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<TITLE>Proposals being accepted for Forest Products Projects in WNC</TITLE>
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<P><FONT FACE="Arial">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.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">According to the LOSRC plan for administering the stimulus funds (available at </FONT><A HREF="http://www.landofsky.org/planning/p_working_lands.html"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial">http://www.landofsky.org/planning/p_working_lands.html</FONT></U></A><FONT FACE="Arial">) , 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. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">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: </FONT><A HREF="http://www.landofsky.org/planning/p_working_lands.html"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial">http://www.landofsky.org/planning/p_working_lands.html</FONT></U></A><FONT FACE="Arial">.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">Three public meetings will be held as described below to clarify this request and to answer questions.</FONT>
<BR><B><FONT FACE="Arial">Boone</FONT></B><FONT FACE="Arial"></FONT> <FONT FACE="Arial">–</FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"> La Quinta Inn & Suites 165 Highway 105 Extension Boone, NC 28607<BR>
Phone: 1-828-262-1234 for directions</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">March 16, 2020 from 4:00-6:00</FONT>
<BR><B><FONT FACE="Arial">Asheville</FONT></B><FONT FACE="Arial"></FONT> <FONT FACE="Arial">–</FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"> at Land-of-Sky Regional Council </FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">339 Leicester Highway Asheville 28806</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">March 17, 2020 from 3:30-5:30</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">Directions at: </FONT><A HREF="http://www.landofsky.org/mainlinks/contact.html"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial">http://www.landofsky.org/mainlinks/contact.html</FONT></U></A>
<BR><B><FONT FACE="Arial">Cherokee</FONT></B> <FONT FACE="Arial">–</FONT><FONT FACE="Arial"> at Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">545 Tsali Blvd. Cherokee, NC 28719</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">March 18, 2020 from 4:00-6:00</FONT>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial">Thanks for your help in distributing this information. </FONT>
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<P><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Jeanine M. Davis</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">, Ph.D.</FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Associate Professor and Extension Specialist</FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Department of Horticultural Science</FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">North Carolina State University</FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Email:</FONT></B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> Jeanine_Davis@ncsu.edu</FONT>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Websites:</FONT></B><FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> </FONT> <A HREF="http://ncherb.org"><U></U><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">http://ncherb.org</FONT></U></A>
<BR><A HREF="http://ncspecialtycrops.org"><U></U><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">http://ncspecialtycrops.org</FONT></U></A>
<BR><A HREF="http://ncorganic.org"><U></U><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">http://ncorganic.org</FONT></U></A>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Blog:</FONT></B> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> </FONT><A HREF="http://ncalternativecropsandorganics.blogspot.com"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">http://ncalternativecropsandorganics.blogspot.com</FONT></U></A>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Twitter:</FONT></B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> </FONT><A HREF="http://twitter.com/JeanineNCSU"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">http://twitter.com/JeanineNCSU</FONT></U></A><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> </FONT>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Facebook:</FONT></B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> </FONT><A HREF="http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeanine-Davis/1442912228"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeanine-Davis/1442912228</FONT></U></A><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> </FONT>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Address:</FONT></B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"></FONT> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">M</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">ountain</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> Hort</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">icultural</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> Crops Research & Extension C</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">enter</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">455 Research Drive,</FONT> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Mills River</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">, NC 287</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">59</FONT>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Phone:</FONT><FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"></FONT></B> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> 828-684-3562 </FONT><B> <FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> </FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">FAX:</FONT> <FONT COLOR="#FF0000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"></FONT></B> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">828-684-8715</FONT>
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