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.
- “Look, in the old Reid’s, it’s . . . well, what is it?,” Charlotte Observer: It’s not a public farmers market. It’s a public market with farmers. Everybody clear on that?…
- “With too few workers at harvest, Washington state hires inmates,” Charlotte Observer: Even after deploying 105 prison inmates this week to help pick apples, Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire says growers still need from 3,000 to 4,000 workers to help harvest before the season’s first major freeze. …
- “Troxler mystified by State Fair’s link to E. coli outbreak,” WRAL-TV: State Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said Wednesday that he is “perplexed” by a growing E. coli outbreak linked to the North Carolina State Fair. …
- “NC Farmer Wins National Award,” Southern Farm Network: Earlier this year, Tommy Porter was named the North Carolina recipient of the 2011 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award. At the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia, Porter brought home the hardware as the national winner. …
- “NCSU spinoff to open Troy food plant,” WRAL-TV: A fruit and vegetable processor spun out of North Carolina State University plans to open a plant in Montgomery County, creating 75 jobs over the next three years, officials said Tuesday. Aseptia Inc., which will do business as Wright Foods, plans to invest $10.15 million in the Troy plant. …
- “FEMA extends deadline to apply for help with Hurricane Irene losses,” News & Observer: Owners of homes and businesses with uninsured losses from Hurricane Irene have an extra month to apply for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The deadline for application is now Nov. 30. …
- “Check-off vote for county growers,” The Laurinburg Exchange: Scotland County farmers will have a chance later this month to say whether they support a self-assessed, state program. Users of feed and fertilizer in North Carolina will vote on Nov. 16 whether to continue the voluntary 15 cents per ton self-assessment on fertilizer and animal feed produced in our state. …
- “State collecting ideas, opinions related to propane tank rules,” Richmond County Daily Journal: The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services wants to know what propane customers who own underground tanks think of new safety requirements, and regulators have set up an online survey to collect comments. …
- “Corn maze last source of revenue for many farmers until spring,” WNCT-TV: The corn maze at Briley’s farm in Pitt County is one of the only ones in the east. They’ve been open since October 1st but this year has been hard. The drought and the excess of rain nearly ruined their pumpkin patch and their corn maze was flattened during Hurricane Irene. …