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.
- “Officials still watching for hotspots at Ogden Park,” Wilmington Star-News: The blackened forest was still smoldering Wednesday morning as a handful of N.C. Forest Service personnel stood watch, watering down the remaining hot spots. …
- “New Cabarrus facility makes meats fresh, local,” Independent Tribune: When Max Cruse, 75, butchered his first meat for sale at his father’s general store at age 12, cattle could be slaughtered and cut in a farmer’s barn, he said. That was more than 60 years ago and a lot has changed since then. …
- “Mint Market to launch online store for local food,” WRAL: The Mint Market will open for business on Sunday. The new Durham startup plans to launch its online marketplace for local food this weekend which will allow chefs in the Triangle to discover, purchase, and schedule delivery of food directly from area farms. …
- “NC hog farm order to pay for wetlands preservation,” News & Observer: A North Carolina hog farm operator has been ordered to pay $1 million in restitution for violations of the federal Clean Water Act. …
- “Night hunting of wild pigs OK next week,” Asheville Citizen-Times: Landowners waking up to damage done by feral swine will get the right to hunt down the beasts at night. Temporary rules allowing nighttime hunting of feral swine and coyotes with a light on private lands go into effect in August. …
- “Vilsack: House must pass drought help in farm bill,” Charlotte Observer: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack pushed Monday for Congress to act on a farm bill that would reinstate expired disaster assistance programs for farmers experiencing the worst drought in nearly seven decades. …
- “Bayer CropScience opens $20 million greenhouse in RTP,” News & Observer: Bayer CropScience opened a new $20 million greenhouse in Research Triangle Park on [July 20] that will be used to conduct crop research on soy, corn and other crops. …
- “Former WRAL farm reporter Dix Harper dies at 89,” WRAL: Prominent farm broadcaster and former WRAL-TV contributor Dix Harper died Sunday after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 89. …