Grapes were so high in sugar, local vintners are begging to buy the crop for their wine. We have an in-house market in the state. The wineries will buy as many grapes as a local grower can raise. If agriculture doesn t work, Whitt hopes some Mingo County residents will see the success his office has had with raising arctic char, a salmon-like fish used for sushi in Asian restaurants, and open their own fish farms. But the number two import in the nation is fish and seafood.
Aquaculture is a wide open area.
After much work and preparation, the redevelopment authority built the hatchery, which opened this summer. About 152,000 fish were hatched in June and will stay in the hatchery until they grow to between 5 and 7 inches. Whitt hopes local entrepreneurs decide to open grow out farms. In Mingo and McDowell counties, there is a lot of potential for spin-offs. Curry said through small business assistance and incubators, counties and communities can support entrepreneurs as they try to grow their businesses.