DETAIL:
 
1) For Watauga growers and counties to the south or west, WNC Ag Options now accepting applications for 2013 grant cycle, due 11/16.

Open to growers in Watauga County, as well as those in Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Swain, Transylvania, and Yancey counties as well as the Cherokee Indian Reservation, mountain farms will soon benefit from N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission's recent funding of WNC Agricultural Options. With support from the Commission, WNC AgOptions will award area farmers a new round of $3,000 and $6,000 grants, for a total of $145,000. WNC AgOptions is accepting applications until November 16.

WNC AgOptions, a program of N.C. Cooperative Extension and WNC Communities, continues its nine-year history of helping farmers diversify their businesses. "I am excited that the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission funded this program again this year," said Ross Young, Madison County Extension Director and WNC AgOptions steering committee leader. "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."

WNC AgOptions awards farmers who propose diversification projects that will help their businesses grow and succeed. The seed money offsets the risk of trying something new and gives farmers the chance to demonstrate new farming techniques and marketing tactics to the agricultural community.

Applications are available at

www.wncagoptions.org

and at local Cooperative Extension Centers. Interested applicants should contact their local Extension Agents by October 12 to notify them that they intend to apply. The application postmark deadline is November 16. The WNC AgOptions steering committee strongly encourages eligible farmers who have never received grant funding to apply.

2) For Ashe growers & counties to the north & east, RAFI has been funded for producer grants. Details & due date TBA.

The Tobacco Trust Fund has provided $250,000 to the RAFI Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund to support over 20 cost-share grants to individual farmers and producer groups for innovative projects designed to increase farmer income.  Priority will be given to former/current tobacco farmers. Eligible counties for these grant funds include Ashe, as well as Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Union, Wilkes, and Yadkin.

While guidelines for the 2013 program have not yet been released, we expect to see them soon athttp://www.rafiusa.org/tcrf/apphomepage.html

3) Southern SARE Producer Grants Available – Due 11/15

Southern Region SARE Producer Grant program is requesting grant proposals from producers or producer organizations interested in conducting research or marketing projects related to sustainable agriculture.

The purpose of this grant program is for farmers/ranchers to conduct projects to solve problems they face and develop information on what works and doesn’t work so that other farmers and ranchers facing those same problems can benefit from the results of the funded project.

SSARE Producer Grants are not designed to pay a farmer to farm.  They are designed to take some of the financial risk away from trying a solution.  Most trials to test ideas and solutions to farming/ranching challenges don’t require seeding 50 acres for example.  Make sure that your proposal is designed to test an idea that, should it be successful, you’ll later try yourself on a larger scale. 

Projects must be developed, coordinated and conducted by farmers and/or ranchers or a producer organization.  Producer organizations should be comprised primarily of farmers/ranchers and must have majority farmer representation on their governing board.  Producers or producer organizations must complete a proposal describing their project and explaining how it will help other producers understand and adopt sustainable agriculture practices.

Projects may be funded up to TWO years for a project maximum of $10,000 for an individual producer or $15,000 for a producer organization.

For full guidelines, and to download the Call for Proposals, visit:

http://www.southernsare.org/Grants/Types-of-Grants/Producer-Grants

4) Organic Farming Research Foundation offers Grants to support Research, Education, and Outreach about organic seed quality or crop breeding.

The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) is pleased to announce that, thanks to a partnership with Seed Matters, funding is available for:

(a) Research projects in the categories of organic seed quality or crop breeding,

and

(b)Education and Outreach projects in the categories of organic seed quality or crop breeding.

OFRF accepts proposals via electronic submission.

Proposals are by Monday, November 19, 2012. OFRF will make funding decisions in March 2013 and applicants will be notified of these by March 30, 2013.

For full guidelines on how to apply, see:

http://ofrf.org/research/grants