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.
- “Consultants find ease, multiple uses for ‘drones’ in agriculture,” Delta Farm Press: The use of unmanned aerial systems – more commonly called drones – is no longer just a promise for agriculture. The units are now being used on farms across the world. Based in Milan, Tenn., Agri Image has jumped into the agriculture market in a big way. …
- “North Carolina cantaloupe packinghouses invest in infrastructure for food safety,” Barf Blog: Following 2011′s tragic Listeria-in-cantaloupe outbreak linked to Jensen Farms and a 2012 Listeria-prompted recall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter detailing inspection visits to U.S. cantaloupe packinghouses. Because the recent outbreaks have been traced to domestic cantaloupe packinghouses, during the 2013 growing season, we intend to initiate inspections with a sampling component at a subset of the cantaloupe packinghouses in the United States. The aim of these inspections is in part, to assess the current practices by this segment of the produce industry and to identify insanitary conditions that may affect the safety of cantaloupe destined for distribution to consumers. In preparation for the inspections, and partnering with colleagues at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and food safety friends in other states we put together a series of workshops and on-farm assessments. …
- “Growing Tobacco in North Carolina,” Public Radio East: Even though tobacco remains the number one cash crop in North Carolina, there’s been a significant decrease in the amount of farmers growing tobacco in the past decade. We’ll explore the future of the state’s tobacco industry. Agriculture is big businesses in North Carolina, and especially in the eastern part of the state. It’s a 78 billion dollar industry and accounts for 640,000 jobs statewide. Public Affairs Director Brian Long says 17 percent of North Carolina’s total income comes from agriculture, with tobacco, soybean, corn, cotton, and greenhouse/nursery plants the major cash crops. …
- “North Carolina soybeans can expect a healthy kudzu bug crop,” Southeast Farm Press: According to a leading North Carolina entomologist, North Carolina soybean farmers can expect plenty of kudzu bugs to find their fields this summer. Kudzu bugs can overwinter in North Carolina and have again despite colder-than-normal temperatures. According to a leading entomologist in the area, North Carolina soybean growers can expect plenty of kudzu bugs to find their fields this summer. …
- “NC farms donate extra produce to those in need,” WRAL: This time of year, farmer’s markets are full of fresh, local produce. But for everything that makes it to market, a lot goes to waste.That’s why some farms invite volunteers to come and pick the extra produce for distribution to those in need. Iseley Farms in Burlington is a haven for all kinds of agencies that glean farmers’ fields of produce they can’t sell. …
- “House of Raeford reopens Mocksville chicken processing plant,” News & Observer: House of Raeford has reopened the chicken processing facility in Mocksville that was once operated by chicken processor Townsend. The Rose Hill-based company will use the plant, about 130 miles west of Raleigh, to produce fully cooked chicken products, chicken wings and tenders and fully cooked chicken sausage and burgers. The plant, which had been idle for two years, restarted operations last month. …
- “Market for traditional cigarettes expected to decline as popularity of e-cigs, vapors continues to grow,” Winston-Salem Journal: Electronic and vapor cigarette products take up – for now – two small display spaces when compared with racks of traditional cigarettes sold at Blue Ridge Tobacco and Candle Outlet. But operators of the store on Cloverdale Avenue are convinced, by measuring growing consumer demand and traffic flow, that the reverse could be true by the end of the decade – if not sooner. …
- “Lejeune’s French Creek opens new mess hall,” The Globe (Camp Lejuene): Marines and sailors now have the opportunity to eat at the new French Creek mess hall, building FC-65, which officially opened aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, May 20. Keith Rhodes, chef and owner of ‘Catch’ restaurant in Wilmington, N.C. and featured on Bravo’s ‘Top Chef,’ helped commemorate the opening of the mess hall with a special lunch. Rhodes collaborated with Dau Chapman, executive chef with Sodexo, and the N.C. Department of Agriculture to put together the menu. …