After 36 years working in the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gary Gay is retiring at the end of this week. He’s been the director of the Food Distribution Division since 1994. When he started with the department in 1985, he didn’t imagine he’d stay for more than three decades, and he certainly […]
This week NCDA&CS will deliver four tractor-trailer loads of North Carolina-grown strawberries to schools across the state. The deliveries happen thanks to the N.C. Farm to School program – a collaborative effort between the department’s Food Distribution and Marketing divisions. The program offers 26 North Carolina-grown foods to the state’s schools – from strawberries, apples, […]
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 […]
To say the NCDA&CS Food Distribution Division has had two monumental years may seem like a bit of exaggeration. The numbers make it clear though. Division director Gary Gay says the division has nearly doubled the amount of food its moved through its warehouses in the past two years. Some of the increase obviously came […]
With over 2,000 employees in 20 divisions and a presence in all 100 counties, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services touches the lives of North Carolinians every day. We have regulatory and service responsibilities that are wide-ranging, but all seek to support and promote the health and welfare of the residents of this state. […]
Each week we round up the latest N.C. agricultural headlines from news outlets across the state and country, as well as excerpts from the stories. “CRISIS TEXT ALERT SYSTEM AVAILABLE FOR PORK PRODUCERS,” Southern Farm Network: The Pork Checkoff has created a text-alert system for pork producers. Pork Checkoff assistant vice president of communications Cindy […]
Ladies and gentlemen, step right up! The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is pleased to present its lineup for the 2017 Southern Farm Show Feb. 1-3. This show is the Southeast’s largest agricultural exposition with more than 400 vendors. It’s held every February at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Come early and plan […]
As the 2010-2011 school year comes to a close, the North Carolina Farm to School Program has posted its best year ever, closing in on nearly $1 million in sales. The program, which began in 1998, brings fresh, locally grown produce to North Carolina school children, providing a new market for the state’s farmers to sell their crops. Blueberries, […]
Santa Claus isn’t the only one delivering presents this year. The NCDA&CS Food Distribution Division recently delivered nearly 1,600 cases of cheese to the MANNA FoodBank in Asheville. The packages of cheddar and mozzarella were supplied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to a food bank in Knoxville, Tenn., but there was more cheese than […]
The department’s popular Farm to School program recently received another honor — having Gov. Bev Perdue proclaim the month of October as Farm to School Month. School kids are some of the program’s biggest fans, especially when the hugely popular strawberries, watermelon slices and apples are featured on the menus in school cafeterias. During the month […]
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with the Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.” School is out across North Carolina, and it ended on a high note for the N.C. Farm to School Program. School systems purchased a record $800,000 worth of North Carolina commodities during the 2009-2010 school year. […]
Dr. Richard Reich, assistant commissioner for agricultural services at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, received the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association’s Meritorious Service award at the association’s 43rd annual meeting in New Bern on Jan. 14. The award is the association’s most prestigious recognition for outstanding contributions to North Carolina soybean farmers. […]