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.
- “Firefighters making progress on Holly Shelter wildfire,” WNCT-TV: Firefighters battling the Holly Shelter wildfire are starting to see the silver lining. The fire burning in Pender and Onslow counties is now 68-percent contained. Controlled burns through the week helped in the progress. …
- “NC State experiment launches into orbit on final shuttle mission,” WRAL-TV: A group of researchers at North Carolina State University are preparing to send an experiment into orbit on NASA’s very last space shuttle mission. Dr. Imara Perera, a research assistant professor of plant biology, is the lead researcher on the plant biology experiment that is being launched with Atlantis on July 8. …
- “N.C. budget among other new laws taking effect Friday,” Wilmington Star-News: All or portions of more than 30 new laws take effect Friday, none more far-reaching than a state budget that cuts taxes but scales back or end scores of state-funded services and ultimately could lead to thousands of public-sector job losses. The two-year budget, written and approved by the Republican lawmakers who then overrode Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue’s veto, spends $19.7 billion for the year starting July 1. …
- “Kids get taste of life on the farm,” Charlotte Observer: At Camp Celo, campers live close to nature and play an active role in the world around them. The small family-run farm, north of Asheville in Burnsville, also is a camp. According to co-owner and director Gilbert Barrus, the camp has two goals: diversity and living with the land. …
- “FFA teams place first in state competitions,” Durham Herald-Sun: During the 83rd state FFA convention held in Raleigh June 21-23, students from the Chatham Central High School FFA chapter excelled in career development events. …
- “Mission organic: Research program offers WNC farmers MORE,” Mountain Xpress: Roughly one-third of Western North Carolina farms are organic; many home growers also choose this path of least resistance. But figuring out how to make it work (not to mention profitable) can be tricky. That’s where the Mountain Organic Research and Extension Unit in Waynesville comes in. …
- “Companies prepare for E-Verify,” News & Observer: A new law that aims to keep undocumented workers from getting jobs could create work for companies that help small businesses deal with government regulations. Under the law, which the governor signed last week, cities, counties and businesses that employ 25 or more workers will have to use the federal government’s E-Verify electronic system. …
- “Recipe for safe food: Clean, cook, chill, separate,” Charlotte Observer: Clean. Cook. Chill. Separate.That’s the message of a new U.S. government campaign to raise awareness of safe food handling in the wake of a European E. coli outbreak that has killed almost 50 people. …
- “Wineries form Boone Area Wine Trail,” Asheville Citizen-Times: The mountains of northwestern North Carolina hope to become the Southeast’s next hot destination for wine lovers. The Watauga Tourism Development Authority has helped develop the Boone Area Wine Trail to attract more visitors to the high country vineyards around Boone and Banner Elk. …