An effort to leverage partnerships in poverty-stricken rural areas to ensure that every community has equal access to USDA programs and services.

StrikeForce for Rural Opportunity and Growth

Who is Your StrikeForce Contact? Depending on your particular needs, one of the following agencies, NRCS, RD, FSA , or FNS can assist you.

USDA South Carolina

Allendale  Judy Capehart  803‐649‐4221 Bamberg  Judy Capehart  803‐649‐4221 Barnwell  Judy Capehart  803‐649‐4221 Beaufort  Eva Franklin  843‐549‐1822  Calhoun (St. Matthews)  Judy Capehart  803‐649‐4221 Clarendon (Manning) Eva Franklin 843‐549‐1822 Colleton (Walterboro) Eva Franklin 843‐549‐1822 Darlington Sam McMillian 843‐669‐9686 Dillon Jobi Williams 843‐669‐9686 Dorchester (St. George) Eva Franklin 843‐549‐1822 Florence Sam McMillian 843‐669‐9686 Hampton Judy Capehart 803‐649‐4221 Jasper (Ridgeland) Eva Franklin 843‐549‐1822 Lee (Bishopville) Sam McMillian 843‐669‐9686 Marion Sam McMillian 843‐669‐9686 Marlboro (Bennettsville) Sam McMillian 843‐669‐9686 Orangeburg Judy Capehart 803‐649‐4221 Sumter Eva Franklin 843‐549‐1822 Williamsburg  Eva Franklin 843‐549‐1822

 

Allendale Ben Padget 803‐584‐4233 Bamberg Wilfred Pace 803‐245‐4311 Barnwell Wilfred Pace 803‐259‐7144 Beaufort Diane Leone 843‐726‐8148  Calhoun  (St. Matthews)

Ajoa Harris 803‐874‐3337

Clarendon (Manning)

Brandon Durant 803‐435‐2612

Colleton (Walterboro)

Fred Tritapoe 843‐549‐1821

Darlington Wayne Cowell 843‐393‐0483 Dillon Roger Cooper 843‐774‐5122 Dorchester  (St. George)

Jeff Lucas 843‐563‐3218

Florence Matthew Anderson 843‐669‐9686

Hampton Ben Padget 803‐943‐2586 Jasper (Ridgeland)

Diane Leone 843‐726‐8148

Lee (Bishopville) Lori Bataller 803‐484‐5388 Marion Daniel Cabaniss 843‐423‐0223 Marlboro (Bennettsville)

Frank Stephens 843‐479‐4552

Orangeburg Emily Bonilla 803‐534‐2409 Sumter William Byrum 803‐905‐7650 Williamsburg  Trinette Vereen 843‐354‐9622

Allendale  Randy Lambert  803‐259‐7143 Bamberg  Chris Wallace  803‐245‐4311 Barnwell  Randy Lambert  803‐259‐7143 Beaufort  William Koger  843‐726‐5313  Calhoun (St. Matthews)  W. Jack Nettles  803‐874‐3379 Clarendon (Manning) Bitsey Flickling 803‐435‐2201 Colleton (Walterboro) JoAnne S. Deer 843‐549‐1821 Darlington Raymond Shelley 843‐395‐1407 Dillon Wes Daniels 843‐774‐5122 Dorchester (St. George) Theresa Sweatman 843‐563‐3218 Florence Roselyn Quick 843‐669‐9686 Hampton William Koger 843‐943‐2586 Jasper (Ridgeland) William Koger 843‐726‐5313 Lee (Bishopville) Raymond Shelley 803‐484‐5388 Marion Wes Daniels 843‐423‐1742 Marlboro (Bennettsville) John McLaurin 843‐479‐2441 Orangeburg Deborah Delorme 803‐534‐3136 Sumter Jim Montgomery 803‐905‐7650 Williamsburg (Kingstree) Bill Trado 843‐354‐9621

USDA is a equal opportunity employer and provider.

Natural Resources Conservation Service County Contacts Rural Development County Contacts

Farm Service Agency County Contacts

SC School Breakfast Program  803‐734‐8205 

Federal School Breakfast Program  404‐562‐3019 

SC Summer Food Service Program  803‐898‐0971 Federal Summer Food Service     Program 

678‐704‐2011 

Farmers’ Markets (EBT applications)  1‐877‐823‐4369 

SC Farmers’ Market EBT Wireless Point of Sale Grants

803‐898‐7510

Food and Nutrition Service and SC Contacts for Food and Nutrition

Encouraging Growth, Creating Opportunity, and Increasing Participation in South Carolina

Rural Americans face many unique

challenges and every day, the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides assis-tance to help rural communities prosper. In 2010, USDA launched the StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity— an effort to leverage partnerships in poverty-stricken rural areas to ensure that every community has equal access to USDA pro-grams. This initiative started as a three-state pilot and has expanded to 17 states, including South Carolina.

The StrikeForce Initiative in South Carolina aims to increase investment in rural commu-nities through intensive outreach and

stronger part-nerships on locally-supported projects.

Local Commu-nity Based Organizations are critical to

this effort, and USDA works closely with

local partners to provide technical assistance needed to ensure that communities can fully access USDA programs for community and economic development.

South Carolina StrikeForce Counties

The South Carolina StrikeForce coalition joined resources with key partners to provide training and education to farmers and landown-ers on USDA programs and services.

SC NRCS and Minority Landowner Magazine conducted workshops in StrikeForce counties where landowners learned about financial assistance programs, conservation practices, conservation easements, agricul-tural marketing and estate planning. Farm tours and high tunnel construction demon-strations were also instrumental in helping illustrate the benefits of conser-vation.

SC NRCS and the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation hosted work-shops to educate landowners about heirs property issues and how this can impact eligibility for USDA programs.

Allendale

Bamberg

Barnwell

Beaufort

Calhoun

Clarendon

Colleton

Darlington

Dillon

Dorchester

Florence

Hampton

Jasper

Lee

Marion

Marlboro

Orangeburg

Sumter

Williamsburg

SC NRCS District Conservationist Frank 

Stephens (center) helped Marlboro County landowners develop a forest management 

plan.  Conservation demonstrations and 

educational workshops help educate and empower land 

users.