STATESVILLE, N.C. — Carolina Farm Credit recently awarded over $152,000 to 25 local non-profit organizations and 12 college students for the 2022-2023 Corporate Mission Fund grant program. 135 grant applications were received, and awards were granted in the fourth quarter. In 2014, Carolina Farm Credit established the Corporate Mission Fund to provide grants to local, non-profit, agriculture-related organizations and scholarships to NC college agriculture students. 2022 marks the eighth year Carolina Farm Credit has awarded these grants and scholarships.
Carolina Farm Credit will begin advertising again for this grant program in April of 2022.
“Our Corporate Mission Fund allows us an opportunity to support grass roots organizations that are making a difference in their rural communities. We are also thrilled to be able to support these college students furthering their education with the scholarships.” Vance Dalton, CEO, Carolina Farm Credit.
The 25 organizations that received funding were:
- Agribusiness Henderson County (Henderson County) – Agribusiness Henderson County works to garner ongoing support for agriculture from the county government and the public, by strategically showing its economic benefit and value. Their grant will be used to purchase and distribute posts and hardware to prominently display Ag District signage throughout the farms of Henderson County participating in the Voluntary Ag District program.
- Alamance County 4-H (Alamance County) – This organization will use their grant funds to improve their Embryology School Enrichment Program by purchasing new poultry incubators for 8th grade classrooms across the county.
- Appalachian State University Foundation (Watauga County) – Grant funds will be used to build a toolshed to store, shelter, and extend the lifespan of the diverse array of farm equipment for the University farm.
- Ashe County Agriculture Facility Committee (Ashe County) – The County of Ashe will use their grant funds to construct a multi-purpose agricultural center consisting of a livestock aggregation facility and meeting space for trainings, commodity group meetings, and conferences.
- Back in the Woods Again (Chatham County) – This organization seeks to provide a safe hunting environment to wheelchair bound individuals, children with disabilities, and other individuals that could not otherwise hunt. Grant funds will help the group host their annual disabled hunter’s event, by providing lodging, meals, and gear to hunters.
- Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Inc. (Henderson County) – This grant will be used to provide farmworkers, who are essential support for farmers in producing and distributing crops, with basic needs supplies annually to prevent serious health conditions and improve their health outcomes.
- Catawba County Cooperative Extension 4-H (Catawba County) – Grant funds will be used to install fans in the new livestock arena at the Hickory American Legion Fairground adjacent to the Livestock Barn.
- Cleveland Community College Foundation, Inc. (Cleveland County) – Grant funds will be used to acquire an entrapment prop, feed bins, and augers to enhance their technical rescue training courses in machinery and agricultural rescue training.
- Farmer Foodshare (Durham County) – Grant funds will be used to purchase a branding wrap for their new 16 ft refrigerated truck, which will be used to pick up fresh produce from small farms located in 22 NC counties, and deliver this food to pantries, businesses, and institutions in the Triangle.
- Haw River Fire Department (Alamance County) – This organization will use grant funds to outfit each member on the department with wildland personal protective equipment, to include a pair of leather gloves, Nomex bandana, and a wildland firefighting coat.
- HIGHTS, Inc. (Jackson County) – Grant funds will be used to provide funding for the HIGHTS BeeWell Program which engages vulnerable youth ages 11-18 in beekeeping education, honey extraction, and selling.
- Iredell County Cooperative Extension (Iredell County) – The mission of this organization is to deliver research-based information from NC State and NCA&T University to communities in the areas of agriculture and food, health and nutrition, and 4-H youth development. Grant funds will be used to purchase portable sheep and goat pens that would be utilized during livestock shows and Cooperative Extension programming efforts
- Living Free Ministries, Inc. (Alamance County) – This organization will use grant funds to construct a greenhouse that will house both indoor and outdoor plants, in order to offer vocational training for the people they serve, funding opportunities through plant sales, and sustainability by growing their own food source.
- Livingstone College (Rowan County) – Grant funds will be used to “revive” the college’s farm as the center for a health and wellness initiative that includes physical activity, gardening, cooking, and education related to the link between food, food preparation, health, and wellness.
- Longtown United Methodist Church (Yadkin County) – This church has plans to plant fruit trees and vegetables, in partnership with Starmount Middle School, to help students and families in the community by not only providing healthy produce but also teaching how to grow and harvest fruits and vegetables.
- Montgomery Community College Foundation (Montgomery County) – Grant funds will be used to support the college in offering training to the local fire departments and rescue squads in Agriculture Rescue, including purchasing specialized equipment to facilitate this training.
- NC Cooperative Extension, Haywood County Center (Haywood County) – The mission of this organization is to deliver research-based information from NC State and NCA&T University to communities in the areas of agriculture and food, health and nutrition, and 4-H youth development. Grant funds will be used to offer an educational hatchery at the extension office with workshops about home incubation while eggs are incubating. Chicks hatched at the office will be distributed to fortify already established flocks and to youth wanting to learn more about agriculture.
- NC Christian Veterinary Mission (Cherokee County) – The mission of this organization is to provide veterinary care to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Nation located in Cherokee, NC. Grant funds will be used to support this veterinary care program.
- NC Cooperative Extension, Stokes County – (Stokes) The mission of this organization is to deliver research-based information from NC State and NCA&T University to communities in the areas of agriculture and food, health and nutrition, and 4-H youth development. Grant funds will be used to to purchase a specialized panel trailer to increase the accessibility of the livestock handling equipment for producers.
- Rockingham County FFA (Rockingham County) – This organization plans to use their grant to purchase an enclosed trailer to be used for plant sales, hauling tools, and more for community service projects off campus, delivering plants to community retail locations, and hauling equipment to hunter safety competitions.
- Southside Community Farm (Buncombe County) – Southside Community Farm will use their grant for promotion of The Southside Community Farmers Market which focuses on supporting the historically Black Southside community by hosting a number of vendors from all over the region including farmers, food vendors, medicine makers, artisans, and others.
- Stanly County Schools CTE (Stanly County) – Their grant funds will provide a chicken coop for the Agriculture Program at South Stanly Middle School for hands-on learning and Supervised Agriculture Experience projects.
- Surry Community College (Surry County) – Surry Community College and Surry County Schools will use grant funds to build a live lab facility/barn to directly benefit animal science programs. This demonstration farm will provide space for innovative, hands-on instruction of all aspects of production with an initial focus on small ruminants and swine.
- Veterans Healing Farm (Henderson County) – This organization will use grant funds to replace the batteries on the community center solar array, which generates all the Farm’s electricity. This will ensure the continuation of the agri-therapy program for local veterans, veteran caregivers, and their families through farming and homesteading workshops, community events, food and herb preservation, and medicinal herb consultations.
- Victory Junction Gang Camp, Inc. (Randolph County) – Grant funds will be used to provide care for the Camp’s therapy animals that are part of the camper experiences.
The recipients of the 2022-2023 NC A&T State University – Carolina Farm Credit Scholarships are: Camille McEachern, Danesha King, Precious Bracy, and Lillie Miller.
The recipients of the 2022-2023 NC State University – Carolina Farm Credit Scholarships are: Alyson Biddix, Julian Koopman, Mary Morris, and Nash Whitener.
The recipients of the 2022-2023 University of Mount Olive – Carolina Farm Credit Scholarships are: Avery Cook, Katie Gates, Sarah Faith McAllister, and Shade Wilbanks.
For more information about scholarships, please visit carolinafarmcredit.com.
–Carolina Farm Credit
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