Tobacco production in the Buffalo Trace area was vital to the agriculture community.  As the production program for tobacco began to change in the late nineties, buyouts and the tobacco settlement fund helped offset the loss of dollars generated from tobacco.  Since 2001 the tobacco settlement fund offered cost-share programs to counties for producers to diversify from tobacco production to other agriculture venues.  These programs lessened the burden of the dependency of tobacco in areas and allowed producers to focus on other production enterprises with financial support.   Mason County as of October of 2023 has invested nearly $6.6 M in agriculture through the settlement fund.   In addition for those dollars to be spent over $4 M additional have been invested by applicants.  These dollars have increased infrastructure, handling facilities, fencing, safety, efficiency, and many other aspects of agriculture in the county.  Dollars have been invested in youth and youth programs over the years in hopes to continue a desire for the future of agriculture.  Funds have help offset costs of a local dead animal removal program for the county along with countless individual investments to improve livestock production.  The funds have provided vital help to local agriculture survival with the decline of tobacco production across the state.  The county is continuing the efforts of agriculture viability with investing an additional $255,000 for producer cost-share grants for the upcoming year.