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.
- “Judge’s ruling favors Sanderson Farms proposal,” WITN-TV: It appears a poultry processing company will be allowed to move forward with plans to build a processing plant in Nash County. …
- “WHO: E. coli outbreak caused by new strain,” News & Observer: The World Health Organization said Thursday that the E. coli bacteria responsible for a deadly outbreak that has left 18 dead and sickened hundreds in Europe is a new strain that has never been seen before. …
- “Appalachian State University in Boone part of national honey bee project,” Asheville Citizen-Times: James Wilkes may spend his days in front of a computer, but he spends his nights and weekends in front of a beehive. …
- “What’s in season? Just ask,” News & Observer: As a food writer, I’ve learned a lot about eating what’s in season. Last week, I learned how little I know about seasonal seafood. …
- “High temps, dry conditions threatening region’s crops,” Wilmington Star-News: In Elizabeth City, soybeans planted last week are struggling to grow because of parched soil. The corn crop around Sanford looks promising, but suffered some recently under scorching hot temperatures. Elsewhere, cotton, peanuts, potatoes are in the ground, but alarms are sounding about the lack of moisture. …
- “House panel votes to cut farm subsidies,” Charlotte Observer: A [U.S.] House committee voted Tuesday to cut farm subsidies to pay for deficit reduction and other budget priorities, chipping away at the billions of dollars a year that are directed to farmers. The votes in the House Appropriations Committee may be a preview of what is expected to be a tough year for agriculture programs. …
- “Yes, it’s Got to be NC,” Durham Herald-Sun: It doesn’t happen so much anymore, but time was that the newsroom phone would ring and a farmer — or a gardener or an agricultural extension agent — would be on the other end of the line, busting buttons over a pumpkin the size of Cinderella’s coach, a zucchini that could feed the neighborhood, or a heifer that took a ribbon at the state fair.
- “UNC-TV to present new food series,” Durham Herald-Sun: “Flavor, NC,” a new 10-ten-episode, half-hour television series, kicks off on UNC-TV in September, but UNC-TV will present a special advance sneak preview June 18 at 10:30 a.m. Rolling out the welcome mat in “Flavor, NC” is Lisa Prince, a food pro on a mission to get North Carolina cooking local again. …
- “Growing biofuels from tobacco fields,” Winston-Salem Journal: Imagine if area farmers could again profitably grow tobacco and in far greater quantities than ever before. If a new company at Dan River Business Development Center has its way, that will happen — but the product would be used to create biofuels instead of cigarettes. …