STATESVILLE, NC – Carolina Farm Credit recently recognized the recipients of their 2017 Corporate Mission Fund grants at a luncheon. Carolina Farm Credit awarded $144,000 in grants and scholarships in 2017, to 26 organizations and 8 college students. The luncheon was attended by over 100 recipients, guests, and employees. That brings the 3-year Corporate Mission Fund total to nearly $388,000, distributed to North Carolina organizations and students.
During the luncheon, attending organizations had an opportunity win an extra $1,000 to be awarded to their organization. The winner of this special drawing was Oak Grove High School School FFA whose project is to purchase new FFA jackets for members.
“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 further their education with the scholarships." Vance Dalton, CEO, Carolina Farm Credit
The 2017 Corporate Mission Fund grant recipients were:
Alexander County High School FFA (Alexander County) – Funds will be used to build a structure to house a portable livestock handling facility in order to educate Animal Science students and local producers about Beef Quality Assurance guidelines and safe handling practices.
Agribusiness Henderson County (Henderson County) – The Corporate Mission Fund grant will be used to develop a series of short promotional videos that will be used to promote local farmers and agribusiness operations.
Alamance Soil & Water Conservation District (Alamance County) – The Corporate Mission Fund grant was awarded to assist the Soil and Water District in purchasing a no till drill.
Back in the Woods Again (Chatham County) – Funding was requested to help provide lodging, meals, and gear to wheelchair bound individuals and children with disabilities participating in the hunting program.
Bartlett Yancey FFA/Agricultural Education (Caswell County) – Grant funds will be used to purchase building materials for the school’s new animal science program. Building materials will allow for stalls and shelter to be built for animals, as well as a shelter for the outdoor classroom area for students.
Bit of Hope Ranch (Gaston County) – The Corporate Mission Fund grant will be used to improve walkways, fences, rest areas, and shade components that will enhance the therapeutic services offered to clients.
Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture (Watauga County) – Funding will be used to renovate the root crop storage facility at the High Country Food Hub. Having a usable root crop storage space will provide a cost effective way for farmers to sell more product.
Carolina Antique Power Association Inc. (Rowan County) – Grant Funds will be used to complete the interior of the Country Life Museum at Sloan Park. Funds will also be used to purchase interior and exterior signage for the museum.
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (Cabarrus County) – The Corporate Mission Fund grant was awarded to replace/repair the irrigation system at the Lomax Incubator Farm. The new irrigation system will allow for more reliable operation.
Catawba Valley Cattlemen’s Association (Iredell County) – Funding was awarded to help in the purchase of a new enclosed trailer that will be used to serve BBQ, at meetings and fund raising events.
Central Carolina Holstein Association (Orange County) – The Corporate Mission Fund grant was requested in order to make repairs to the organizations facility in Orange Grove. Repairs will include replacing the heating and air conditioning system in the meeting space, replacing fans in the show barn, and other needed items.
Cleveland Community College Foundation, Inc. (Cleveland County) – Funds will be used to purchase grain bin rescue materials for use in the Agricultural Machinery Rescue course being offered by the college.
Elkin High School Agriculture Program (Surry County) – Grant funds were requested to help fund the schools Land and Stream Hands on Learning Labs Project. Students are able to hatch and grow trout that are released into the local Elk Creek along with growing seedlings to be used in grafting projects.
Forest Equipment Operator Training School, Inc. (Rockingham County) – Funds will be used to develop a recruitment strategy that will focus on retired veterans. This program will include a state and regional effort to identify veteran agencies who would partner with the school.
Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market (Haywood County) – Funding was requested to purchase permanent signage, banners, and customer marketing pieces in order to increase the visibility of the market in the local community.
Iredell-Statesville Schools Occupational Course of Study (Iredell County) – Grant funds were awarded to help purchase and construct a greenhouse that will provide students with a hands on learning experience and life skills that will transfer into adulthood.
North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Transylvania Center (Transylvania County) – A Corporate Mission Fund grant was awarded for the purchase of a livestock scale. This scale will be made available to local producers who are currently not eligible to participate in value-added marketing programs due to the requirement that animals must be weighed.
Oak Grove High School FFA (Davidson County) – Funds were requested to help start the school’s new FFA chapter. Funding will be used to help purchase FFA Jackets for new members.
Pheiffer University (Stanly County) – The Corporate Mission Fund grant will be used to purchase supplies to increase productivity of the school’s community garden. Supplies will include, lumber to build a deck and wheelchair ramp, gravel for walking areas, and materials for the construction of new garden boxes and cattle panels.
Piedmont Progressive Farmers Group COOP (Caswell County) – Funding is being provided to help with the purchase of a mobile walk-in refrigeration/freezer unit that will be used to transport products from local farms to processing/distribution centers.
Ridgecrest Volunteer Fire Department (Stanly County) – Funding was requested to supply the fire department with equipment and training to assist in agricultural rescue operations.
Southwestern Community College Small Business Center (Jackson County) – Funds were requested to be used for the schools 4th annual Appalachian Farm School. AFS is an 8 week training program designed for small to medium-sized farms.
The Patterson School Foundation (Caldwell County) – Funding was requested to construct a greenhouse that will be used for starting seeds and transplants. This greenhouse will allow the school to offer a fully operational farm system.
Veterans Healing Farm (Henderson County) – Grant funds were provided to purchase equipment that will support the farms newly launched “Farmer Veteran Boot Camp” program. This program will train veterans in sustainable agriculture, holistic health, and renewable energy.
Victory Junction (Randolph County) – The grant funds will be used to expand the camp’s Barn program by purchasing a warmblood size two horse trailer. The horse trailer will allow the camp to transport their large horses to integrate into the identified local programs.
Wilkes Early College High School (Wilkes County) – The Corporate Mission Fund grant will be used to develop a bee keeping program that will focus on experiential learning and education outreach.
The recipients of the 2017-2018 N.C. A&T University-Carolina Farm Credit Scholarships are: Carltina Johnson, Kaaria Walker, Kaitlyn Templeton, and Caleb Bryson.
The recipients of the 2017-2018 North Carolina State University-Carolina Farm Credit Scholarships are: Elizabeth Carrigan, Rebecca Pierce, Melanie Fishel, and Olin Austin.
For more information about scholarship recipients, please visit carolinafarmcredit.com.
Carolina Farm Credit is a stockholder-owned cooperative providing financing to full and part-time farmers and agricultural-related businesses and also provides financing for the construction and purchase of homes in 54 counties through 32 branch offices. Other financial services available are credit life insurance, appraisal services, leasing programs and financial planning.
For 100 years Farm Credit has been supporting rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services.
Carolina Farm Credit serves over 10,000 members with loans outstanding totaling more than $1.4 billion. The association’s territory covers the western half of North Carolina, with branch offices located in Albemarle, Asheboro, Asheville, Boone, Browns Summit, Burnsville, Carthage, Concord, Conover, Ellerbe, Graham, Hendersonville, Jefferson, Lenoir, Lexington, Lincolnton, Monroe, Murphy, Pilot Mountain, Roxboro, Rural Hall, Salisbury, Shelby, Siler City, Sparta, Spindale, Statesville, Taylorsville, Waynesville, Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, and Yanceyville.
Directors for Carolina Farm Credit are W. Rex Bell, Chairman, Statesville, David M. Coltrane, Vice-Chairman, Pleasant Garden; John M. Barnard, Statesville; E. Bernard Beck, Seagrove; Mark A. Bray, Lawsonville; Susie J. Gambill, Sparta; Joseph A. Lail, Shelby; Clark M. Newlin, Haw River; Thomas E. Porter, Jr., Concord; Eric McPherson, Snow Camp; D. Kaleb Rathbone, Waynesville; Lewis E. Smith, Lincolnton; Vickie N. Smitherman, East Bend; L. Kim Starnes, Salisbury; Dr. Alton Thompson, Summerfield.