Grain Bins Help Small Farmers Think Big

On-farm storage capacity is a simple but effective way for farmers to store and sell their grains at the most opportune and profitable time. However, the up-front costs of a grain bin can be prohibitive for a limited resource grower. For the past two years, NCIF has paired cost share grants from a 2008 NC Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund (ADFP) grant with low interest loans to enable 15 minority, beginning, and limited resource farmers to install 5,500 bushel grain bins on their property. This newly announced ADFP grant will provide sufficient funding for 5 additional family farms to erect bins and gain the opportunity to earn more for their grain by "playing the market." The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has been instrumental in providing outreach and marketing for the program to eligible farmers.

NCIF will track the results of the program to measure how the bins affect farm income. The experience of Johnny Powell of Cofield, NC , who first used his bin for the 2009 corn harvest, is promising: "I was able to store corn in my bin and sell 5,000 bushels in February at $4.50; the price at harvest time was $3.30. The extra storage gives me control over my crop- I made an extra $6,000 because of the bin!"

Interested farmers should contact Rick Larson, NCIF NC Program Director at 919-967-2223, ext. 113 or for an application.