After more than a decade of service, Sam Brake retired from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at the beginning of September. He helped lead a few of the many programs spread across the department, with his programs being based in the Research Stations Division.
His retirement is a bittesweet moment for the division, and to recognize him people gathered at a retirement celebration in late August. It was held at the Granville County Extension office, adjacent to the Oxford Tobacco Research Station where Brake was based.
“We are here today to celebrate Sam’s retirement. I’m not celebrating though, Sam. I’m just telling you, I’m not celebrating this because it’s really hard for me to see you leave,” said division director Teresa Lambert. “I’m going to say when he retires I’m not just losing one of the greatest when it came to bioenergy research, but Sam my friend is retiring.”
That sentiment was repeated over and over as people spoke about how Brake left a mark on them both professionally and personally.
Over 11.5 years, Brake led or helped lead the Bioenergy Research Initiative, the New and Emerging Crops Program and the relatively new initiative called Innovations to Advance the Agricultural Economy. He was also an integral part of the department’s grant program called “Increasing Meat Production, Efficiency and Capacity,” which came in the aftermath of COVID-19 supply disruptions.
Brake left a lasting impression on those programs and on colleagues, growers and the broader North Carolina agricultural community. Those who worked with him praised not only his expertise but also his mentorship, curiosity and genuine warmth.
“It’s been great. It’s been wonderful… life-changing, for sure,” said Allison Medlin, Brake’s assistant who worked with him daily. “I have mixed emotions, and I am so thrilled for him. I really am, but it’s a world of knowledge leaving in the department. He’s taught me so much. He’s made a tremendous impact on my life.”
Before coming to NCDA&CS, Brake worked for more than 27 years leading Open Grounds Farm in Carteret County. He then worked at the N.C. Biofuel Center, a government supported nonprofit that explored biomass and biofuels. It was based in the same building where his retirement celebration was held. When it dissolved, much of the work and the grant projects transferred to the NCDA&CS Bioenergy Research Initiative.
The initiative, funded by the General Assembly since 2013, supports research and development of agricultural and forestry-based feedstocks for bioenergy production. Under Sam’s guidance, the program fostered agribusiness development and cooperative research, helping position the state as a leader in sustainable energy solutions.
When the New and Emerging Crops Program began in 2018, Brake was part of its oversight, helping the program identify potential new crops and value-added products while providing the research, marketing and grower education needed to make them viable.
“He’s been like a mentor. One thing that I really respect about Sam is that his motivation is continuous learning,” said Hunter Barrier, superintendent of the Horticulture Crops Research Station in Clinton and coordinator for the New and Emerging Crops Program. “He’ll always say if you learn something new, you’ve had a great day.”
The programs evolved further in 2024 with the addition of Innovations to Advance the Agricultural Economy. It supports research projects aimed at addressing the ever-changing needs of North Carolina agriculture. Brake’s leadership in these programs helped the department support projects that pushed forward research, agri-business and grower opportunities.
Brake’s contribution to the Increasing Meat Processing Efficiency and Capacity (IMPEC) program is also part of his legacy. He and the grant management team oversaw multiple rounds of grant applications and awards. Through the program, dozens of small meat processing facilities have received funding to expand and improve, which has decreased processing time and helped get local beef, pork, poultry and seafood to customers more quickly. For that work, Brake and the team were honored with a Governor’s Award for Excellence in 2022.
People who spoke about Brake repeatedly highlighted not only those accomplishments, but his willingness to dive into the work, whether in the field or the lab. Lambert recalled some of her first impressions working with him at the Piedmont Research Station in Salisbury.
“He dresses out and he puts on his little hairnet; he comes in the poultry houses with us and picks up eggs, and he works with us. He puts out feed. He became very much part of our team,” Lambert said.
Barrier echoed that sentiment, noting that Brake would tie up tomatoes, pick strawberries or do whatever was needed, modeling hands-on leadership that earned respect across the department. Thomas Cobb, superintendent of the Oxford Tobacco Research Station, also talked about Brake’s ability to connect with people and share agriculture with them.
“It doesn’t matter what room he’s in; it doesn’t matter who he’s talking to; he can find a way to relate to anyone,” Cobb said. “I’ve seen him do it with elementary school kids, and I’ve seen him do it with grown adults who have been doing this all their life.”
Lambert also shared how Brake connected with people when he volunteered in the animal exhibits at the N.C. State Fair each year.
“Sam stood over by the pig section talking to all the moms and little kids and dads and teachers that would walk by, about anything and everything agriculture related,” Lambert said. “I think, Sam, you probably stood in that corner 12 hours a day for the last four years or five years? And I heard so many compliments from just random strangers that would come up and say, that guy knows his stuff, and he is so kind to just stand there and tell us all that he knows – impart his wisdom on these young people.”
The descriptions of Brake as a mentor, guide and friend were echoed many times as people spoke to honor his retirement. Barrier added that Brake was always like a grandfather – somebody he could call for advice even when he was frustrated or other times when a steady voice could help.
His generosity extended even outside work. Lambert said that after her home was hit by an tornado in 2017, Brake came to her house and helped clear debris and put on a roof — five hours from his own home — simply out of the goodness of his heart.
Colleagues also noted Brake’s curiosity and willingness to learn. Dr. John King, researcher and professor at N.C. State University, reflected on his experiences with Brake too.
“He’s very interested in all field aspects — planting the trees, managing the trees, seeing how they grow, learning about problems, but also solutions and then helping hopefully bring the products to market. So he has a genuine curiosity for the work,” King said.
A Legacy That Continues
While Brake’s retirement marks the end of a career, the programs he led continue to evolve and grow. His work laid a strong foundation for ongoing innovation in bioenergy, emerging crops and agricultural research, and his mentorship has shaped the next generation of leaders across North Carolina agriculture.
Reflecting on his career, Sam said he just thought it was time for the programs to have someone new with more modern leadership. He also thought back to all the lasting impacts of IMPEC and all the grant projects he was part of seeing into fruition. He mentioned research on grasses used for biofuels and North Carolina-grown hops, rice, sesame, Chinese medicinal herbs and seedless muscadines, just to name a few. He also looked to the future as the new innovations initiative includes some animal-related agriculture research.
“[Before coming to the department] I’d lost touch, but this put me back in touch. It got me a little bit more back in touch with what’s going on in agriculture. And there’s a lot of great things happening, and I’ve loved every minute of it,” Brake said as he transitioned to say how much he enjoyed and appreciated the people he worked with. “No man’s an island. We’ve got to work together.”
From the fields of Oxford to classrooms, research labs and the State Fair, Sam Brake’s impact on North Carolina agriculture — and on the people who work in it — will be felt for years to come because of the people he touched.
“This guy right here is the most genuine, caring, loving guy I have ever been around in my entire life, and we are absolutely going to miss him,” Lambert said.
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