Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded $50 million in grants to 140 small and midsized farms across the country. This year the grant program — meant to help farmers hire and retain workers — was frozen by the Trump administration.
Hart-T Tree Farm was one of four North Carolina farms awarded funding from the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Program. Just south of the Virginia border in Grassy Creek, North Carolina, the family owned farm grows Fraser fir trees. Carrie McClan, the farm’s CEO said before she found out about the grant, the farm was in a bit of a financial crisis.
“We didn't have enough trees to sell, so our expenses were outweighing our income,” McClain said.
The USDA awarded Hart-T $400,000 to help cover those losses and support their workers.
“We were able to offer sick pay and sick leave and then bonuses,” McClain said.
McClain has received $200,000 and doesn’t know when or if the rest will come through. She is one of the lucky ones. Most farmers haven’t received any of their grants.
McClain said she’s committed to providing sick leave and benefits for her workers, even if the rest of her funding does not come through.
“I think we'll manage to get through but I feel like there's a lot of farms that this is a really big hardship for them,” McClain said. “What I wish is that even if the administration doesn't like the program, that they would honor the commitments that have been made.”
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