This grant funded Wilkes Economic Development Corporation to assist young farmers challenged with farming due to a lack of access to and/or the high cost of owning equipment required to maintain their farms. Wilkes EDC, along with the Wilkes Cattlemen’s Association, addressed this need via an equipment rental program. Input from the Wilkes Cattlemen’s Association and a needs assessment were used to identify four equipment items of most benefit to small local farmers raising crops and animals. Prior to this award, Wilkes EDC had operated an equipment leasing program for several years and demonstrated that local farmers used the equipment available to them and that rental fees were enough to cover the costs of maintaining and insuring the equipment. The equipment acquired with this Golden LEAF grant supplemented the equipment Wilkes EDC already offered for rent. Equipment usage was managed and tracked by the local NC Cooperative Extension Service.
