HOW TO APPLY

Marshall, NC 28753
258 Carolina Lane
Madison County
Awards are available to farmers in
17 Western North Carolina counties
and the Cherokee Reservation.
Application deadline is typically in
January. You’ll have most success if
you start planning your project with
your N.C. Cooperative Extension
Agent several months before
application deadline.
View current application, award
amounts, upcoming deadlines and
project requirements on Western North Carolina
www.wncagoptions.org Priority
given to applicants who display: AGRICULTURAL
 History growing tobacco;
 Sufficient experience & expertise
OPTIONS PROGRAM
to accomplish the project;
 Adequate research of markets,
expenses & project timeline;
 Potential for demonstrating
successful farming operations to
the agricultural community.

If you have any further

questions, please contact:
Megan Riley
WNC AgOptions Project Manager
stamp
Place
here

at (828) 649-2411 ext. 305

or info@wncagoptions.org
Or contact your local
Cooperative Extension Agent
 HISTORY oƒ WNC
AGOPTIONS
I
n the last decade, the agricultural landscape of
Western North Carolina changed significantly
as many farmers transitioned from growing
tobacco. The transition opened up a range of
possibilities — local markets, diversified crops and
agricultural tourism. In 2004, agricultural leaders
in the region — including N.C. Cooperative
Extension, N.C. Department of Agriculture &
Consumer Services Marketing Division, and
HandMade in America — formed the Western
North Carolina Agricultural Options Program to
give financial aid and technical assistance to
farmers venturing into unknown agricultural
markets. With support from the N.C. Tobacco
Trust Fund Commission, the program provided
grants and agribusiness training to 169 farmers
through 2008.
In 2009, WNC AgOptions entered a partnership
with RAFI-USA’s Tobacco Communities
Reinvestment Fund to offer awards to farmers
demonstrating economically viable operations
through 2011. The diverse board of WNC
AgOptions continues its mission of building
sustainable farming communities in the mountains.
EXAMPLES oƒ FUNDED PROJECTS
WNC AgOptions projects reflect the wide range of
diversity in traditional and innovative agricultural
enterprises in Western North Carolina. For a
description of all of our funded projects, please see
www.wncagoptions.org The following are just a few
examples:
Specialty Livestock
Ron and Cheryl Searcy of
Transylvania County started a
“weed abatement” business as a part
of Wells Farm, fencing goats on clients’
properties to control unwanted brush.
Fruits & Vegetables
Harold and Nancy Long of the
Cherokee Reservation are growing
organic and heirloom vegetables for
local restaurants and markets. They
established a seed bank so that others
can grow their unique variety of
plants.
Agricultural Tourism
Matt Rhea, owner of Cold Mountain
Trout Company in Haywood County,
is attracting visitors to his farm by
constructing a demonstration stream,
fishing area, hiking trail and picnic
tables. The additional agri-tourism
income helps him recover from losses due to the
droughts of 2007 & 2008.
Nurseries
Bobby Williams of Graham County
started a nursery specializing in
natives. He propagates many of the
plants from seed.
Ornamentals
John & Lisa Leatherwood of
Haywood County added
rhododendrons to their tomato,
pepper & cattle operation to help
replace tobacco income.
Season Extension & Value-Added
Cathy and Andy Bennett,
of Madison County, are
building their own sweet
sorghum processing
operation, helping to keep
the molasses making
tradition in the mountains alive. The facility is
available to neighbor cane growers for a fee.
Project Impacts
 Approximately 40
farmer projects
funded annually
 Projects typically secure employment of
three people per farm.
 Approximately 75% of farmers report
increases in income in the first year.
Many expect significant gains by the
fourth year.
 As agriculture communities are
strengthened and farmer income is
secure, land is more likely to remain
farmland.
 The local tax base is strengthened with
the increase of trade of local produce
and agri-tourism dollars.
Data gathered from annual grantee reports and July 2006
economic impact analysis conducted by Richard L. Hoffman Center
for Assessment and Research Alliances at Mars Hill College.