Many North Carolinians have been busy beautifying their yards this spring and early summer with trees, shrubs, flowers and other plants. When they visit a local nursery or home improvement store, they expect the plants they purchase to be healthy, pest-free and ready to thrive at their new home. Specialists with the Plant Industry Division … Read more
The seventh video in the “We Do That!” series focuses on Chad Taylor who is the western regional field certifications specialist in the Plant Industry Division. Taylor works a dog named “Goose” that is a trained pest-detecting dog. As with the other videos in the series, the goal is to showcase one of the many … Read more
Summary: The yellow-legged hornet is an invasive species that has been found in Georgia and the southern part of South Carolina but has not been found in North Carolina. The NCDA&CS’ Plant Industry Division wants people to be on the lookout for the insects’ early-stage nests, which are distinguishable this time of year by their … Read more
Since finding spotted lanternfly at a site in Kernersville in 2022, the Plant Industry Division has asked residents to be on the look out for this invasive and destructive pest. Residents who think they may have seen spotted lanternfly in their area are asked to take a photo of the bug, squash it and report … Read more
Summary: For the sixth year in a row, the boll weevil assessment for cotton producers is set at 75 cents. The funding is used to monitor for any reintroductions of the destructive boll weevil and to quickly treat any that are found. Today’s Topic with Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis and Commissioner Troxler It … Read more
Click here to listen to Commissioner Troxler speak to Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis about the detection We have made our first discovery of an established presence of the spotted lanternfly in North Carolina. Initial surveys indicate the known distribution of the pest is within a 5-mile radius in Forsyth County near Interstate … Read more
We Are Agriculture is a year-long series that will highlight the hard-work done by employees across the Department of Agriculture. Lesley Starke, N.C. Plant Conservation Program Manager with our Plant Industry Division, is one of those employees. Stay tuned each Wednesday here on the blog or any of our social media accounts and join us … Read more
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 … Read more
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis to discuss “Today’s Topic.” The quarantine area for red imported fire ants has expanded and now includes part or all of 77 counties. The quarantine now includes all of Alamance, Burke, Guilford, Jackson and McDowell counties. Summary of Talking Points: On … Read more
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis to discuss “Today’s Topic.” We have been getting many reports of unsolicited packs of seeds from China being sent to residents as part of what is likely a “brushing” scheme. We are asking that residents keep all the packaging, not open … Read more
