Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler today announced $12.4 million in awards that will focus on the expansion of current food manufacturers and processors with the goal of increasing value-added goods and products manufactured in the state. A total of eight projects that include produce, meat and dairy products received initial awards through the N.C. Agricultural Manufacturing and Processing Initiative (NCAMPI).
“We have been working to create more value-added opportunities for farmers and have been successful in lobbying the General Assembly for funds that will help strengthen our food supply. This provides a great benefit to both farmers and consumers.” Troxler said. “This inaugural round of NCAMPI-funded products will increase farmer opportunities, reduce costs to both the farmer and consumer, result in more jobs and leverage $63.4 million in private investment right here in North Carolina. We know our famers and growers need more options close by to process and distribute their products and these projects will help address these needs.”
NCDA&CS administers NCAMPI with funding provided by the General Assembly to increase N.C. agricultural manufacturing and food processing capacity.
Following are the August 2024 grant recipients and projects, in alphabetical order by county:
- Johnson Breeders Inc. of Duplin County -- $1 million for corn handling/drying
- Maola Milk of Guilford County -- $980,600 for school milk production
- FlavorFull Slices of Henderson County -- $220,000 for an apple slicer
- Origin Foods LLC of Iredell County -- $2,297,000 for dairy equipment
- Ripe Revival of Nash County -- $1,956,266 for vegetable processing
- Cardinal Foods of Pender County -- $4,309,512 for sweet potato processing
- Foster Caviness of Pitt County -- $158,152 for vegetable processing
- Mitchell’s Meat Processing of Stokes County -- $1,511,801 for livestock processing
Source : ncagr.gov