The N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund has awarded $51.2 million in grants to help protect working farms and forests and support North Carolina’s agricultural economy.
Two projects in Haywood County totaling 439 acres received a total of $1.78 million and two projects in Macon County totaling 32 acres received a total of $320,000.
The General Assembly’s 2026-27 budget included $46.9 million in nonrecurring funding and an additional $2 million in recurring funding for the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, the largest single-year investment in the program’s history.
Agricultural conservation easements provide a voluntary way for landowners to protect their working lands. Preserving these farms and forests helps maintain the land base needed for agricultural production and supports the rural communities and businesses that depend on it.
While the awards represent a significant investment in farmland preservation, applicants for the current grant cycle should not assume the same level of funding will be available. Funding levels can vary, and awards will depend on the resources available for that cycle.
The ADFP Trust Fund provides grants to county governments and nonprofit organizations for agricultural conservation easements, agricultural development projects, agricultural plans, and Agricultural Growth Zones. Farmers, landowners, and others interested in applying must partner with a qualified nonprofit conservation organization or county government to participate in an ADFP Trust Fund grant proposal.
For the complete list of grant awards, visit ncagr.gov/divisions/farmland-preservation/history/cycle-19.