Brandon Herring 
A new biochar program in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services traces its roots to a trifecta of problems affecting Western North Carolina, but it ultimately aims to improve soil and water on farms across the state. Biochar is a carbon-rich soil amendment made by heating organic material in a very low-oxygen … Read more
Twenty-one years ago, a change to a North Carolina law would not only transform the state’s beer industry, it would also create new opportunities for some of the state’s farmers. To celebrate the anniversary of that change, a crowd gathered in Durham on Aug. 13, exactly 21 years after Gov. Mike Easley signed House Bill … Read more
Efforts to repair, improve and maintain waterways in North Carolina are getting a boost thanks to a relatively new tool developed by employees in the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Soil and Water Conservation. The new tool called the Disaster Assessment and Reporting Tool or “DART” focuses on specific kinds of … Read more
The Tobacco Trust Fund Christmas Tree Seed Center of Excellence is officially open. A ribbon cutting at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Upper Mountain Research Station not only marked the formal grand opening, but also the beginning of a new chapter for North Carolina’s Christmas tree industry. NCDA&CS and NC State University … Read more
For North Carolina blueberry growers, pest management is a regular part of their work, and for the most part they know what to expect from year to year. However, in recent years, an unfamiliar visitor has been turning up beneath the soil. Now researchers are working to understand it and figure out how to deal … Read more
Developing better blueberry varieties is only part of the work needed to keep North Carolina’s blueberry industry thriving. Protecting those plants from diseases, and helping growers respond when new threats emerge, is just as important. That work falls to researchers like Bill Cline and Caleb Bollenbacher, Extension plant pathologists with North Carolina State University based … Read more
North Carolina blueberry farmers have some solid options when it comes to what cultivated varieties – or cultivars – of blueberries they grow, but various demands on those farmers mean they’re always in need of improved blueberries that meet their evolving needs. That’s where blueberry breeding research comes into play, along with the research stations … Read more
As of 2026, the N.C. Department of Agriculture has been using a bee protection tool for ten years. That tool is an online-based program called BeeCheck, which is a voluntary bee hive registration system. It involves a database, mapping tools and communication channels. The purpose is to help protect bees from harmful pesticide drift, which … Read more
When a computer won’t start, a device won’t work, an employee can’t access a program or a major event needs internet service, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services turns to its Information Technology Support Help Desk Team. That’s the team that helps ensure the department employees have the technology needed to do their … Read more
After years of planning and construction, the new Vytelle barn at the Umstead Beef Unit in Butner has reached an important milestone. The first research project to utilize the barn is officially underway, meaning the barn now has cattle in it for the first time. The cows were moved into the barn in late April. … Read more
