STATESVILLE, N.C. — NC Grange is excited to be partnering with North Carolina landowners, county agencies and conservation non-profits in providing grants to assist them in protecting their farm and forest lands. North Carolina currently has the unfortunate title as ranking second in the nation, behind Texas, for threat of conversion to development; as noted in the American Farmland Trust’s study” Farms Under Threat: The State of the States”, even though it is only 30th in total agricultural acreage. The report projected 1.1 million acres of North Carolina farmland would be converted from agricultural use based on current development numbers with a potential to increase to 1.6 million acres if anticipated development acceleration continues. Nationally, the U.S. is projected to convert 18.4 million additional acres of agricultural land to more developed uses between 2016 and 2040.
To assist in ebbing the tide of farmland conversion, NC Grange is providing thirty-four $3,000 grants to North Carolina counties and conservation non-profits for agricultural conservation project expenditures. “The NC State Grange is excited to provide these grants in the protection of 5,000 plus farm acres in North Carolina” says Jimmy Gentry, NC State Grange President. The 2023 conservation easement grantees are:
| Beaufort Soil & Water Conservation District | $6,000 |
| County of Wayne | $15,000 |
| Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina | $12,000 |
| Haywood County Soil & Water Conservation District | $18,000 |
| Johnston County Soil & Water Conservation District | $9,000 |
| Southwestern NC Resource Conservation and Development Council | $3,000 |
| Three Rivers Land Trust | $3,000 |
| Working Lands Trust Inc | $36,000 |
Additionally, North Carolina Grange is providing six $4,500 grants to local government agencies in support of their county Volunteer Agricultural District (VAD) program for public awareness signage. VAD landowners will be provided with free signage to promote their farm being part of an operational agricultural production area. The 2023 VAD grant grantees are:
| Caswell County Planning Department | $3,000 |
| Haywood County Soil & Water Conservation District | $3,000 |
| Johnston County Soil & Water District | $3,000 |
| Pasquotank County Voluntary Agricultural District | $3,000 |
| Pender County Soil and Water Conservation District | $3,000 |
| Wake County Soil & Water Conservation District | $3,000 |
“The North Carolina Grange is excited to be a partner in North Carolina agriculture and its agribusiness economy. These grants will help our farms and forest lands remain protected and available for production in support of our state’s number one industry for generations to come” says President Gentry. The North Carolina Agriculture and Agribusiness economic impact has grown to more than $103 billion according to the May 19, 2023 North Carolina Department of Agriculture News Release –NCDA&CS NEWS: Economic impact of North Carolina agriculture and agribusiness reaches record $103.2 billion (ncagr.gov)
Editor’s note: Are you interested in writing for Morning Ag Clips? Find out how here.
—Dewitt Hardee, NC Grange
