Grant Cycle Recipients Project: Horticulture Lab Facility Northeast Regional School of Biotechnology and
Agriscience Grant Amount: $85,861.00 Area Served: Martin, Pitt, Tyrrell, Washington Project: Weathers Livestock Arena Improvements Cleveland County Fair Inc Grant Amount: $100,000.00 Area Served: Cleveland Project: Tomato Gray Leaf Spot Management The North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc Grant Amount: $57,890.00 Area Served: Statewide Project: Farmers Market Capital/Equipment
Improvement Waynesville Public Market Grant Amount: $50,000.00 Area Served: Haywood Project: Farmer's Market Renovations Greene County Cooperative Extension Grant Amount: $56,000.00 Area Served: Greene Project: High Country Slaughter-Processing
Facility Watauga County Grant Amount: $220,236.00 Area Served: Watauga Project: EnergyCAP AgEnergy Program Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation &
Development Council Grant Amount: $100,000.00 Area Served: 28 Western Counties Project: Collection Stabilization and History
Expansion Tobacco Farm Life Museum Inc Grant Amount: $158,401.00 Area Served: Statewide Project: Agricultural Learning Through Farm
Development Alamance Community College Grant Amount: $380,550.00 Area Served: Alamance, Orange, Guilford Project: NCTTFC Commodity/Marketing Facility University of Mount Olive Grant Amount: $175,000.00 Area Served: Statewide Project: Rental Equipment for Small Farms Buncombe County Agricultural and Land Resources Grant Amount: $24,499.00 Area Served: Buncombe Project: Small Farmers Value-added Agricultural
Opportunities North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State
University Grant Amount: $92,713.00 Area Served: Statewide Project: Improvements to Fairgrounds Arena Duplin County Agri-Community Center Foundation Grant Amount: $90,112.00 Area Served: Duplin Project: Project SkillUp: Worker Retraining
Program North Carolina Community College System Grant Amount: $250,000.00 Area Served: Statewide Project: VisitNCFarmsApp Administrators
Economic Development/Marketing Support North Carolina Department of Agriculture &
Consumer Services Grant Amount: $200,000.00 Area Served: Statewide Project: Caswell CEAD Incubator Farm Program Piedmont Community College Foundation Grant Amount: $368,300.00 Area Served: Caswell Project: Soldier to Ag The North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc Grant Amount: $100,000.00 Area Served: Statewide Project: Increasing Small Farm Profitability Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project Grant Amount: $79,000.00 Area Served: 23 Western Counties Project: Agricultural Education Program
Improvement Grant The North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc Grant Amount: $186,945.00 Area Served: Statewide Project: Shared Use Community Kitchen City of Sanford (Downtown Sanford Incorporated-
DSI) Grant Amount: $213,600.00 Area Served: Lee, Chatham, Harnett, Moore Project: Consumers/Farmers: Bridging the Gap Johnston County Tourism Authority Grant Amount: $111,900.00 Area Served: Johnston Project: Meet NC Egg Farmers North Carolina Egg Association Inc. Grant Amount: $106,800.00 Area Served: Statewide Project: Western North Carolina Agricultural
Options WNC Communities Grant Amount: $849,900.00 Area Served: 21 Western Counties
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