Farmers impacted by COVID-19 and hoping to take advantage of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program have a little more than three weeks left before the Aug. 28 deadline. That is when the United States Department of Agriculture will stop accepting applications from producers. Through CFAP, USDA made available $16 billion in financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have …
Senate Passes Resolution Declaring July “National Blueberry Month”
July 31, 2020, Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution designating July 2020 as National Blueberry Month, recognizing the contributions of the U.S. blueberry industry and acknowledging that purchasing blueberries supports farmers, jobs and the economy. The resolution echoes a proclamation from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in March. Senate resolution (S.Res. 656) was sponsored by …
Sneak Peek: August 2020 VSCNews Magazine
By Ashley Robinson The August issue of VSCNews magazine equips growers with the latest information and strategies to develop a sound fumigation system. With the loss of methyl bromide, many growers have struggled to maintain consistent soilborne pathogen and pest control with fumigants that are currently available. Gary Vallad, Johan Desaeger, Joe Noling and Nathan Boyd of the University of …
N.C. Residents Warned Not to Plant Unsolicited Foreign Seed Sent to Them
RALEIGH – North Carolina residents who have received seed shipments that they did not order from China or other foreign sources are advised not to plant these seeds because they could be a pathway for introduction of invasive species, insects and plant diseases. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has been contacted by numerous people who have …
USDA Announces Third Round of Farmers to Families Food Box Program Purchases
(Washington, D.C., July 24, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced on Friday the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will launch a third round of Farmers to Families Food Box Program purchases with distributions to occur beginning by September 1 with completion by October 31, 2020. The purchases will spend the balance of $3 billion authorized for the …
Farmer Feedback Essential for Adequate Analysis
Feedback during the Notice of Funding Availability comment period for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program yielded positive results for certain commodities added in coverage by the United States Department of Agriculture. It also pointed to the importance of farmers and industry leaders responding to surveys and requests for information. In this case, it allowed the USDA to make appropriate decisions …
North Carolina Announces Delivery of Personal Protection Equipment for Agricultural Workers
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is taking further action to prevent and respond to COVID-19 outbreaks among the agricultural workforce, delivering critical personal protection equipment for use by agricultural workers across the state. “Agriculture is vital to our economy and food supply and it is critical that we protect farmworkers and their families from this …
More U.S. Fruit Being Exported, Temporarily Importing Less
We are now exporting more fruit from the United States than we were last year. According to a story from Gary Crawford, we are also importing much less fruit. Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More Flexibility and Strength to Sweet Corn Pest ManagementJanuary 1, 2026Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundNovember 1, 2024
North Carolina Farmer of the Year is James Lamb
According to the Sunbelt Expo website, this year’s North Carolina Farmer of the Year is James Lamb. Lamb is now eligible for the Swisher Sweets Farmer of the Year award and $15,000 cash prize given to the overall winner, who will be named at this year’s Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia on Oct. 20-22. Lamb was nominated as North …
N.C. Mountain State Fair Canceled for 2020
FLETCHER – As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty of conditions come September, the N.C. Mountain State Fair will not be held in 2020. The fair was scheduled to take place Sept. 11 through 20. “I would like nothing better than to not be making this announcement today,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “The Western N.C. …