For the first time in over a decade, there is a new face at the head of Farmland Preservation. Evan Davis, Farmland Preservation division director, took over leadership of the division at the start of 2022 after previously serving as assistant director since 2018. Born in Davidson County, Davis grew up near High Point, taking […]
North Carolinians are no stranger to winter storms, nor to the challenges they present. Icy roads, loss of power and falling trees are just a few of the dangers that these storms can bring. Those kinds of things can cause all kinds of problems for agriculture as well, which is where the NCDA&CS Emergency Programs […]
One look at Dewitt Hardee’s resume is enough to make your head spin. Hardee, who retired Dec. 31, has been a fixture at NCDA&CS for the entirety of his 36-year tenure. While many may know him by his most recent and longest-tenured position as Farmland Preservation Director, Hardee’s career saw him become one of the […]
Lori Wright’s Deep Dish Sweet Potato Pie There are few things quite as tied up in happy memories as a family recipe. For Lori Wright, NCDA&CS Plant Conservation Program Assistant, her love of baking was instilled at an early age. Born in San Francisco and raised in San Diego and Los Angeles, Wright learned to […]
The NCDA&CS Plant Industry division has a new face at the top. Dr. William “Bill” Foote, Plant Industry director, joined NCDA&CS in October. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Foote is a farmer by trade, having spent 25 years growing fruits and vegetables, running a greenhouse operation and a retail market. Eventually, however, new opportunities would draw […]
As we honor veterans today for their service to the country, the In the Field blog highlights Army and National Guard veteran and Emergency Programs veterinarian Dr. Bruce Akers. Thank you Dr. Akers for your continued service to others. Over a career spanning nearly 50 years, Dr. Bruce Akers has made a habit of saying […]
Man’s best friend will soon have a brand-new job in North Carolina — hunting down invasive bugs. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service’s Plant Industry division will soon welcome a pair of working dogs named Kita and Neeko to the state to help detect Spotted Lanternfly. The destructive pest, which causes severe […]
Thirty-seven years is a long time to do just about anything. For Phil Wilson, NCDA&CS Plant Industry Director, nearly four decades with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will come to a close later this year when he retires Oct. 1. Wilson has worked his entire professional career in the Plant Industry […]
The day starts off a bit earlier than usual, but not by enough to justify the complaining I want to do about it. It’s alright though, because to be honest I am excited. I’m heading to the State Emergency Operations Center this morning to be part of a mock nuclear disaster exercise. This involves […]
Hurricanes have become an unfortunate fact of life for North Carolinians in the last decade. As the term “100-year storm” starts to look less and less reliable, preparing for devastating storms and the flooding that often follows has become vital for people all across the state. The same is true for the North Carolina Department […]
Even after decades of family farming, there is always room for a new idea. Take that from Randy Lewis, owner of Ran Lew Dairy in Snow Camp. A fifth-generation dairy farmer, Lewis took over ownership of the farm in 1980, having bought the farm himself after his grandmother and mentor sold it among her family […]
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services uses nature preserves to protect all kinds of rare plant and animal species, but perhaps none are as iconic as the Venus Flytraps at Boiling Spring Lakes Plant Conservation Preserve. Despite being the most well-known, however, the flytraps are not the only rare species that inhabits […]