Press Releases
WHO/WHAT: The North Carolina Sentinel Landscape Committee will hold a meeting to hear committee member reports, review the annual report and conduct other Sentinel Landscape business. WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 23, 10:30 a.m.WHERE: Hall of Fame Room, Agriculture Building - 2 W. Edenton St., Raleigh.The public may also join the meeting via conference number 984-204-1487. The conference ID is 286 866 909, followed by the # key.
Fall is a time for planting and preparing for the upcoming growing season. It is also a good time to submit soil samples to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for agronomic recommendations specific to what you are growing.
The North Carolina Specialty Foods Association (NCSFA) recently announced the winners of its 2026 Best in Taste Awards, the state’s premier recognition honoring excellence and innovation among North Carolina’s artisan and specialty food producers. This year’s competition featured entries across 11 product categories, reflecting the depth and diversity of the state’s thriving specialty food community.
FLETCHER – Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler inducted two longtime N.C. Mountain State Fair employees into the N.C. Mountain State Fair Livestock Hall of Fame. Mark Mills of Peachland and Cameron Greene of Fletcher were inducted for their decades of support to the fair and the livestock industry in Western North Carolina.
FLETCHER — The smoke has cleared and a champion has been named at the 2026 Got to Be NC Whole Hog Cookoff at the N.C. Mountain State Fair. Showtime’s Legit BBQ of Benson, captained by Kevin Peterson, took home first place and the $2,000 grand prize, earning bragging rights as this year’s champion.Grate Sauces & Rubs of Goldsboro, captained by Ralph LeGrand, finished second, earning $1,500, while Killing Time Grilling Crew of Clinton, captained by Tim Walters, took third place and $1,000.
FLETCHER — Great North Carolina barbecue starts with the people who raise it, cook it and support it. From farmers raising quality pork to pitmasters tending the fire for hours, whole hog barbecue brings together agriculture, tradition and community. The Got to Be NC Whole Hog Barbecue Cookoff, featuring 11 competitive cooking teams, returns to the N.C. Mountain State Fair Saturday, Sept. 12. The contest celebrates every part of the farm-to-table connection, and serves up some good barbecue for a good cause along the way.
WHAT: Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler will officially open the 2026 N.C. Mountain State Fair with ribbon cutting ceremony. There will also be a special 9/11 remembrance.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the North Carolina Forest Service (NCFS) today signed a nearly $65 million, 10-year Good Neighbor Agreement to support Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in Western North Carolina.
Each year the N.C. State Fair features dozens of competitions, across all different types of categories. If you think you have what it takes to enter or even win a ribbon, now is the time to enter before registration closes on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 11:59 p.m.“State Fair competitions are where people from all across North Carolina are really able to show off their talents,” said Kent Yelverton, N.C. State Fair director. “Being a ribbon winner is a big accomplishment and with so many different competitions there are lots of chances to win, but you cannot win if you don’t enter.”