North Carolina Cooperative Extension seeks help from farmers with a short survey. As producers fill out the survey, it will help Extension assess the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the specialty crop (fruit and vegetable) and agritourism industry in North Carolina. The survey will help shape Extension’s response.
N.C. State IRB approved the survey. Also, Extension specialists in the Department of Horticultural Science at N.C. State University conducted the survey. It is done in collaboration with the Center for Environmental Farming Systems and the N.C. State Local Foods Initiative.
Extension asks that all farmers fill out this voluntary and anonymous survey. It will be open from April 23 through May 7.
In a previous story ran in VSCNews, Chris Gunter, an N.C. State Extension specialist, reported that the vegetable crop in North Carolina looks “fabulous” so far.
Mark Hoffmann, North Carolina State small fruits Extension specialist, also reported that he expects a bumper crop this year. Hoffmann is optimistic that his state’s strawberry producers will not have problems selling their crop.
“With the whole COVID-19 situation, it’s very different right now. It looks like operations that can sell directly to customers, the direct-to-customer sales is something that’s picking up right now,” Hoffmann said. “Right now, I don’t think there’s a problem getting strawberries a home.”