After years of growing tobacco, T.Y. Baker decided to make the shift to grapes. From the start, Baker and his son Yates knew they wanted to do it all organically. Around five years ago, they began taking part in the Department of Agriculture’s Cost-Sharing Program. Since 2010, the program has helped over 1,500 applicants across North Carolina cover the cost of getting their organic certification and recertification.
Yates: “They reimburse up to half those costs. So for us it’s not only good as the owners of the vineyard, but we employ 20 plus people locally during season. It allows us more money in our pocket, which in turn goes to our workers, goes to the community and allows us to get a better product to market.”
T.Y. told spectrumlocalnews.com there are multiple reasons they wanted to take care of this land the best way they could, and the Department of Agriculture has helped them do just that.
Photo source: Dreamstime.com
