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.
- “Asheville ‘Farmer Incubator Program’ expands,” Asheville Citizen-Times: Great food starts with great farms, but those fruits, vegetables, chickens and cows also need great farmers. In a chicken-or-the-egg scenario, those farmers need great, fertile, relatively flat, land. That’s a rare commodity in the mountains. The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, an Asheville-based land trust, last year launched a Farmer Incubator Program to help beginning or expanding farmers gain access to affordable land. …
- “Survey to help protect against sweet potato weevil under way,” Greensboro News & Record: The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Plant Industry Division has begun an extensive survey in Brunswick and New Hanover counties for the sweet potato weevil, considered to be the most significant sweet potato pest in the world. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said the survey is being conducted to gain a better understanding of the weevil and its distribution in the two counties. …
- “Eastern Wheat Crop Suffering from Excessive Moisture,”Southern Farm Network: The unusually wet winter, especially in the Blacklands, is causing problems for the area’s winter wheat. Rod Gurganus, Director of Beaufort County Extension: “Right now its so wet that the wheat looks bad. We had a good start to the season and planting was on time. The wheat has tilled out fairly well.” Gurganus says the wheat simply isn’t growing …
- “Hill honored as Apple Grower of the Year,” Hendersonville Times-News: Farmer Tony Hill was named “2014 Apple Grower of the Year” by the Blue Ridge Apple Growers Association at an awards ceremony during Wednesday’s Winter Apple School. “This guy has been doing a lot of improvements this year, and he does a lot for the apple growers,” said Outgoing BRAG President Jerred Nix, toasting Hill’s achievements. …
- “North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission director honored,” The Produce News: Sue Johnson-Langdon, executive director of the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, was awarded with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine at the commission’s annual meeting Jan. 15. In addition to her role with the commission, she also serves as the treasurer and manager of the American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute, which is devoted to expanding exports. …
- “Made in NC: A taste of success for Miss Jenny’s,” Fox 8 news: When you look for success sometimes it comes in unlikely places. Like a small company based in the Triad, with big dreams, that is now getting a pretty significant award for making those dreams come true. Brad Jones went back to check in with the people behind a company that puts smiles on faces around the world, with a taste that’s made in North Carolina. …
- “Feast Down East conference kicks off at UNCW,” WECT: UNCW is hosting the Fifth Feast Down East conference, which kicks off Friday morning and aims to establish a healthy local food community. Feast Down East, also known as the Southeastern NC Food Systems Program, has been helping Southeastern NC step up to the forefront of the local food movement since 2006. The conference is scheduled to begin Friday at 8 a.m. in the Burney Center on UNCW’s campus. …
- “The bee business is buzzing in NC,” WCNC.com: There’s a buzz in Union County, as the business of bees brings hundreds of people to Monroe. The joint North Carolina and South Carolina Beekeepers conference is happening this week. Farmers and businesses are selling their goods, while sharing the importance of the bee and honey industry to the state’s economy. …
- “5 On Your Side: Do grocery store meats meet weight requirements?” WRAL: When buying meat, shoppers often pay attention to the cut, date and price, but not typically the weight. Bill Watson, who is careful about portion sizes, said he always assumed the weight on the package was correct. He started questioning the labeling after he bought a 1-pound package of ground chuck, divided it in four sections and realized it was 15.25 ounces instead of the 16 ounces he paid for. …