AgPrime grant application deadline fast approaching

MOUNT OLIVE – The deadline for the 2025 AgPrime Cost-Share Grant Opportunity, an initiative between the University of Mount Olive and the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, is Dec. 16 at 5 p.m.

AgPrime offers an opportunity for farmers and agribusiness owners with innovative ideas to obtain grant funding for proposals of up to $10,000.

“The program is designed to strengthen farms and communities that have been impacted by changes in the tobacco economy,” said Edward Olive, Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center director, in a news release announcing the program now available in Duplin County. “The creativity and innovation that exists within the 33 North Carolina counties included in the AgPrime program is inspiring and we are excited to be part of helping those farms and agribusinesses attain capital to reach the next level within their business plan.”

According to the announcement, funding proposals will be considered for persons who are agriculturally dependent and have new viable ideas for innovative agricultural projects. Applicants who earn at least 50% of their personal income from their farm operation or agribusiness will be prioritized, as will current and former tobacco farmers or former quota holders.

“The success of the AgPrime program lies in the innovative and replicable ideas that empower farmers to expand and diversify their operations as they navigate the ongoing transition of tobacco production,” said Olive. “We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission to deliver this vital program to our agricultural communities.”

Administered by UMO’s Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center, the AgPrime program aims to increase farm profitability. Grant winners are required to provide a 10% cash match of the total grant award and must complete their projects by Oct. 1, 2025.

Persons interested in the AgPrime program are encouraged to contact the program coordinators to discuss their application by calling 910-290-1002 or 252-526-1587.

Proposals will be scored by a review panel, which will evaluate the project’s strength. AgPrime grants are available to farmers and agribusiness owners in the following counties: Duplin, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Montgomery, Moore, New Hanover, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Onslow, Richmond, Robeson, Scotland, Tyrrell, and Washington counties.