Mountain farm families will soon have an opportunity to apply for a grant to assist diversifying their farming activities. Funding is obtained from N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission under the name of WNC Agricultural Options.

With support from the Tobacco Trust Fund, WNC AgOptions will review farmer proposal for a new round of $3,000 and $6,000 grants, for a total of $145,000. WNC AgOptions is accepting applications until Nov. 16.

WNC AgOptions, a program of NC Cooperative Extension and WNC Communities, continues its nine-year history of helping farmers diversify their businesses.

“There is no doubt that agriculture in Western North Carolina has become stronger because of WNC AgOptions and we expect the 2013 program to continue with outstanding applications from farmers hoping to keep their farms strong in these ever-changing times,” said Ross Young, Madison County extension director and WNC AgOptions steering committee leader.

The program awards farmers seed money to offset some of the risk of trying something new and gives farmers the chance to demonstrate new farming techniques and marketing tactics.

Applications are available at www.wncagoptions.org and at local Cooperative Extension Centers. Interested applicants should contact their county extension agents before they apply. The Polk County Extension Center is located at 60 Gibson Street in Columbus. The application must be postmarked no later than Nov. 16.

This is the fourth year that Polk County has been eligible for the program. The WNC AgOptions steering committee strongly encourages eligible farmers who have never received grant funding to apply.

For more information, see the following: WNC Agricultural Options: www.wncagoptions.org; N.C. Cooperative Extension Centers: www.ces.ncsu.edu; N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission: www.tobaccotrustfund.org; WNC Communities: www.wnccommunities.org.

Program contact: Jennifer Ferre, 828-333-4277, admin@wncagoptions.org; or the Polk County Extension Center in Columbus.

– article submitted by John Vining