When Congress ended its tobacco support programs in 2000, thousands of tobacco growers in western North Carolina who depended on them were left without a viable way to make a living. “There wasn’t a real future for the farms in our region if we didn’t come up with something new,” says Charlie Jackson, the executive director of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP).
In this new video, see how the agricultural landscape of western North Carolina is transforming from one dependent on tobacco to one that is self-sustaining. Hear from Jackson, who has worked with farmers and businesses to advance this change with support from SARE.
Dig Deeper into Sustainable Agriculture
Explore how farmers and ranchers are improving profitability, stewardship and quality of life using innovations in production and marketing. Check out What is Sustainable Agriculture? a 12-page sampler of best practices in sustainable agriculture, including profiles of the men and women who are putting them into practice.
View Related SARE Grants:
- Increasing Economic Viability and Promoting Sustainable Agriculture through Agritourism (FS06-197)
- Growing Local – Phase I (LS11-239)
- Growing Local – Phase II (LS14-260)
- Growing Local - Phase III (LS17-285)