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.
- “State ag officials: Record rainfall depletes soil nutrients,” WRAL: Record-high rainfall across much of North Carolina this spring and summer – up to 30 inches in some places – has depleted soil nutrients and damaged crops, according to the state agriculture department. Officials are urging growers to be vigilant about soil testing this fall. …
- “European climate policy drives wood pellet boom in NC,” Charlotte Observer: In the searing August heat, big yellow logging machines pile up the harvest from 153 acres of sweet gum, red oak and maple trees. A roaring log loader grabs the trunks to slice off 16-foot logs and stack them for one of the sawmills that provide a traditional market for Eastern North Carolina timber. These logs are worth $20 to $40 a ton and will be turned into plywood, cabinets and veneer. In a second woodpile, there’s new money. …
- “Bed bugs booming in Wilmington,” WECT: Some creepy crawlers are taking over the Town of Wilmington. Experts say the bed bug population is booming due to increased traveling that occurs during the summertime. The bugs can sneak into clothes, bags, and furniture, and travel along with you and your family. One bug expert says the state of North Carolina doesn’t track the number of bed bug reports, but they have gotten a lot of phone calls about bed bugs in the area. …
- “Inaugural soil test fees set for busy season,” Morganton News-Herald: Farmers and other commercial operators will soon face a fee if they submit soil-tests during the winter months due to the Appropriations Act of 2013. According to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic Division, the act requires the agency to charge a $4 fee for all soil samples submitted between December and March — it’s busiest season. From April to November, no fee will be charged. …
- “Farmers push back against McCrory’s veto of E-Verify changes,” Winston-Salem Journal: One of the first two uses of a veto by Gov. Pat McCrory – changes to the E-Verify employment tracking tool – drew opposition Tuesday from the N.C. Farm Bureau. The bureau is the state’s largest agricultural association with more than 500,000 members. …
- “409 acres of Wake farmland preserved for ages,” News & Observer: Since the late 1700s, owners and tenant farmers have raised cotton, timber, tobacco and cattle in the fields and forests of Walnut Hill Farm. In the future, this land will be used to cultivate its visitors’ love for nature. The Triangle Land Conservancy announced the purchase this week of 409 acres of Walnut Hill in eastern Wake County from the Williamson family. A public-private partnership ensures that the land will never be developed. …
- “N.C. firefighters go west to help with wildfires,” Salisbury Post: North Carolina’s wet spring and summer have meant a below-normal wildfire season, allowing N.C. Forest Service staff to assist states in the West. A 20-person crew left earlier this week to help fight one of the many wildfires burning in Alaska. Another 20-person crew is working on a wildfire near Portage, Utah. A third, multi-agency crew will be traveling to Boise, Idaho, on Saturday, where it will be assigned to one of the many fires in that region. This crew is made up of individuals from the N.C. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, N.C. Division of Parks & Recreation and multiple volunteer fire departments. …
- “NC Early Corn Harvest Numbers Looking Good,” Southern Farm Network: It would seem that the corn crop in the Carolinas has struggled since Day One, but all the struggle seems to be paying off, says Don Nicholson, Regional Agronomist for North Carolina Department of Agriculture: “Its been an excellent corn year this year, the worst I have heard is about 150 bushels per acre, that was early planted corn.” …
- “Farmers encouraged to test corn for aflatoxin,” Mountain Xpress: Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging farmers to have their corn tested for aflatoxin to prevent contamination of feeds and food. Aflatoxin is a byproduct of the mold Aspergillus flavus, and can be harmful to both humans and livestock. “Because of our climate in North Carolina, there’s always the potential for aflatoxin to appear,” Troxler said. “Farmers should take advantage of our testing service to protect feed and food against this mold.” …