Funding will advance permanent farm and forestland protection and strengthen the future of working lands
Gold Hill, NC — August 19, 2026 — Working Lands Trust (WLT) has been awarded over $36 million in funding for agricultural lands protection, representing a significant investment in the conservation of working farms, agricultural communities, and the land base that supports the region’s agricultural economy.
The funding brings together state and federal resources that will enable WLT and its partners to protect additional agricultural acreage from development while helping ensure that productive farmland remains available for farmers and future generations.
The over $36 million funding includes:
- ~$18 million through the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation (ADFP) Trust Fund
- ~$7.5 million through the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program
- ~$11 million through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
“This level of investment is an extraordinary opportunity for agricultural conservation in North Carolina,” said Mikey Fulk, Executive Director of WLT. “We are incredibly fortunate to do this work alongside exceptional partners and within communities where we have built strong, trusted relationships with landowners and agricultural families. This funding has been a long time coming, and it represents a tremendous win for North Carolina’s farmers and landowners. It gives us the opportunity to turn years of partnership, planning, and community engagement into permanent protection for productive farms supporting the people who make their living from the land while ensuring that agriculture remains a viable and lasting part of North Carolina’s future.”
WLT works with farmers, landowners, public agencies, and community partners to conserve agricultural and other working lands through voluntary conservation agreements. Protecting these properties helps sustain agricultural businesses, supports rural economies, safeguards natural resources, and provides greater certainty that productive land will remain available for agriculture.
The combination of ADFP, REPI, and NRCS funding also demonstrates the broad public benefits of working lands conservation. Beyond protecting farmland, strategic land conservation can support military readiness, preserve compatible land uses around military installations, protect water and natural resources, and strengthen the long-term resilience of rural communities.
“Farmland protection is about much more than conserving acres,” said Mikey Fulk, Executive Director of WLT, “It is about keeping land in production, giving farm families more options for the future, supporting our agricultural economy, and ensuring that the landscapes that define our communities remain working landscapes. We are so thankful to our funding partners that made all of this possible.”
WLT will use the funding to advance eligible agricultural conservation projects in partnership with participating landowners and funding partners. Conservation projects are voluntary, and protected properties generally remain privately owned and available for continued agricultural use.
About Working Lands Trust
Established in 2013 and headquartered in Gold Hill, NC, Working Lands Trust is the only statewide land trust devoted exclusively to protecting working farms and forests. To date, WLT has conserved over 20,000 acres across North Carolina through conservation easements and strategic partnerships. Through programs, education, and partnerships, WLT aims to safeguard working lands as vibrant, productive, and resilient parts of their communities.
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