Grant dollars protect Haywood farmlands
Local acres were among those covered by $3.8 million the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund recently awarded to protect farmland and agricultural enterprises across the state.
The funds will make conservation easements possible on 117 acres on three Haywood County farms.
A $214,000 award to the Southwestern North Carolina Resource Conservation and Development Council will allow 50 acres on the Smart Farm beef cattle operation in Waynesville to be preserved in perpetuity.
A $78,000 award to the Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District will allow 21 acres on the A.K. and Sons Farm beef cattle and hay operation in Clyde to be preserved in perpetuity.
A $173,000 award to the Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District will allow 46 acres on the Swanger Farm beef cattle grazing operation to be preserved in perpetuity.
The ADFP’s mission is to encourage preservation of agricultural, horticultural and forested land to support family farms — agricultural conservation easements contribute to that mission by paying landowners to give up their rights to future development of the property for non-agricultural purposes such as subdivisions, industry and mining.
