Labor & Employment (Agriculture)

SB 530 creates the Agricultural Manufacturing Investment Grant Account (AMIG) within North Carolina's One North Carolina Fund to provide competitive grants to agricultural manufacturers. The bill authorizes grants of up to $500,000 total per company, requiring recipients to invest at least $5 million in private funds within two years, maintain 25+ full-time employees with wages at 110% of the county average, and meet performance targets. Grants prioritize projects in designated development areas, those using advanced technologies like AI or biotech, or those with significant R&D spending. Recipients must repay grants if they fail to meet employment, investment, or wage requirements over the grant term.