Game Changer: Chemical Option for Peach Thinning

Clint ThompsonNorth Carolina, Peaches

By Clint Thompson One of the most tedious, but necessary parts of peach production centers on fruit thinning. Producers must remove much of their crop so what’s remaining can increase in size and yields. One North Carolina State University researcher is confident a chemical option will soon be a viable alternative for growers. Mike Parker, associate professor and Extension specialist …

Best North Carolina Peaches in Recent Memory

Clint ThompsonNorth Carolina

By Clint Thompson North Carolina peach farmers are experiencing a bumper crop this year; the best crop in recent memory, according to one producer. “It’s the best crop I’ve seen, and I’m 44-years-old. It’s an outstanding crop for North Carolina,” said Brad Thompson, president of the North Carolina Peach Growers’ Society. The reason for such optimism is simple; there was …

North Carolina Peach Field Day at the Sandhills Research Station Planned

Clint ThompsonNorth Carolina, Peaches, Uncategorized

The 2024 Peach Field Day will be held Tuesday, July 16, at the Sandhills Research Station in Jackson Springs, North Carolina, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event is free and open to growers and anyone interested in learning more about producing peaches and the peach industry in North Carolina. Specialists from North Carolina State University as well as …

N.C. Ag Economic Impact Jumps to $111.1 Billion

Clint ThompsonNorth Carolina

RALEIGH – The economic impact of North Carolina’s agriculture and agribusiness industry jumped to $111.1 billion, posting a second straight year of strong growth at nearly $8 billion, according to Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “With last year’s increase of $10 billion, that represents over $18 billion in growth since 2022 when we were coming out of a pandemic and some …

Sen. Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Provide Financial Relief for Producers

Clint ThompsonNorth Carolina

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis and his colleagues recently introduced the Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2024, legislation that would revert the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) to the December 2023 rate through the end of the 2025 growing season. The AEWR in North Carolina rose 6% from $14.91 per hour to $15.81 per hour in January 2024.  “With net farm …

Burn Ban Issued for 14 Counties in Western North Carolina

Web AdminNorth Carolina

Due to increased fire risk, the North Carolina (N.C.) Forest Service has issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits for Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain and Transylvania counties effective 5 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 5, until further notice. “Several counties in Western North Carolina are currently in …

Submit Soil Samples Now to Avoid Delays and Peak-Season Fees

Web AdminNorth Carolina, Soil

Homeowners, gardeners, community gardeners, golf course superintendents, and turf consultants are encouraged to submit soil samples now to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic Services to ensure faster turnaround time on results and avoid peak-season testing fees. “Soil test results completed this year are good for the next two to three years. So, if you have …

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N.C. Strawberry Producers Delayed in Planting Strawberries

Web AdminNorth Carolina, Strawberry

By Clint Thompson North Carolina (N.C.) strawberry producers are late in getting their plants in the ground this fall. But it should not have long-term repercussions, according to Austin Wrenn, president of the North Carolina Strawberry Association. Wrenn said there were delays in his growers receiving plant materials, and it stemmed from poor weather conditions in Canada. The nursery stock …

North Carolina Receives $6.3 million USDA Award for Conservation Easements in the Neuse River Basin

Web AdminIndustry News Release, North Carolina, USDA

RALEIGH – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service awarded the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services $6.3 million to place conservation easements on farms in the Upper Neuse River Basin. This project was funded through USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). “Securing more funding for conservation easements is a critical step in preserving our …

N.C. State to Host Fiber Hemp Meeting

Web AdminHemp, North Carolina

North Carolina specialty crop growers interested in producing hemp should make plans to attend a fiber hemp interest meeting on Thursday, Aug. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon. The meeting will be held at the Mangum Community Building, 5838 Grassy Island Road, Mount Gilead, North Carolina, 27306. The half-day field day will focus on industrial hemp fiber, highlighting field production, …