Each week we round up the latest N.C. agricultural headlines from news outlets across the state and country, as well as excerpts from the stories. Click on the links to go straight to the full story.
- “Bee nice to your garden; attracting pollinators is crucial to crops,” Wilmington Star-News: Honey bees and other pollinators are essential for the production of many of the foods we grow and eat every day. These include fruits like blueberries, apples and peaches, as well as many vegetables, including cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, beans, melons and peppers. When crops are not adequately pollinated the results are misshapen fruits, reduced yields, or no yields. …
- “Eastern Region gets grant to bolster farmlands,” Jacksonville Daily News: The Military Growth Task Force and farmland preservation efforts may seem like an unlikely match but not according to the latest round of grant funds from the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. …
- “Broadband too slow to reach rural areas,” News & Observer: WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators have concluded that the broadband market is not bringing high-speed Internet connections to all Americans quickly enough. In a report set to be released as early as Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission says broadband is not being made available to all Americans in “a reasonable and timely fashion.” …
- “Henderson considers hiring agriculture economic chief,” Hendersonville Times-News: Lynn Sprague is on the move. He drives his old Saturn down a country road in Polk County, pointing out projects that he has initiated and their success. Sprague talks about an old greenhouse he helped restart, and an apple orchard that was almost tilled under but is now producing a healthy crop. He’s excited, animated and passionate about helping the agricultural community in Polk County. …
- “Biofuel plant to turn waste grease into top-quality fuel,” Durham Herald-Sun: A plant unveiled Friday at the Piedmont Biofuels campus here that will turn waste grease into high-quality alternative fuel is the first of its kind in the country, company officials say. …
- “NC conservation group earns $50,000, 1-year grant,” WRAL-TV: A North Carolina conservation group has earned a grant that will help protect land and water across the state. The one-year, $50,000 grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation will help the Conservation Trust for North Carolina as well as local land trusts. …