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STATE HELPS PROTECT WNC FARMING TRADITION

Release Date: July 3, 2008
Contacts: Valerie True, Blue Ridge Forever, 828.253.0095 x213

Asheville - Western North Carolina land trusts received a total of $1.7 million from the North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund to help protect farmland. The grants made June 23 went to five organizations to work towards the permanent protection of 901 acres of farmland, the equivalent of 682 football fields, dedicated to providing local food and jobs.

"In Western North Carolina we are rapidly losing our farmland to development," said Phyllis Stiles, campaign director for the Blue Ridge Forever coalition. "North Carolina is lucky to have the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. These grants are an important tool in preserving working farms."

North Carolina leads the nation in farm loss, having lost more than 6,000 farms and 300,000 acres of farmland since 2002. To date, WNC land trusts have protected 124 working farms comprising 15,150 acres. About 12,000 working farms remain in Western North Carolina and, despite the odds, agriculture continues to lead North Carolina’s economy.

Farming is a tradition in North Carolina’s mountains with archeological records showing that pre-Cherokee inhabitants farmed the mountain flood plains as long as 3,000 years ago. Following the decline of burley tobacco production, farmers are having new success with agri-tourism, alternative crops, and filling the demand for locally produced food.

Receipt of the grants from the Farmland Trust Fund brings the land trusts one step closer to permanently protecting these 901 additional acres of farmland. The land trusts must now quickly raise the requisite matching funds to complete the farm protection projects.

Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, High Country Conservancy, and Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, the recipients of the grants, are members of the Blue Ridge Forever coalition, working to permanently protect 50,000 acres of natural landscape and working farms in Western North Carolina by 2010.

The Trust Fund awarded $7.6 million in grants to local governments and organizations for 41 projects in more than 40 counties that will help protect farmland and promote agricultural enterprises.

"We’re very pleased to be able to help communities in their efforts to preserve farmland and forest land. Our main focus is to maintain working farms and create new opportunities in agriculture," Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in the Trust Fund’s press release announcing the grant recipients.

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Blue Ridge Forever is a collective campaign led by local land trusts and national conservation organizations to engage the public and raise financial resources to safeguard land and water in the Southern Blue Ridge for present and future generations. For more information, see www.blueridgeforever.info.

PARTNERS OF BLUE RIDGE FOREVER
Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, High Country Conservancy, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, National Committee for the New River, Pacolet Area Conservancy, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Conservation Trust for North Carolina, The Trust for Public Land
Advisors: The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy - North Carolina Chapter







	STATE HELPS PROTECT WNC FARMING TRADITION Release Date: July 3, 2008 Contacts: Valerie True, Blue Ridge Forever, 828.253.0095 x213 Asheville - Western North Carolina land trusts received a total of $1.7 million from the North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund to help protect farmland. The grants made June 23 went to five organizations to work towards the permanent protection of 901 acres of farmland, the equivalent of 682 football fields, dedicated to providing local food and jobs. "In Western North Carolina we are rapidly losing our farmland to development," said Phyllis Stiles, campaign director for the Blue Ridge Forever coalition. "North Carolina is lucky to have the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. These grants are an important tool in preserving working farms." North Carolina leads the nation in farm loss, having lost more than 6,000 farms and 300,000 acres of farmland since 2002. To date, WNC land trusts have protected 124 working farms comprising 15,150 acres. About 12,000 working farms remain in Western North Carolina and, despite the odds, agriculture continues to lead North Carolina’s economy. Farming is a tradition in North Carolina’s mountains with archeological records showing that pre-Cherokee inhabitants farmed the mountain flood plains as long as 3,000 years ago. Following the decline of burley tobacco production, farmers are having new success with agri-tourism, alternative crops, and filling the demand for locally produced food. Receipt of the grants from the Farmland Trust Fund brings the land trusts one step closer to permanently protecting these 901 additional acres of farmland. The land trusts must now quickly raise the requisite matching funds to complete the farm protection projects. Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, High Country Conservancy, and Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, the recipients of the grants, are members of the Blue Ridge Forever coalition, working to permanently protect 50,000 acres of natural landscape and working farms in Western North Carolina by 2010. The Trust Fund awarded $7.6 million in grants to local governments and organizations for 41 projects in more than 40 counties that will help protect farmland and promote agricultural enterprises. "We’re very pleased to be able to help communities in their efforts to preserve farmland and forest land. Our main focus is to maintain working farms and create new opportunities in agriculture," Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in the Trust Fund’s press release announcing the grant recipients. # # # Blue Ridge Forever is a collective campaign led by local land trusts and national conservation organizations to engage the public and raise financial resources to safeguard land and water in the Southern Blue Ridge for present and future generations. For more information, see www.blueridgeforever.info. PARTNERS OF BLUE RIDGE FOREVER Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, High Country Conservancy, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, National Committee for the New River, Pacolet Area Conservancy, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Conservation Trust for North Carolina, The Trust for Public Land Advisors: The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy - North Carolina Chapter