Press Releases

Organic growers in North Carolina can apply for partial reimbursement of the cost of becoming certified or for recertification through a program offered by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Farmers whose crops were flooded by Tropical Storm Fred face not only the prospect of lower yields and loss of quality, but also the reality that those crops cannot be used for human food.

A limited number of spaces are still available to attend the upcoming N.C. Agritourism Networking Association’s Summer Farm Tour Aug. 30.

Fall offers great opportunities to explore agritourism activities on farms and across North Carolina. Visitors will find plenty of outdoor experiences from tours, u-pick fruit, crop mazes and pumpkin patches, farm stands, farmers markets, festivals and local foods.

As floodwaters recede and cleanup continues in western North Carolina, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services urges farmers and homeowners to evaluate pesticides and other chemical storage areas.

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will activate its hotline beginning Saturday, Aug. 21, to connect farmers with resources that can assist with damage and other agricultural emergencies related to the storm. The toll-free number is 1-866-645-9403.

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler released the following statement after touring storm damage today in Western N.C. and meeting with farmers who suffered crop and infrastructure damage and losses. 

The N.C. Mountain State Fair has extended the deadlines for the cooking and gospel singing competitions to Aug. 20 at 11:55 p.m.

North Carolina farmers interested in growing hemp in 2022 will begin getting their licenses from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as North Carolina wraps up its pilot program in conjunction with federal rules going into effect this year.