Another year of agriculture news has come and gone on our social media platforms! From current events and department news to farm features and Got to Be NC member highlights, this year has brought many fun stories to our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages. Take a look back at Facebook and Instagram with us to see what subjects you, and your friends, enjoyed the most, and be sure to follow along with us next year for more agriculture news, features, stories and highlights!
Top Ten Facebook Posts of 2025:
Our Facebook page is the platform that viewers came to the most for a variety of reasons. Not only were the news stories very popular, including disease outbreak information and current events, but also ag day celebrations, Got to Be NC member partnerships and more. Check out our top ten below and see if you find any trends in the mix!
#1 Mt. Olive Pickle Parlor Opening
In July, Mount Olive Pickles celebrated the grand opening of their Pickle Parlor in downtown Mount Olive! The Pickle Parlor provides an immersive experience as both a museum and a storefront. From providing samples and celebrating the history of Mt. Olive Pickle Company to selling merchandise to help people show off their pickle pride, the Pickle Parlor continues to be a hit in the heart of Mount Olive today.
- Total Views: 847,348
- Total Reactions (likes, hearts, etc.): 4,228
- Total Shares: 784
#2 Equine Herpes Disease Outbreak Information
In November of 2025, our state experienced an outbreak of Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy, the neurologic disease associated with the Equine Herpes Virus. State Veterinarian Mike Martin strongly encouraged horse owners to watch for symptoms of the virus, as well as prevent further spread through the cancellation of equine events across the state.
- Total Views: 427,688
- Total Reactions: 1,596
- Total Shares: 2,211
#3 Adopt a Cow Program Information from Discover Dairy
The Adopt a Cow Program allows teachers to adopt a 100-pound dairy calf for their classroom! Through this program, teachers can provide an interactive experience that helps teach students about our state’s dairy industry. The program is run by Discover Dairy.
- Total Views: 397,010
- Total Reactions: 820
- Total Shares: 978
#4 Blog Post on the Rodeo at the N.C. State Fair
The N.C. State Fair hosted its first rodeo this year inside the Hunt Horse Complex. The rodeo was presented by the North Carolina High School & JH Rodeo Association, and featured rodeo riders from kindergarten to high school. Students participated in a variety of rodeo activities, including barrel racing, bull/bronc riding, and calf tying. The rodeo took place on Monday, Oct. 20th, and Tuesday, Oct. 21st.
- Total Views: 297,963
- Total Reactions: 1,487
- Total Shares: 357
#5 Interactive Wildfire Map from the N.C. Forest Service
North Carolina has a spring and wildfire season each year. Our N.C. Forest Service works hard to protect forestland in our state both within these seasons and outside of them. This year, the N.C. Forest Service put together an interactive map for viewers to see where wildfires were in our state, both active and reported.
- Total Views: 288,571
- Total Reactions: 2,190
- Total Shares: 476
#6 Shared Article on Patrick Brown’s Plantation Farm in Warren County
In 2021, Patrick Brown purchased the plantation where his ancestors were once slaves. Since then, he has been working to grow produce on that farmland that both enrich his agricultural heritage and benefit the community. This post shared an article from the Bitter Southerner that dove into his story and where he is today.
- Total Views: 229,158
- Total Reactions: 5,219
- Total Shares: 565
#7 National Farmers Day Recognition
National Farmers Day takes place on October 12th each year. It’s always an honor to recognize the hard work of farmers across our state. Thank you for helping us celebrate and appreciate them!
- Total Views: 193,765
- Total Reactions: 1,280
- Total Shares: 769
#8 Soil Testing for farmers with damage from Hurricane Helene
Our Agronomic Services division offers soil testing each year for farmers across our state. This year, the division offered all of its services, including soil testing and nematode assay analysis, at no cost to growers in the 27 presidential counties that experienced damage from Hurricane Helene. This allowed farmers to receive the testing they needed for free and give a small reprieve to the challenges they were facing.
- Total Views: 178,206
- Total Reactions: 1,155
- Total Shares: 585
#9 High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) Case in Rutherford County
High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been an ongoing issue across our state. Throughout this year, cases were found in various counties and reported through our social media accounts. In mid-October, a backyard flock in Rutherford County tested positive for the virus. State Veterinarian Mike Martin cautioned flock owners to be vigilant and keep an eye out for symptoms of the virus in nearby birds.
- Total Views: 168,139
- Total Reactions: 473
- Total Shares: 362
#10 Introduction to Biosecurity Tips Social Media Series
In February, we ran a series of ten biosecurity tips on our social media channels to help poultry farmers protect their flocks against High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI). This post was the introduction to that series and reminded viewers to stay tuned in the coming days for tips.
- Total Views: 159,160
- Total Reactions: 836
- Total Shares: 264
Top Ten Instagram Posts of 2025:
It is always interesting to see where Facebook and Instagram coincide on viewership and where they differ. Instagram is a far more visual platform than Facebook, which lends well to professional photos, reels and videos. Check out the top ten posts this year from our Got to Be NC Instagram page to see what resonated the most with our viewers!
#1 Sweet to Tart Apple Varieties Chart
North Carolina apple season is always a popular time in the fall! Family Recipes shared a chart with us that ranked apple varieties from the sweetest of sweet to the most tart. Not only was it visually appealing, but handy for heading to the farmers market or a roadside stand.
- Total Views: 126,197
- Total Reactions (likes, hearts, etc.): 2,192
- Total Shares: 3,096
#2 Collaboration Reel with Phillips Farm of Cary for Strawberry Fest
Strawberry Fest at Phillips Farm in Cary takes place every May! It’s a great way to get your family and friends out on the farm to experience strawberry season, livestock animals and more. This collaborative reel gave quality information on the date, time, location and nature of the event.
- Total Views: 109,524
- Total Reactions: 3,522
- Total Shares: 4,988
#3 Collaboration Reel with Raleigh Eating on Pick Your Own Strawberries at Porter Farms
Many farms across the state offer pick-your-own strawberries in the spring. Porter Farms in Willow Spring is one of those farms! This collaboration reel with Raleigh Eating showcased Porter Farms two locations for strawberry picking, ice cream, and more.
- Total Views: 52,702
- Total Reactions: 1,794
- Total Shares: 1,742
#4 Collaboration post with Raleigh Downtown promoting the Got to Be NC Festival
The Got to Be NC Festival takes place each May at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. It is often referred to as a mini N.C. State Fair, featuring livestock animals, fair food, entertainment and more. This collaboration post went out the week before the festival encouraging people to come experience the festival.
- Total Views: 28,325
- Total Reactions: 681
- Total Shares: 668
#5 Collaboration Reel with N.C. State Basketball Player Zamareya Jones promoting dairy milk
Our marketing division, through an NIL partnership, created a video with N.C. State Women’s Basketball player Zamareya Jones that promoted dairy milk as a recovery beverage. This reel showcased her playing as well as drinking milk and talking about its benefits on the court.
- Total Views: 23,616
- Total Reactions: 747
- Total Shares: 30
#6 Milk Campaign post with N.C. State Football Player Hollywood Smothers
In the fall, our marketing division launched another NIL Partnership with N.C. State Football player Hollywood Smothers. This post featured a photo of him having a glass of milk with Paige Garland, a local dairy farmer, and touched on the benefits of milk as a recovery beverage for athletes.
- Total Views: 22,019
- Total Reactions: 94
- Total Shares: 9
#7 National Farmers Day Recognition
As discussed above, National Farmers Day takes place on October 12th each year. We were thrilled to see so much interaction with this post on both platforms as it helped show appreciation for farmers across our state.
- Total Views: 18,192
- Total Reactions: 376
- Total Shares: 103
#8 Collaboration Post with Saltbox Seafood Joint on Chef Stage at the N.C. State Fair
Each year at the N.C. State Fair, the Got to Be NC Pavilion in Dorton Arena hosts a Chef Stage. Throughout all eleven days of the fair, North Carolina chefs and farmers take on the Chef Stage to teach interested fairgoers how to cook with local ingredients. A few lucky participants at each demonstration are chosen from the audience to sit at the chefs table, located on stage, and try the completed dish at the end of the demo. This post was a collaboration with the Head Chef at Saltbox Seafood Joint, who took on the Chef Stage a couple of times during the N.C. State Fair this year.
- Total Views: 17,854
- Total Reactions: 176
- Total Shares: 5
#9 North Carolina farms where Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift could get married
After the engagement announcement between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift in September, the world took the internet by storm offering up suggestions on a wedding venue for the couple. The NCDA&CS decided to join the trend by offering up farm suggestions that would make beautiful locations for the couple’s special day.
- Total Views: 15,400
- Total Reactions: 241
- Total Shares: 39
#10 Collaboration Reel with the University of Mount Olive as a recap of AgFest 2025
The University of Mount Olive hosts AgFest each year where students come together to learn about N.C. Agriculture! From farmers to agribusinesses, the day features a variety of vendors that present career options for students in the agriculture industry. This collaboration reel showed a wrap up of the event.
- Total Views: 13,994
- Total Reactions: 499
- Total Shares: 108
All in all, we had a very productive year on the department social media channels. Thank you to everyone who tuned in this year for our updates, feature stories, member spotlights and more. We look forward to serving you more on our social media channels in 2026!