Haywood County native Kyle Miller has moved into the top leadership position at the Mountain Research Station in Waynesville – something he considers not just a blessing but a gift that he feels led to share.
"I've always loved agriculture. I've always just wanted to farm my whole life,” Miller said. “When it's in your blood, it's more than just a job or profession. You feel like you've got a moral responsibility, and you owe it to the rest of society."
As the station superintendent, Miller now has an opportunity to lead the station in the many ways it contributes to society.
“Kyle will be a great superintendent because of his experience and his love of agriculture. That experience includes working at the Mountain Research Station part time in high school and college and later becoming a full-time employee in 2011,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Our research stations serve as platforms for projects aimed at keeping North Carolina agriculture as productive and profitable as possible, and I know Kyle is more than capable of leading that work.”
Miller, who grew up in the Canton area and graduated from Pisgah High School, replaces Will Morrow who retired after more than 30 years the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Miller earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural extension and education from N.C. State University in 2006. After working in construction and teaching high school agriculture, he began working full-time at the Mountain Research Station as a research specialist. In 2017, he moved to the livestock and forage manager position where he remained until his promotion this summer. He and his wife Maria have twin 9-year-old boys named Jack and Walker.
The Mountain Research Station is home to a variety of research projects that rotate and evolve over the years. While many projects aim to help farmers glean better yields and profits, the research also aims to benefit consumers. For example, higher yields also meet the food needs of a growing population. Other examples include work to develop new plant varieties such as new tomatoes that are both tasty and also resistant to ever-evolving diseases and pests. Livestock breeding trials have improved the quality and value of North Carolina’s beef cattle. Some research even studies ways to upcycle waste products from other industries, such as spent grains or cotton plant stalks, and convert the byproduct into alternative animal feeds, keeping it out of landfills.
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