There will be an informational meeting about the 2023 WNC AgOptions grant program for growers and producers on Thursday, September 22, 2022 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.  The meeting will take place at the Watauga County Agricultural Conference Center located at 252 Poplar Grove Road in Boone.

AgOptions staff will be present to discuss the program, go over the 2023 application timeline and answer questions.

Grants of $4,000 and $8,000 are available to farmers located within a 22-county area of Western North Carolina in 2023.  Eligible counties are 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.

The Mission of WNC AgOptions:  Building sustainable farming communities in our mountain region by providing resources directly to farmers who are diversifying or expanding their operations.  The ultimate goal of WNC AgOptions is to protect mountain farmland by assisting the longevity of farm enterprises.  Priority is given to farmers who have tobacco history.

WNC AgOptions is funded by the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and works in partnership with N.C. Cooperative Extension and WNC Communities.

For contact information and to see previous years' grant recipients, see WNC AgOptions website.