Staff Report
As part of the Advanced Entrepreneurship Program implemented by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness Research and Entrepreneurship Center (ACRE), grants were awarded to 12 South Carolina businesses, including two Sumter agricultural businesses.
Finalists presented to a panel of judges on May 15 and were scored based on their business plans, five-minute videos and proven business successes.
Among the recipients of the $200,000 awarded are Oswego Flowers and Bradford Farms, both in Sumter County. In addition to funding, recipients will also receive access to a network of business advisors and expert help with state and federal grant applications, according to an SCDA news release.
Oswego Flowers, which focuses on growing unusual cut flower varieties, plans to use the grant to purchase a larger greenhouse to extend the growing season for cut flowers year-round and begin the transition to wholesale production of cut flowers.
Bradford Farms, which grows, processes and sells its own heirloom crops and acts as a small distributor of South Carolina-grown produce to restaurants in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, will use the grant money to purchase a mechanical washing station, a mechanical chopper and a forklift-accessible refrigerated warehouse.
Other grant recipients across the state are:
– Dragonfly Creek (Colleton County) is a diversified market farm in Walterboro that grows seasonal vegetables, herbs, fruits, cut flowers and eggs. As they continue to grow, they plan to develop a weekly Community Supported Agriculture program for Walterboro area residents. Using ACRE funds, they plan to invest in wildlife fencing to protect their crops and dig another well to expand irrigation.
– Blue Ridge Rabbit Meat Co. is a family-owned rabbit farm in Wellford (Spartanburg County) that raises and processes rabbits and ships high-quality meat to customers across the country. The company plans to use ACRE funding to add a heating and cooling system throughout its barn.
– Crossroads Processing (Lexington County) was founded in Reidsville in 2022 with a focus on venison processing, but quickly expanded to process various types of meat, including livestock, to fill a gap in the local market. The company’s goal is to increase direct-to-consumer processing, increase local meat processing infrastructure and narrow the gap between farmers and consumers.
– Lowcountry Fungi is an indoor farm on Johns Island (Charleston County) that supplies culinary and medicinal mushrooms to restaurants and wholesale customers. The company recently launched “Mushroom Coffee,” a blend of local coffee and farm-grown mushrooms. With the ACRE grant, they plan to expand into another warehouse unit, increase production, and add a certified kitchen.
– Farm in the Wildwood (Greenville County) uses environmentally friendly, no-till, regenerative farming techniques to grow baby greens, herbs and a variety of vegetables for Greenville-area restaurants, CSA members, seasonal farm stands, agritourism customers and more. The ACRE grant will help improve the facility, improve marketing and expand product offerings.
– Pickled Pepper People (Greenville County) uses a traditional Haitian family recipe to make spicy coleslaw from fresh, local and sustainably sourced vegetables. This minority-owned business will use the ACRE grant money for equipment, marketing, social media and shared kitchen expenses.
– Growing Green Family Farms (Greenville County) provides fresh produce to the Upstate region using regenerative agriculture practices such as compost and intercropping. The company is looking to expand its Good Agriculture Practices-certified packing shed and walk-in coolers to increase its own production and help other farmers in need of food safety-certified space.
– Since taking over the pecan farm from their parents, the younger generation of Yong Family Farm has rapidly increased yields through irrigation and improved equipment. They operate a retail store in Ridge Spring (Saluda County) that sells pecans and pecan products, as well as supporting other local farms by selling local goods from growers throughout South Carolina. The Yongs plan to build new permanent freezer space to improve access and inventory management.
– Heartworks Farm (Lexington County), a specialty produce farm producing tomatoes, microgreens and cut flowers, plans to build a multi-purpose packing and processing facility with a dedicated processing area, refrigerated storage and flexible space for educational workshops and farm events.
– Hull and Husk (Beaufort County) uses locally sourced peanut shells, pecan shells, white oak and coffee grounds to make pellets for wood-fired grills and animal feed. With help from an ACRE grant, the company will purchase packaging equipment, an air purification system and a drum dryer for the materials it uses to make pellets.
“Each year we are so impressed with the creativity, drive and diversity of the entrepreneurs who participate in the ACRE Advanced Entrepreneurship Program,” ACRE Executive Director Kyle Player said in the release.
ACRE was founded in 2018 to identify and nurture new ideas and businesses in the Palmetto State’s agribusiness sector. ACRE has also partnered with Clemson Extension to offer a fall curriculum program to develop and mentor agricultural entrepreneurs and prepare them for advanced grant funding. For more information, visit acre-sc.com.
