Source: NCDA&CS, 7/28/22 The N.C. Agricultural
Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund recently awarded more than $10
million to help communities across the state protect farmland and promote
agricultural enterprises. More
than $9.5 million went towards obtaining conservation easements on 4,377 acres
of land across the state. This includes over $600,000 in funding for 316 acres
of easements in priority areas in the Upper Cape Fear River Basin for the U.S.
Department of Agriculture Regional Conservation Partnership Program. “A recent study conducted by the American Farmland Trust shows that North Carolina could lose over one million acres of farmland by 2040 if development continues at its current rate,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “These ADFP Trust Fund awards will help preserve over 4,300 acres of farmland and keep families on the farm, but we have a lot more work to do to curb agricultural land conversion.” The following is a list of awarded conservation easement projects: = Alamance
County received a total of $565,684.50. With that, $241,980.50 will be used to
help purchase a conservation easement on a 116-acre farm, $131,590.50 to
preserve 62 acres of a farm and $192,113.50 to preserve 106 acres of farmland. = Brunswick
Soil and Water Conservation District received $379,331.80 to help purchase a
conservation easement on 67 acres of farmland. = Buncombe
Soil and Water Conservation District received a total of over $1.118 million.
With that, $172,500 will be used to help purchase a conservation easement on a
38-acre farm, $129,000 to preserve 29 acres of a farm, $440,778.80 to preserve
113 acres of farmland and $376,171.91 to permanently protect 95 acres of
farmland. = Conserving
Carolina received $111,562.63 to preserve 66 acres of farmland. = Foothills
Conservancy of NC serving Cleveland County received a total of $275,931.31.
With that, $189,256.31 will be used to help purchase a conservation easement on
a 171-acre farm and $86,675 to preserve 52 acres of a farm. = Haywood
Soil and Water Conservation District received a total of $534,428. With that,
$167,785 will be used to help purchase a conservation easement on a 39-acre
farm, $220,498 to preserve 72 acres of a farm and $146,145 to preserve 82 acres of farmland. = Hyde Soil
and Water Conservation District received $499,997.50 to help purchase a
conservation easement on 151 acres. = Johnston
Soil and Water Conservation District received a total of
$851,985.71. With that, $294,470.25 will be used to help purchase a
conservation easement on a 51-acre farm, $469,990.85 to preserve 84 acres of a
farm and $87,524.61 to preserve 10 acres of farmland. = Mainspring
Conservation Trust serving Cherokee and Jackson counties received a total of
$651,644.50. With that, $305,944.50 will be used to help purchase a
conservation easement on 101 acres, $165,350 to preserve 48 acres of a farm and
$180,350 to preserve 58 acres of farmland. = Orange
County received $189,645.15 to help purchase a conservation easement on 110
acres. = Piedmont
Land Conservancy of Guilford County received $382,701.01 to help purchase a
conservation easement on a 122-acre farm. = Saluda
Community Land Trust of Polk County received $500,000 to help purchase a conservation
easement on 189 acres. = Southern
Appalachian Highlands Conservancy serving Buncombe County received $137,475 to
help purchase a conservation easement on a 94-acre farm. = Three
Rivers Land Trust serving Davie, Iredell and Robeson counties received nearly
$1.6 million. With that, $333,737.50 will be used to help purchase a
conservation easement on a 350-acre farm, $387,450 to preserve 321 acres of a
farm, $378,200 to help purchase a conservation easement on a 503-acre farm and
$495,550 to preserve 415 acres of farmland. = Triangle
Land Conservancy serving Chatham and Johnston counties received a total of
$693,485.31. With that, $333,789 will be used to help purchase a conservation
easement on a 110-acre farm and $359,696.31 to preserve 148 acres of a farm. = Wayne
County received $329,906.50 to help purchase a conservation easement on 113
acres. = Working
Lands Trust serving Caswell, Cleveland, Guilford and Rockingham counties
received a total of $685,843. With that, $125,300 will be used to help purchase
a conservation easement on a 42-acre farm, $285,450 to preserve 164 acres of a
farm, $100,800 to help purchase a conservation easement on a 31-acre farm and
$174,293.13 to preserve 54 acres of farmland. The following is a list of
awarded agricultural plans and agricultural development projects: = Clay
Soil and Water Conservation District received $4,500 for a project, Sprout and
Grown Green, to involve high school students in local food production. = The
Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center at the University of Mount Olive received a
total of $180,000. With that, $30,000 to develop Cost of Community Services
Studies for Harnett and Rockingham counties and $150,000 for a project,
Value-Added Livestock Feeds and Expanded Market for NC Small Grains, to conduct
a cost-benefit analysis on non-GMO feed. = Macon
Soil and Water Conservation District received $14,000 to develop a Farmland
Protection Plan for Macon County. = Mecklenburg
Soil and Water Conservation District received $14,000 to develop a Farmland
Protection Plan for Mecklenburg County. = Sampson
Cooperative Extension received $13,505 for a project, Sampson VAD Improvement
Project, to conduct outreach and increase public awareness of the Voluntary
Agricultural District program. = Southwestern NC RC&D received $58,000 for a project, KT’s Orchard Cold Storage System, to increase markets for local foods. = Watauga County received $474,450 for a Livestock Slaughter Facility project that will increase the region’s capacity to slaughter and process local beef.
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