The State Fair has always focused on agricultural education. In the beginning, this was more a farmer-to-farmer exchange, where good ideas were shared with one another and new production methods and techniques were introduced. Today, we are focused on educating the...
It started with a simple question: how do we get rid of those Bradford Pears? A simple premise, but complicated in execution. So when Dr. Kelly Oten of NC State University Extension began looking at ways to start reducing the numbers of the invasive tree species in North Carolina, she took inspiration from a program […]
As agriculture continues to grow and expand across North Carolina, small independent meat processors have become a vital part of meeting the growing demand for food both at home and across the nation. That’s where the Improving Meat Production Efficiency and Capacity grant program comes in. Created in September 2020 to help independent processors deal […]
By the time a piece of meat hits your plate, it has gone through a long journey. From the farm to the processing plant to the grocery store and everything in between, meat production is a complicated process which requires up-to-date infrastructure at every stage. That’s why in April 2021, the North Carolina Department of […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Laurel Gray is a recent North Iredell High School graduate who will be attending N.C. State University to study Agricultural Business Management. She is one of twelve students that received a R. Flake Shaw Scholarship from N.C. Farm Bureau. The R. Flake Shaw Scholarship awards students pursuing higher education in an agriculture-related discipline. To receive […]
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 […]
Don Hopkins knows his way around a beehive. Hopkins is the NCDA&CS Apiary Inspection Supervisor, which puts him in charge of helping beekeepers across the state maintain the health and safety of their hives. The program includes six inspectors and a lab technician who together serve the entire state. “What we do is inspect the […]