Humble Vine Farm competing for farm grant

CLEVELAND, Ga. – White County’s Humble Vine Farm is competing for a farm grant from national produce distributor PRO*ACT. Voting is currently taking place at Cultivatingchange.org.

PRO*ACT is working to encourage sustainable practices and drive ahead fresh produce through the expansion of its local farm grant program Cultivating Change. Ten other Georgia farms are competing for the grants, including Jaemor Farm.

A total of $75,000 will be awarded to the local farms that receive the most votes through Jan. 31. Winners will be announced on Feb. 5.

In a press release, PRO*ACT President and Chief Executive Officer Max Yeater said, “The Cultivating Change grants make it possible for local farmers to fund projects which invest in their current and future operations. The improvements pave a sustainable path for the next generation of farmers. We are proud to give back to farms that make such a large contribution to their local community.”

Yeater added that funds have enabled past winners to achieve sustainability goals such as rainwater collection systems, building sustainable greenhouse operations, and launching farm-to-school programs.

“With the grant, we were able to alleviate 4,000 gallons a day of water that we were pulling from the city and our community,” said Scott Rickstrew, general manager of Manor, Texas-based Leaf Safari, a grant recipient who used PRO*ACT’s $10,000 award to build a rainwater collection system.

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