Where can we find farmers markets and what makes them successful? While celebrating National Farmers Market Week this week, the first week of August, we sat down for a few moments with Kevin Hardison, agricultural marketing specialist with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, to discuss the great diversity of farmers markets available … Read more
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler recently recognized a team of employees that has had a huge impact on the state by helping to fix a food supply chokepoint. It’s a problem that became more obvious in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic – the state’s meat processors couldn’t keep up with demand. When the pandemic disrupted … Read more
Summary: Independent meat and seafood processors have until May 14 to apply for Phase 3 of the Increasing Meat Production, Efficiency and Capacity grant program. A total of $6 million is available through the program, and can include value-added projects. Earlier this year, listeners may remember that I gave an update on some of the … Read more
Summary: New NCDA&CS program will reimburse growers for food and lodging expenses for H2A farmworkers who must quarantine due to COVID-19. The $2 million in funding for the program comes through federal CARES Act money distributed to states. I am happy to report that this past week we began a new reimbursement program for growers … Read more
Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler recently recognized 19 employees* with the department’s Excellence in Team Accomplishment Award. The employees work across two sections** of the Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division. They are specifically either part of the Licensing, Certification and Outreach Unit or the field staff in the Pesticides Section. During an online meeting, … Read more
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis to discuss “Today’s Topic.” As 2020 came to a close, our department was finishing up work to finalize all the documentation for $20.25 million in grants for our Increasing Meat Production Efficiency and Capacity (IMPEC) program. The money for these grants … Read more
Several buildings on the grounds of the N.C. State Fair and the N.C. Mountain State Fair/WNC Agricultural Center now have advanced technology added to their air filtration systems. The technology comes with new equipment that’s been installed with health and safety in mind, as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic. You could think of … Read more
As previously mentioned on this blog, the Food Distribution Division was busier than ever in 2020. An extra way the division provides food to schools has also been busier than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s called Bob’s List, and it’s enabled many school nutrition programs to keep their operations on budget and get food … Read more
Sometimes extraordinary actions are obvious – a passerby saving someone from a burning building or a stranger volunteering to donate a kidney to someone in need. The list of good deeds could be endless. However, sometimes you have to look a little deeper or have some inside knowledge to understand that what appears to be … Read more
In September 2020, Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler announced the creation of the Increasing Meat Production Efficiency and Capacity (IMPEC) grant program, administered by the NCDA&CS. The $20.25 million grant program aims to strengthen the meat supply chain and ensure consumers have adequate sources of protein. A year ago, the average shopper may not have … Read more
