Resources for Producers

Informational Resources

• NCDOR IMPORTANT NOTICE: QUALIFYING FARMER AND CONDITIONAL FARMER EXEMPTION EXPANSION
• NCDOR Application for Qualifying Farmer Exemption Certificate Number for Qualified Purchases

Educational Opportunities

• SCC's Small Business Center offers no-fee services including counseling and assistance with business plans, marketing, production and accounting controls, and a variety of other business issues. https://www.ncsbc.net/center.aspx?center=75490

Informational Resources

• USDA: New Farmers website
• Center for Environmental Farming Systems: New Farmer Toolbox
• NCDA: Agribusiness Development 
• Get Started! A Guide to USDA Resources for Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers
• Know Your Cost to Grow: Support from CFSA 

•  Qualifying or Conditional Farmer Tax Exemption Certificates | this is a must if you are farming, apply now https://www.ncdor.gov/taxes-forms/sales-and-use-tax/sale-and-purchase-exemptions/qualifying-farmer-or-conditional-farmer-exemption-certificate-number
• Filing a Schedule F, the IRS's Farm Tax Form | another must, if you want to be qualified for farming incentives, grants, assistance, tax breaks and more. https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-schedule-f-form-1040
• Slide slow for Schedule F: https://www.farmers.gov/sites/default/files/2023-04/schedule-f-profit-or-loss-from-farming.pdf

Grants & Financial Assistance

• Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) The American Relief Act, 2025, provides more than $16 billion in disaster relief payments to producers who suffered revenue, quality or production losses to crops, trees, bushes, or vines due to qualifying disaster events in calendar years 2023 and 2024.
• WNC EnergyCAP Conservation Assistance Program Providing funding assistance and guidance for renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements for WNC FARMS and RURAL SMALL BUSINESSES through grant funding, site assessments, and energy audits.
• RAFI: Grants and Cost-Share Opportunities -
• RAFI: Grant Programs
• NCDA: GAP Certification Cost Share Assistance
• Health and Safety Mini-Grant for Specialty Crops
• Good Agriculture - fill out the form and they will search grants for small farmers

 Lenders

• USDA Farm Service Agency
• The Rural Center
• Cape Fear Farm Credit
• Carolina Small Business Development Fund 

Tax Deferment/ Exemption

• JACKSON COUNTY'S PRESENT USE VALUE PROGRAM BROCHURE You can also go to https://www.jacksonnc.org/exemptions for more information.

• Legal assistance with agricultural disputes https://affiliate.wcu.edu/agriculturalmediation/ncamp/

Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) Educational Opportunities

• Interactive FSMA Guide for Local Food Businesses & Farms
• FSMA Produce Rule Flowchart
• Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Audits
• USDA Harmonized GAP Audit Program
• Third Party GAP Audit

GAP Forms:

USDA Vendor form: https://www.ams.usda.gov/resources/sc430

Produce GAPs Harmonized Food Safety Standard USDA Checklist

Request for Audit services: https://www.ams.usda.gov/resources/sc237a 

Cost-share programs:

NC GAP and water testing: https://www.ncagr.gov/markets/NCgradesvc/index.htm

NC Soil & Water Agricultural Cost Share Program

https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/soil-water-conservation/programs-initiatives/ACSP

Agriculture Cost Share Program Average Cost List

https://www.ncagr.gov/soil-water/swcacsp-2024-cost-est-list/download?attachment

CFSA resources:

CFSA Technical Assistance Request form: https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/good-agricultural-practices/

CFSA Resource Center (select ‘food safety’ tag): https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/directory-resource-center/

Certified Naturally Grown

Farmland Listings

• Do you want to lease farmland or are you looking to lease your land to someone else? We can connect you. Email katie@wncfromthegroundup.org
• NCDA Agricultural Review: Farmland For Sale / Wanted classifieds
• NC FarmLink: Database of available farmland
• WNC FarmLink: Resources for farm seekers and landowners
• Land & Farm: Farmland listings

Farmland Preservation Programs

• Jackson County Farmland Preservation Program Overview
•  Voluntary Agriculture District Application for Jackson County
• Enhanced Voluntary Agriculture District Additional Application for Jackson County
• The VAD/EVAD Conservation Agreement Requiremen
• CFSA Conservation Planning 
• For more information, visit Jackson County Soil and Water's page 
• NC General Chapter on Historic Preservation
• Black Family Land Trust
• NCDA Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund
• USDA's Continuous Conservation Reserve Program
•           USDA's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
•           USDA's STATE ACRES FOR WILDLIFE ENHANCEMENT (SAFE) INITIATIVE
•           USDA's Alternatives to Highly Erodible Land Initiative (HELI)
•           USDA's The Farmable Wetlands Program
•           USDA's CLEAN LAKES, ESTUARIES AND RIVERS (CLEAR) INITIATIVE
• Mainspring Conservation
• Working Lands Trust
• Equinox Environmental

Informational Material

• On-Farm Infrastructure Toolkit
• Guidance and Best Practices for Fresh Produce for Small Farms
• Signage for Produce Farms
• What Agency Regulates Which Foods

Packaging

• Basic Kitchen Conversion
• Vegetable Conversion Chart
• Fruit Conversion Chart

Physical 

• An extensive list of resources for all sorts of different needs and abilities https://www.ncagromedicine.org/resource.php

Mental  

• Rural Health Information Hub https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/farmer-mental-health
• Farm Aid Hotline | 800-FARM-AID (327-6243) https://www.farmaid.org/our-work/resources-for-farmers/online-request-for-assistance-form/
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | Dial 988 https://988lifeline.org/
• USDA Farm Stress Resources https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/farm-stress-resources.pdf

A federal agency created to support farms and farming communities with programs including disaster relief, conservation programs, commodity price guarantee programs, and loan programs.

Website

A program throught the N.C. State cooperative extension system that educates and empowers farmers, ranchers, and communities of all sizes to meet the challenges they face, adapt to changing technology, improve nutrition and food safety, and protect our environment.

Website

A federal agency by the USDA designed to support farmers and ranchers. Through a network of local field offices, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in North Carolina helps private landowners protect and enhance natural resources.

Website

The Jackson County soil and water conservation district is aimed at increasing awareness, encouraging the wide use of natural resources, improving water quality, and preserving the aesthetic quality of Jackson County.

Website