Duplin County Agri-Community Center Foundation included in N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission awards

RALEIGH – 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