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.
- “Audio: Raleigh’s Largest Flavors of Carolina Show,” Southern Farm Network: Earlier this week, the Marketing Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture hosted the Flavors of Carolina food show in Raleigh. Event coordinator for NCDA Myrtle Early says this was the largest show ever in its more than 30 year history. …
- “Federal cuts to meat inspectors could hurt NC plants, farmers,” News & Observer: Looming federal budget cuts are threatening to temporarily shut down North Carolina’s multibillion-dollar hog and poultry industry by disrupting federal meat inspections, according to state and federal officials. State Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said he is concerned that furloughs of federal meat inspectors, along with other federal budget cuts, could disrupt production at major slaughterhouses – thereby wreaking havoc with the entire farm-to-supermarket food chain. …
- “Board Approves Hike In State Fair Admission,” N.C. News Network: It looks like it’s going to cost a bit more to get into the State Fair. The N.C. Board of Agriculture voted 7-0 to approve a $1 increase in admission prices. …
- “NCDA&CS to offer N.C. cantaloupe pilot program,” Bladen Journal: The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is partnering with N.C. State University Cooperative Extension to offer the N.C. cantaloupe pilot program. …
- “Bill Moretz To Be Awarded NCA&T State ‘Small Farmer of the Year’ During Small Farms Week on March 27,” High Country Press: Bill Moretz of Moretz Mountain Orchard and Farms near Todd will become the 2013 North Carolina A&T State University Small Farmer of the Year, announced Watauga County Cooperative Extension Director Jim Hamilton at his organization’s annual “Report to the People” luncheon on Tuesday. …
- “Upcoming conference offers advice for food businesses,” Bladen Journal: Local food businesses will have two opportunities to take part in the annual Food Business Conference sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The event, aimed at helping small-business owners grow their food businesses, has expanded to include two conference locations in Raleigh and Burnsville.
- “Farmers growing comfortable with mobile devices,” USA Today: For Zach Hunnicutt, a fifth-generation Nebraska farmer, the decision to install new tracking technology on his equipment last summer proved to be money well spent. Just nine hours after installing GPS in machines that slowly water corn and soybeans on his family’s farm, Hunnicutt’s brother saw on his iPad tracking app that two of them were about to collide. …
- “Spring’s arrival will bring annual resurgence of invasive plants,” News & Observer: When the Asian wisteria, Japanese honeysuckle and mimosa tree burst into bloom this spring in their annual spectacle of seduction, you can pull out your camera and capture their loveliness forever. …