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
‘From the tractor’ is published in the monthly Agricultural Review. This column appears in the May 2026 edition of the paper. The most up-to-date information about the Federal Block Grant Assistance Program can be found here: USDA Block Grant Disaster Relief | NC Agriculture. I wanted to provide another update on the USDA disaster assistance programs … Read more
A program within the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is expanding its work in western North Carolina thanks to new federal funding tied to Hurricane Helene recovery. The funding comes through a larger $61 million grant awarded to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to support … Read more
‘From the tractor’ is published in the monthly Agricultural Review. This column appears in the April 2026 edition of the paper. The most up-to-date information about the Federal Block Grant Assistance Program can be found here: Ag Disaster Programs | NC Agriculture. I am writing this column as we are finalizing the details about the $221 … Read more
As 2024 comes to a close, we celebrate a record year for the Farm to School program thanks to a Local Food for School grant from USDA that benefited small N.C. farms and businesses and for reaching 36,000 acres of farmland preserved through the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, plus other milestones. Work in these areas … Read more
The end of the year is always a good time to look back to see what you accomplished and any changes you want to make looking ahead. The department’s social media accounts – Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter) – are key communication tools and that was really obvious when we reviewed the … Read more
North Carolina Christmas tree farmers are hoping for a strong year for tree sales to help Western N.C.’s economy rebound and provide a spark of hope for the region. This year in particular, buying local will go a long way in helping farmers. We hope everyone will consider purchasing a real N.C. Christmas tree, wreath, … Read more
Commissioner Troxler viewed the damage to Western NC first hand earlier this week. Listen to his account with Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis Transcript Well, we’re getting reports out of western North Carolina of the destruction across that region because of hurricane Helene. I am talking with Ag Commissioner Steve Troxler now, and Commissioner I … Read more
