[MPWG] Proposals being accepted for Forest Products Projects in WNC

[Jeanine Davis]

The USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, based in Asheville, is
providing nearly $2 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA)
funds for the economic stimulus effort being administered by Land-of-Sky
Regional Council.(LOSRC). Signed into law on Feb. 17, 2009, ARRA provides
millions of dollars to jumpstart the economy, create or save millions of
jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so the
nation can thrive in the 21st century. The Southern Research Station awarded
the ARRA grant to LOSRC in a competitive selection process. LOSRC is a
non-profit, voluntary association of local governments that manages regional
projects and provides services to its members in the areas of planning,
economic and community development.
According to the LOSRC plan for administering the stimulus funds (available
at http://www.landofsky.org/planning/p_working_lands.html) , groups of
forest workers will work together to improve their competitiveness while
sales are down. The goal is to help businesses to be more profitable as
demand for forest products returns and the economy recovers. LOSRC seeks to
help underemployed or unemployed forest workers with creative ideas about
improving their businesses. The project could employ close to 100 forest
producers to explore alternate approaches to production or marketing. For
example, a group of loggers in the region may want to find ways to connect
their products with green builders. Woodland herb producers may want to
share drying equipment and introduce their own line of value-added products.
LOSRC is cooperating with a number of organizations to implement the plan
including the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, the NC Division
of Forest Resources, the NCSU Mountain Horticulture Crops Research and
Extension Center, and the Southern Forest Network. 
To be eligible for the program, forest producers must be persons engaged in
businesses that grow, harvest, process, market, or use timber and non-timber
forest products. Proposals are due by 5 p.m. Eastern time on March 26. The
maximum amount for any proposal is $100,000. More information about the
economic stimulus effort and how to submit a proposal is available at:
http://www.landofsky.org/planning/p_working_lands.html.
Three public meetings will be held as described below to clarify this
request and to answer questions.
Boone - La Quinta Inn & Suites 165 Highway 105 Extension Boone, NC 28607
Phone: 1-828-262-1234 for directions
March 16, 2020 from 4:00-6:00
Asheville - at Land-of-Sky Regional Council 
339 Leicester Highway Asheville 28806
March 17, 2020 from 3:30-5:30
Directions at: http://www.landofsky.org/mainlinks/contact.html
Cherokee - at Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall
545 Tsali Blvd. Cherokee, NC 28719
March 18, 2020 from 4:00-6:00
Thanks for your help in distributing this information. 


Jeanine M. Davis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Extension Specialist
Department of Horticultural Science
North Carolina State University
Email: Jeanine_Davis at ncsu.edu
Websites:  http://ncherb.org
http://ncspecialtycrops.org
http://ncorganic.org
Blog:  http://ncalternativecropsandorganics.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JeanineNCSU 
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeanine-Davis/1442912228 
Address: Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center
455 Research Drive, Mills River, NC 28759
Phone:  828-684-3562   
FAX:  828-684-8715



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