Caldwell County Agline

CALDWELL AG LINE IS MOVING!

snagy — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:28:36 -0400

The Caldwell Agline is
Moving to
http://caldwellagline.blogspot.com/
I look forward
to seeing you
at our new
location.

Private Pesticide Applicator Fee Increase

snagy — Thu, 13 May 2010 08:09:42 -0400

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) issues pesticides licenses in the State. They are increasing the private pesticide applicator fee to $10, the old cost was $6. This is the first increase since the program was started in 1972. Certifications are renewed on a three year cycle. NCDA's Pesticide Section web address is http://www.ncagr.gov/SPCAP/pesticides/index.htm.

humanewatch.org

snagy — Mon, 3 May 2010 09:40:24 -0400

The group "Humane Watch" is reporting the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) sends less than one percent of donations to pet shelters. This makes me wonder, where is their money being spent?

If you are interested in reading more, go to http://humanewatch.org

The Humane Watch's tag line is "Keeping a watchful eye on the Humane Society of the United States".

NCSU/NCDA Goat Workshop

snagy — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 08:20:46 -0400

The Upper Mountain Research Station at 8004 NC Hwy 88E, Laurel Springs, NC is hosted a goat kidding workshop. Dr. Jean-Marie Luginbuhl will be discussing kid and doe management during the kidding season, including some aspects of parasite control. A representative from Stay-Tuff fencing will be providing information about goat fencing. Ms. Lori Townsend, the Research Specialist working with the 100 or so doe herd at the site will give some demonstrations and guide attendees in optional hands-on sessions involving processing kids (tattooing, banding, etc.).

The event is free and will be held at the upper goat facility at the Research Station from 10 am- noon on Thursday May 6, 2010.

For more information or to register, please call the Ashe County Extension office at 336-846-5850 or email Vickie at: vickie_moore@ncsu.edu

PEST NEWS

snagy — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 08:35:05 -0400

In This Week’s Issue . . .

FIELD AND FORAGE CROPS

Annual Thrips Alert for Cotton
Cereal Leaf Beetle Update

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Maple Eyespot Gall

ORNAMENTALS AND TURF

Maple Eyespot Gall
Mantids Hatching
June Beetles May Appear in April
Euonymus Scales

See current and archived issues of the North Carolina Pest News on the World Wide Web at: http://ipm.ncsu.edu/current_ipm/pest_news.html

2010 Southern Piedmont Small Grains Field Day

snagy — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:43:36 -0400

May 18, 2010

Circle S Ranch

1420 Lee Cooke Road

Monroe, N.C.

4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Plots will include: canola variety evaluation, canola variety by planting rate, scab management, fungicide seed treatment and insecticide seed treatment evaluation, general fungicide evaluation, poultry litter application timing, topdress additives evaluation, variety evaluation,
general herbicide research.

Directions: From Monroe take NC 200 South; turn Left on Plyler Mill Road; cross Griffith Road at caution light and take next road on right, Lee Cooke Road. Address is 1420 Lee Cooke Road.

For more information, contact: Andrew Gardner, 704.283.3801 or Randy Weisz, 919.513.5324, randy_weisz@ncsu.edu

Wheat - Head Scab Risk Tool

snagy — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:51:22 -0400

Small grains are flowering later than usual this year. The risk of head scab is somewhat increased. This is because later flowering means higher temperatures, which favor scab. April has been dry with low humidity. Until now conditions have not been favorable for scab development. However, today's rain and possibly rain this weekend changes the picture. Most of our Caldwell County wheat will flower the last week of April and the first week of May. If your wheat varieties are susceptible or moderately susceptible, check your scab risk at the head scab prediction web site often in the next 3 weeks. That site can be found at: http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/riskTool_2010.html

Wheat scab ratings are listed at: http://www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu/SmartGrains/No26SCAB.pdf.

Thanks to Randy Weisz, NC Cooperative Extension Small Grain Specialist for help with this small grain update.

Too Early to Plant Soybeans?

snagy — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:09:41 -0400

Soybeans only need about 5 degrees warmer soil temperatures than corn does to germinate and grow. So if the corn in the neighborhood is up and growing (not up but waiting for warmer temperatures), you've probably got the 5 degrees, or will by the next day or two, and it would be OK to plant soybeans.

Many growers in tobacco's Old Belt in the northern Piedmont have traditionally started planting soybeans in April, to get done by their May 10 target tobacco transplanting date, and have gotten along well with it. The current, and previous, yield record in the state were with late April planted soybeans

NC PEST NEWS

snagy — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:49:25 -0400

North Carolina Pest News is a newsletter published in electronic form by the Departments of Entomology and Plant Pathology at North Carolina State University, and contains up?to?date information on the status of disease and insect pests in North Carolina from Extension specialists in the two departments. Steve Toth, Extension Entomologist and Integrated Pest Management Coordinator, is the editor of the newsletter.

From now until the middle of September, new issues of North Carolina Pest News will be available every Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. via electronic mail to county Extension agents, University specialists, and others. By Monday afternoon, the newsletter will be available on the Internet at http://ipm.ncsu.edu/current_ipm/pest_news.html.

We hope that North Carolina Pest News will meet your individual needs for information on the occurrence of diseases and insect pests in North Carolina. Please direct any suggestions or comments to Steve Toth (steve_toth@ncsu.edu).

In This Week’s Issue . . .

FIELD AND FORAGE CROPS

* Cotton Insects 2010: What’s in Store?

* Cereal Leaf Beetle is Out and About

ORNAMENTALS AND TURF

* Fall Cankerworms

* Tent Caterpillars on the Prowl

* Fire Ants

* Boxwood Leafminers

* Kontos Update

See current and archived issues of the North Carolina Pest News on the World Wide Web at:

http://ipm.ncsu.edu/current_ipm/pest_news.html

Bioretention Summit

snagy — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:52:48 -0400

For the first time, three national experts in bioretention research are joining forces to present the “Bioretention Research & Design Summit: Ask the Researchers.” Drs. Allen Davis (University of Maryland), William (Bill) Hunt (North Carolina State University), and Robert Traver (Villanova University) have a combined over 30 years of bioretention research among them. The three gentlemen have authored or co-authored more than 25 refereed journal articles on bioretention and bioinfiltration technology. The three researchers will discuss many of the most pressing design issues associated with bioretention including: (1) choosing appropriate hydrologic and water quality design targets, (2) benefits of the bioretention bowl and internal water storage features on performance, (3) the importance of fill media and how to craft a media that infiltrates and removes pollutants, (4) optimal design configurations for TN, TP, TSS, pathogens, and thermal removal/mitigation, and (5) various construction methods to improve performance. In addition, the summit will feature a ½-day tour to local bioretention research sites upon which much of the presented-findings are based. The event also includes a unique opportunity for participants as they are invited to submit questions in advance of the training for the researchers to answer during course of the 2-day workshop. There is ample Q&A time embedded in the training as well. The ultimate goal of the training is to improve the state-of-the-art for designers, plan reviewers, and regulators: better functioning designs going into the ground that improve hydrology and water quality.

This Summit will take place in Raleigh, North Carolina on June 29-30, 2010 and again in Annapolis, Maryland on July 15-16, 2010. A third Summit is being planned for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania either later this year or in 2011.

View the conference website at: http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/stormwater/training/bioretention_summit.html.

Click this link to view a detailed course outline.

CONTINUING EDUCATION: This conference offers 12 PDHs (professional development hours) for professional engineers and surveyors. CEUs are pending approval by the NC Board of Landscape Architects. Other professionals may appeal to their respective boards to obtain professional education credits.

When

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 8:00 AM -

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 5:00 PM

Where

Jane S. McKimmon Center
1101 Gorman Street, Raleigh, NC 27606

Specialty Crops Grants

snagy — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:33:43 -0400

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is offering grants to fund new projects to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the marketplace. The program, managed by NCDA&CS, is funded through a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant established by the 2008 farm bill.

“We are happy to again be able to offer this program, making nearly $1.2 million available this year through a competitive grant process,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “These grants will benefit the specialty crop industry, and will help small farmers and local food efforts.”

NCDA&CS will accept grant applications ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 from non-profit organizations and corporations, commodity associations, state and local government agencies, colleges and universities. Applicants must reside or their business or educational affiliation must be in North Carolina. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on June 4.

Projects involving the following specialty crops are eligible: Fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, Christmas trees, turfgrass/sod, and nursery and greenhouse crops. Funding opportunities are also available for projects aimed at developing local and regional food systems, and improving food access.

Grants will not be awarded for projects that directly benefit or provide a profit to a single organization, institution or individual.

For grant guidelines and an application, contact the NCDA&CS Marketing Division at SpecialtyCropGrant@ncagr.gov, by phone at (919) 733-7887, or by mail at Specialty Crop Grant, 1020 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1020. More information is online at www.NCspecialtycropgrant.org.

Small Ruminant Integrated Gastrointestinal Parasite Control, Smart Drenching & FAMACHA

snagy — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 08:23:09 -0400

April 21, 2010, Wednesday, 8:45 am - 12 noon

Controlling gastrointestinal nematodes in their animals represent the biggest challenge facing small ruminant producers worldwide. Participants will learn about the biology of the gastrointestinal nematodes, where we are and why, a quick review of dewormers, and how to integrate smart drenching, FAMACHA and pasture management for more effective control. New alternatives being researched will also be discussed. A hands-on session will be held to teach participants how to use the FAMACHA card as an effective tool.

Registration Fee: $10 (Additional $10 for FAMACHA certification card).

Location: CEFS, Goldsboro, NC

Scope: Statewide

Contact Lisa at CEFS_info@ncsu.edu or call 919-513-0954.

Caldwell County Farmer's Market Pre-Market Meeting

snagy — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:53:24 -0400

Thursday, April 8, at 6:30pm, the Caldwell County Farmers Market will have its annual pre-market meeting. Anyone interested in selling at the market is encouraged to attend. The meeting will be held in room two of the Public Library/Agricultural Center on 120 Hospital Ave in Lenoir.

The Caldwell County Farmer's Market opens to the public Saturday, May 1 at 6:00 pm in the Lower parking lot of the Public Library/Agricultural Center on 120 Hospital Ave in Lenoir. For more information please call the Extension Center at 828 757 1290 or email Seth_Nagy@ncsu.edu.

New Tomato Growers Information Portal

snagy — Fri, 5 Mar 2010 13:49:11 -0500

N.C. MarketReady, a program of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, has launched a new Tomato Growers Information Portal with production resources for greenhouse and field-grown tomatoes and information on food safety, marketing, integrated pest management, industry events and risk management tools. To access the portal, go to www.ncmarketready.org and click on the Growers Information Portals tab on the left menu bar. The portal was developed through grant funding from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and the Agricultural Advancement Consortium of the N.C. Rural Center.

NCDA&CS is offering two cost-share grants to assist farmers with on-farm food safety efforts

snagy — Thu, 4 Mar 2010 10:48:29 -0500

Fruit and vegetable farmers can now apply for two cost-share grants offered through the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to assist with the costs of water analysis and independent certification of an operation’s good agricultural practices.

“Food safety remains a top priority for growers and consumers, and these grants will help food safety efforts on the farm,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Farmers can apply for both grants, which will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.”

This is the second year for the Water Analysis Cost Share grant program, which will reimburse growers up to $200 for certified laboratory analysis of irrigation and packing house wash water for the presence of generic E.coli bacteria. Growers can be reimbursed for one water test or multiple tests throughout the year.

For more information or to obtain an application for the Water Analysis Cost Share program, contact Kevin Hardison at (919) 733-7887, ext. 234, or e-mail at Kevin.Hardison@ncagr.gov.

The department also offers the Good Agricultural Practices Certification Assistance Program, which covers up to $600 for independent audits of a farm’s GAP or good handling practices.

To be eligible, growers must have a third-party audit in 2010 from an approved government agency or company that verifies GAP or GHP efforts, and the grower must submit an application to participate in the program prior to the audit. The audit can be for farm review, field harvest and field packing activities, packing house facility, storage and transportation, and traceback.

For more information or to obtain an application for the GAP Certification Assistance Program, contact Shirley Nicholson at (919) 733-7887, or e-mail at Shirley.Nicholson@ncagr.gov.

“GAP certification is becoming more and more important for marketing produce,” Troxler said. “Buyers are demanding assurances from growers that their produce is safe. It’s going to become more difficult for farmers to market their fruits and vegetables if they don’t have a program in place to make sure their produce is free of contamination.”

Funding for both NCDA&CS-managed grants comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Small Ruminant Integrated Gastrointestinal Parasite Control, Smart Drenching and FAMACHA©

snagy — Tue, 2 Mar 2010 09:57:49 -0500

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

8:45 a.m. – noon

CEFS, Goldsboro, N.C.

Registration Fee: $10
(Additional $10 for optional FAMACHA certification.)
Instructors: J-M. Luginbuhl, Niki Whitley, Eileen Coite

Controlling gastrointestinal nematodes in their animals represents the biggest challenge facing small-ruminant producers worldwide. Participants will learn about the biology of the gastrointestinal nematodes, where we are and why, a quick review of dewormers, and how to integrate smart drenching, FAMACHA and pasture management for more effective control. New alternatives being researched will also be discussed. A hands-on session will be held to teach participants how to use the FAMACHA card as an effective tool.

Southern SARE Invites Proposals

snagy — Mon, 1 Mar 2010 13:33:13 -0500

Southern Region SARE (Sustainable Agricultural Research & Education) invites proposals for the next round of Research and Education grants, Professional Development Program grants for agricultural educators and Graduate Student grants. Proposals for the grants are due June 1, 2010, and must be submitted through an online template. Obtain all calls for proposals at http://www.southernsare.org

The Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (Southern SARE) recently awarded more than $2 million in grants for 2010 distributed through six different programs. Later this year calls for proposals will be released for the Producer Grants, On-Farm Research Grants and Sustainable Community Grants programs.

2010 Barley Yield Challenge

snagy — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:13:36 -0500

Osage Bio Energy, with co-sponsors Perdue AgriBusiness and the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, are kicking off this year's yield challenge to promote barley development in Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and Delaware. Last year's contest put the spotlight on barley as a new cash crop, and with Appomattox Bio Energy scheduled to open this year in time to receive the 2010 barley crop, we will once again bring this opportunity to producers and recognize their efforts to increase production.

For Full Details visit www.osagebioenergy.com/producers/thecrop/BarleyYieldContest.shtml

Iowa State YouTube Video - Adjusting Your No-Till planter

snagy — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:00:15 -0500

Mark Hanna with the Iowa Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering offers a few pointers to help adjust a planter for no-till farming. This YouTube video for getting optimum results from your planter in a no-till system is a small segment of a larger presentation on DVD. This educational video was created by the Iowa Learning Farm team. The DVD is available from the Iowa Learning Farm for free. For a sampling of the DVD watch this YouTube link.

Forestry Webinar Series

snagy — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:24:33 -0500

Managing the Family Forest: The Importance of Family Meetings - February 17, 2010 - 12:00 PM Professionals, forestry consultants, accountants, attorneys, estate planners, and others, who work with landowners know their clients are becoming older. These advisors may be aware that their clients have considered or may be considering how to arrange the future of their estates before they die. However, many professionals will not recognize that research indicates over 60% of forest landowners have not talked with their heirs about forestry in general and less than 35% have shared a forestry management plan with their heirs.

Timber Tax Tips for the 2010 Tax Season - February 24, 2010 - 12:00 PM The webinar will cover tax filing tips for timber transactions for the 2010 tax season. Presenters will discuss * Tax tips * New tax forms * Incentives * Latest IRS regulations on timber This webinar will be of interest to Foresters, Landowners, Government agency staff and program leaders, Extension agents, and tax professionals

Timber Tax Tips for the 2010 Tax Season (repeat) - March 17, 2010 - 12:00 PM The webinar will cover tax filing tips for timber transactions for the 2010 tax season. Presenters will discuss * Tax tips * New tax forms * Incentives * Latest IRS regulations on timber This webinar will be of interest to Foresters, Landowners, Government agency staff and program leaders, Extension agents, and tax professionals

New Web Site Launched for Food Industry Members

snagy — Mon, 1 Feb 2010 16:52:59 -0500

The North Carolina State University Department of Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences Extension Program announces a new web site, specifically developed for members of the food processing industry.

Visit www.ncsu.edu/foodscience/extension_program for a clear, concise, and easy to navigate site, which provides valuable information to anyone involved in the processing of food, entrepreneurs wishing to start a food business and others who require training and certification in food processing safety.

Included in the newly launched site are:

Links to State and Federal agency regulatory information
Commodity and trade association information
Lists of services and suppliers to the industry
Training and workshop schedules
Downloadable fact sheets in categories ranging from acidified foods to seafood safety
Entrepreneur Assistance Program information, designed especially for new food business owners
Food Product Testing and Nutritional Labeling information on services available from the department

The Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences Extension Program is part of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. The program includes 14 faculty and staff members dedicated to providing answers to the food industry's challenges and the development of new techniques and processing ideas through scientific methods and research.

N.C. MarketReady Announces Spring Cost Share Cycle for Value-Added Equipment

snagy — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:24:51 -0500

The North Carolina Value-Added Cost Share (NCVACS) program, administered by N.C. MarketReady, is now accepting applications for the spring funding cycle, Equipment Cost Share. This program is funded by the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission to support the development of value-added agricultural operations, an emerging sector of North Carolina agriculture.

The NCVACS program works hand-in-hand with the USDA Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) by reducing the costs associated with professional services and equipment purchases that are not funded by the USDA grant. The spring cost share cycle allows value-added producers to apply for equipment cost share funding. Applicants can seek to purchase new or used equipment with cost share funding. Equipment cost share awards will vary from 25 to 50 percent of the total cost of the equipment, up to a maximum of $25,000.

Applications for NCVACS Equipment, spring 2010, are now available online at www.ncmarketready.org. Applications are due by March 30, 2010. Guidelines and a list of frequently asked questions can be found on the Web site. Award recipients will be notified by June 1, 2010.

For additional information, contact Brittany Whitmire, NCVACS program coordinator, N.C. State University N.C. MarketReady, 919-830-9557 or brittany_whitmire@ncsu.edu.

NC Meat Goat Association's Annual Meeting

snagy — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:46:31 -0500

The North Carolina Meat Goat Association will hold its annual meeting February 27, 2010 at the NC State Vet. School in Raleigh, NC. This is always a great meeting for goat producers to learn the newest information and network with other growers.

This year's educational session will focus on animal nutrition and animal feeding. Registration deadline is February 17. To register go to www.ncmeatgoat.com.

Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Computer Training Class

snagy — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:59:40 -0500

Below are a series of links used to introduce Extension Master Gardener Volunteers to Extension's online tools.

The history of Caldwell County Extension Center's web presence.

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/caldwell

Links to the current Caldwell County Extension Center, NC Cooperative Extension, and the National Extension Website.

Index of NSCU Extension information & factsheets.

Custom Google search of Extension information & factsheets.

http://search.extension.org/

Explanation of news readers and news feeds (RSS).

http://www.commoncraft.com/rss_plain_english

Example news sites.

NCSU Extension disease forecasting

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/soybeanrust/

Distance learning and Almanac Gardener online videos.

NCSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer program links

Red Colored Wheat

snagy — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:47:40 -0500

I've had a lot of questions about all the "RED" wheat out there (see attached picture). It is caused by P being tied up in the plant. It is a classic symptom of low P. However, in most cases it is not caused by low soil-P... but by the wet and cold soils that have not allowed the roots to take P up, or to move the P up the shoot.

Grower's I've talked to today have told me that the warm weather we have had these last few days has already started to improve the wheat. That's what it needs... some warmer weather and some drier soils.

Dr. Randy Weisz

NCSU Small Grain Extension Specialist

Caldwell Stockpiled Fescue Demonstration

snagy — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:29:38 -0500

When: Friday, February 12, 2010

Where
Caldwell County Extension Center
120 Hospital Ave NE
Lenoir, NC 28645

Time: 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm

Winter cattle feeding is a challenge. Stockpiled forages can reduce the amount of hay needed for winter feeding. The goal of this demonstration is to help make stockpiling work on your farm.

Program Outline

Winter Feeding Management, Dr. Matt Poore
Grazing Stockpiled Fescue Farm Tour, Blinson Polled Herefords
Winter Feeding Supply Planning
Estimating Hay Bale Weights
Fencing Systems

For Registration or Questions: Contact Seth Nagy (seth_nagy@ncsu.edu), 828-757-1290, or click on the "call me" button below. Hope you will be able to attend this great program. (PDF Flier advertising this program)

Level Spreader Design Workshop

snagy — Fri, 8 Jan 2010 16:28:47 -0500

March 17, 2010 - Hickory Metro Convention Center, Hickory, NC
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/stormwater/training/level_spreader.html

About the workshop: The North Carolina Division of Water Quality requires the use of level spreaders to provide diffuse flow through riparian buffers. Past research has shown that level spreaders upslope of riparian buffers are not effective BMPs. However, a more recent study focusing on level spreader - vegetative filter strip systems shows a very promising BMP. New level spreader design guidelines will be made available by NC DENR. This workshop will explain how to follow the new level spreader guidance so that participants can create more effective level spreaders and obtain state approvals for their development projects.

Who should attend: Engineers, landscape architects, stormwater managers, land surveyors, regulators.

Continuing Education: This workshop offers 4 PDHs (professional development hours) for professional engineers and surveyors, authorized by the NC Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors. Approval is pending from the NC Board of Landscape Architects. Other professionals may appeal to their respective boards to obtain professional education credits. We will provide a certificate of attendance at the conclusion of the workshop.

This workshop is sponsored by: NC State University Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering and NC Cooperative Extension. NCSU is partnering with NC DENR - Division of Water Quality.

To view an AGENDA and REGISTER ONLINE, please visit our website at: http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/stormwater/training/level_spreader.html

Water Harvesting Workshop

snagy — Fri, 8 Jan 2010 08:23:33 -0500

March 29, 2010
Wake County Commons Bldg., 4011 Carya Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610

About the Workshop: Water harvesting systems continue to become a popular BMP across the state of North Carolina, as they provide a means of reducing potable water consumption for activities such as irrigation, toilet flushing and vehicle washing. This workshop is designed for those who are considering designing, actively designing, or reviewing designs of water harvesting systems throughout the state of North Carolina. In this half-day workshop, instructors will provide an overview of water harvesting systems and their components, guidelines and suggestions for selecting the most appropriate type and size of pump and construction and installation recommendations. A design model will be distributed and participants will be shown how to use the model to appropriately size and design water harvesting systems. Information presented in this workshop addresses systems ranging in size from 55 gallons (rain barrels) to more than 10,000 gallons. Hands-on practice and examples will be provided as well as a field tour of local systems. Attendees are asked to bring a laptop with Excel to class.

Continuing Education: Professional Engineers will earn 4 PDHs (professional development hours) for participating in this workshop. Landscape Architects, planners and others may appeal to their respective boards to obtain credit.

Who Should Attend: Engineers, Landscape Architects, Stormwater Managers, Land Surveyors, Regulators, Planners

Sponsored by: NC State University Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering and NC Cooperative Extension

REGISTER ONLINE or more information at:
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/stormwater/training/waterharvesting.html

2010 Woodland Steward Series

snagy — Fri, 8 Jan 2010 08:12:01 -0500

Are you a landowner who wants to protect your legacy by keeping your woods healthy? Do you want information on financial assistance and maximizing the benefits from your woodlands? Are you seeking to prevent the threats of insects, plants, and wildfire to the health and value of your woodlot? The Woodland Steward Series is designed to equip landowners just like you with the tools and resources you need to manage your land, presented by experts from public and private agencies.

When Carl Alwin Schenck founded the Biltmore Forest School in 1898 to help manage the vast holdings of George Vanderbilt in Asheville, North Carolina, it is likely he had no idea of the impact this would make on landowners more than a century later. The Biltmore Forest School was officially re-opened in 2003 with the creation of the Woodland Steward Series. 2010 marks the eighth year of the Woodland Steward Series in western North Carolina and the expansion of the workshops to other regions of the Southeast.

The Woodland Steward Series will provide the knowledge and resources necessary to enrich your experience as a woodland owner or manager. Each workshop includes numerous sessions led by natural resource and land management specialists, including both hands-on activities in the field and instruction in the classroom. Discovering Your Land: Basic Land Management Skills introduces participants to setting goals and objectives, understanding local wildlife, and basic skills such as map and compass use, GIS and GPS information, tree identification, and soil sampling. Native Landscaping & Water Management focuses on choosing and planting native plants, urban forestry techniques, basic information on invasive plants, and solving stormwater problems with plants. Woodscaping Your Woodlands & Firewise Management gives an overview of managing forest land, insects and diseases, secondary forest products, and protecting your home and property by becoming "Firewise" in your backyard. Stewardship, Recreation, & Liability covers the basics of planning trails on your property, land ownership liability, recreational income opportunities, conservation easements, finalizing goals, and applying new knowledge and skills in the field.

The Piedmont series will be held in the spring, the mountains series in the summer, and the coastal series in the fall. For more information and registration materials on this opportunity that you cannot afford to miss, visit www.cradleofforestry.org or contact Amy Garascia, Program Coordinator, at amysworkshopinfo@aol.com or 828-884-5713 ex. 26. Registration deadlines are quickly approaching, so send yours in today!

For more information, contact:

Amy Garascia, Program Coordinator

Woodland Steward Series

66 South Broad Street

Brevard, NC 28712

(828) 884-5713 ex 26

amysworkshopinfo@aol.com

www.cradleofforestry.org

Rain Garden Certification Workshop

snagy — Wed, 6 Jan 2010 17:04:26 -0500

Homeowners and property managers interested in stormwater management many be interested in utilizing rain gardens. A Residential Rain Garden Certification Workshop will be taught at Grandfather Mtn. March 22-23, 2010. This certification is awarded by NC State University Cooperative Extension Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department. Landscape Architects can earn 8 hours of Continuing Education Credits.

For more information and to register:
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/stormwater/training/raingarden.html

Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL/CLA) Treatment For Goats

snagy — Tue, 5 Jan 2010 08:41:21 -0500

Caseous lymphadenitis (CL or CLA) is an infectious disease of goats caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis bacteria. The main symptom of CL are internal and external pus-filled abscesses. This can be a problem for goat producers.

Susan M. Straumann has created a very good informational website for producers to understand this disease. The address is www.clgoatcare.org

Standup and Be Counted

snagy — Mon, 4 Jan 2010 16:24:46 -0500

Each year in January and July, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts a Sheep & Goat Inventory survey.

During the first two weeks of January, producers will be contacted to participate in the Sheep & Goat Inventory Survey. The survey will provide the latest information on conditions and trends in the U.S. Sheep & Goat Industry for 2010.

Results of the survey will be published for release on January 29, 2010.

Livestock Events For Caldwell County Farmers

snagy — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:20:51 -0500

Statesville Regional Beef Conference – Learn about the NC Cattlemen's Association activities from Executive Director Bryan Blinson, how to improve returns from cow/calf operations through nutritional management by Dr. Matt Poore, herd health update from Dr. Mark Alley, and replacement heifer development from Dr. Gary Hansen. A meal will follow the educational presentations. Registration begins at 3:30 pm. Contact Seth Nagy at 757-1290 (seth_nagy@ncsu.edu) to register. The conference will be held Thursday, January 7, 2010.

Artificial Insemination Clinic - An AI clinic will be held at the Mountain Research Station in Waynesville, NC on January 19-21, 2010. The clinic will be taught by Dr. Gary Hansen from the NCSU Department of Animal Science. The cost of clinic will be $100. The first two days will consist of half classroom and half working with cows. The final day will be a half day working with cows. The clinic will be limited to the first 20 registrants. Please contact Dr. Jim Turner at 828-246-4466 (jim_turner@ncsu.edu) to register.

Waynesville Performance Tested Bull Sale – Twenty five performance tested bulls will be sold Saturday, January 9, 2010 at the Haywood County Agricultural Center, Waynesville, NC. The program will begin at 8:30 am and the sale will start at 1:00 pm. For additional information contact Gary Gregory at 919-515-4027.

Efficiently Managing Diverse Grazing Resources – This program is part of the NC Forage and Grasslands Council's Winter Conference. It will be held in three locations across the State with our closest location in Fletcher, NC. The program will begin at 1:00 pm and finish at 7:30 pm after a meal. The program will take place Thursday, January 21, 2010. For more information contact V. Mac Baldwin (NCFGC President) at 800-896-4857, Sue Ellen Johnson at 919-609-9824, Seth Nagy at 828-757-1290 (seth_nagy@ncsu.edu) or download the brochure at http://blogs.lib.ncsu.edu/agline/resource/ncfgc_2010.pdf.

Caldwell County Cattlemen's Association Meeting – Will be held 7:00 pm on Tuesday, February 2, at the Caldwell County Library and Agricultural Center. Southern States will sponsor the meal, and Lynn Howard, NCDA Regional Agronomist, will discuss fertility and soil testing. Contact Seth Nagy at 757-1290 (seth_nagy@ncsu.edu) to register.

Southern Farm Show - The largest agriculture exposition in the Carolinas and Virginia features over 500 manufacturers with advice, equipment, supplies and services. Events include the FFA tractor and truck driving competitions, and the Southern National Draft Horse Pull. Free admission. More information is available at http://www.southernfarmshow.com

Stockpiled Fescue/Winter Feeding Workshop – This program will start at the Caldwell County Extension Center for a quick lecture on stockpiling fescue. Then we will travel to Blinson Polled Hereford Farm to see this winter feeding program in action. The goal of this program is to show local and regional beef producer a way to cost effectively reduce the length of winter hay feeding. The program will start at 1:30 pm, Friday, February 12, 2010. Contact Seth Nagy at 757-1290 (seth_nagy@ncsu.edu) to register or for more information.

NC Cattlemen's Conference – Will be held at the Hickory Metro Convention Center in Hickory, NC Friday, February 19 to Saturday February 20. The Friday, Cattlemen's College will focus on heifer development and marketing programs. Full details about the convention are at http://nccattle.com

AI School in Goldsboro - December 12

snagy — Fri, 4 Dec 2009 17:29:29 -0500

NC Cooperative Extension will be offering an artificial insemination (AI) workshop for cattlemen. Sign-in starts at 8:30 am, the program begins at 9 am and ends at 3:30 pm. The deadline to register is December 9th and there is a $20 for the class. Complete details are available on the pdf flyer.

Specialty Crops School

snagy — Fri, 4 Dec 2009 17:07:21 -0500

The 2010 Northern Piedmont Specialty Crops School will be held on Friday, March 5 at the Person County Extension Center, 304 S. Morgan Street in Roxboro, NC. The school is designed to explore the art and science of growing and marketing specialty crops, and will feature many ideas for specialty crop growers to be successful in their ventures. This year's school will feature growing in high tunnels to gain earliness in the spring, and to extend the season in the fall. The talks will be given by leading experts in their fields. Steve Moore, with the NC State University Center for Environmental Farming Systems in Goldsboro will start the program by discussing design, construction, and thermal performance of high tunnels. Dr. Lewis Jett, West Virginia University Vegetable Specialist, will discuss growing tomatoes and specialty melons in high tunnels. Dr. Reza Rafie and Chris Mullins of Virginia State University will describe their experience with growing red raspberries and blackberries in high tunnels. Carl Cantaluppi will give a brief update of his variety trial results with asparagus and seedless table grapes.

The school will be held in the auditorium of the Person County Extension Center, 304 S. Morgan Street, Roxboro, NC. For directions, go to: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/person/pext_map.html

The cost of the one-day school is $25.00 for the first person of a family or business and includes lunch. The cost is $15.00 for each additional family member or business associate, which also includes lunch. Pre-registration is needed to guarantee a seat and lunch.

For a copy of the program, directions, pre-registration form, and a list of local motels, go to http://granville.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=specialtycrops

For more information, contact:
Carl Cantaluppi
Granville County Extension
P.O. Box 926
Oxford, NC 27565
919-603-1350
E-Mail: carl_cantaluppi@ncsu.edu

Marketing Workshops

snagy — Fri, 4 Dec 2009 16:52:33 -0500

Food entrepreneurs can learn more about marketing their products or expanding their business through a one-day workshop offered by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

“Food Marketing in the Real World” will take place Tuesday, Jan. 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. in Room 128 in the Haynes Building on the A-B Tech Enka Campus in Asheville.

The workshop will cover a variety of topics, including creating a competitive advantage, understanding the difference between sales and marketing, knowing when to make the move from part-time to professional, marketing to food service and retail, and understanding the financial considerations of expanding a business. In addition, a panel of successful food entrepreneurs will talk about how they built their businesses.

The workshop costs $30, which covers materials and lunch. The deadline to register is Jan. 4, and space is limited to 40 people. For a registration form, go to www.ncagr.gov/markets/agbizmarketing.htm, or call Annette Dunlap in the NCDA&CS Marketing Division at (919) 733-7887.

Up Coming Beef Cattle Events

snagy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:35:30 -0500

Below is a list of up coming beef cattle events that will be close to Caldwell County. More details will follow. If you have a specific question about an event listed below please email me at Seth_nagy@ncsu.edu.

December 18, 2009, 1 pm	Butner Performance Tested Bull Sale, Granville County Livestock Arena
January 6, 2010	Shelby Area Beef Conference
January 7, 2010	Statesville Area Beef Conference
January 9, 2010 9:30 am	Mountain Area Beef Conference, Haywood County Agricultural Center, Waynesville
January 9, 2010, 1 pm	Waynesville Performance Tested Bull Sale, Haywood County Agricultural Center, Waynesville.
January 10, 2010	NC Environmental Stewardship Award Nominations Due. Go to http://www.nccattle.com for nomination information and to view last year’s winning packet
January 19, 2010	NC Forage and Grasslands Council Winter Conference. “Efficiently managing diverse grazing resources” featuring Dr. Fred Provenza (Utah State University), Nashville, NC
January 20, 2010	NC Forage and Grasslands Council Winter Conference. “Efficiently managing diverse grazing resources” featuring Dr. Fred Provenza (Utah State University), Monroe, NC
January 21, 2010	NC Forage and Grasslands Council Winter Conference. “Efficiently managing diverse grazing resources” featuring Dr. Fred Provenza (Utah State University), Fletcher, NC
February 19 and 20, 2010	NC Cattlemen’s Conference. Hickory, NC. Cattlemen’s College on Heifer Development and Marketing Programs, 9 am to noon on February 19.
May 8, 2010	CEFS Spring Festival, Center for Environmental Farming Systems Small Farm Unit, Goldsboro.

CIDRs approved for sheep

snagy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:21:41 -0500

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced the approval of the EAZI-Breed CIDR Sheep Insert (progesterone solid matrix) for induction of estrus in ewes (sheep) during seasonal anestrus. This progesterone Controlled Intravaginal Drug Release (CIDR) is a steroid hormone that allows out-of-season breeding in sheep.

The data to support this approval were gathered in collaboration with the National Research Support Project\u20137 (NRSP-7), a USDA program intended to support the approval of new animal drugs for minor species of agricultural importance.

"Members of the U.S. sheep industry have long cited this type of product as their top priority need," said, Dr. Meg Oeller, Director, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Office of Minor Use and Minor Species Animal Drug Development.

EAZI-Breed CIDR Sheep Insert is manufactured by Pharmacia and Upjohn, a division of Pfizer, Inc., New York, NY.

Source: FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine News, 11.16.09 Read FOI FDA official approval

Farmland Preservation Grants

snagy — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:23:21 -0500

RALEIGH - County governments and nonprofit groups pursuing farmland preservation projects can apply for funding assistance from the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced.

Applications and guidelines for the 2010 funding cycle are available online at www.ncadfp.org or by calling (919) 733-7125. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Dec. 4.

"The General Assembly appropriated $2 million to the trust fund for the 2010 fiscal year, and we're looking forward to helping communities across the state work to preserve working farms and farmland," Troxler said.

The trust fund's purpose is to support projects that encourage the preservation of qualifying agricultural, horticultural and forest lands to foster the growth, development and sustainability of family farms.

Grants can be awarded to secure agricultural conservation easements on lands used for agricultural production; to support public and private enterprise programs that promote profitable and sustainable agricultural, horticultural and forestland activities; and for the development of agricultural plans.

Pork for Domestic Nutrution Programs

snagy — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:22:05 -0500

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced last week USDA's intention to purchase $50 million of pork. The Department will seek the lowest overall costs by surveying potential suppliers and publicly inviting bids to assure contracts are awarded to responsible bidders.

The pork purchase will help farmers greatly reduce their sow herd in a market where production costs continue to exceed market value.

Each year, USDA purchases a variety of high-quality food products to support the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and The Emergency Food Assistance Program. USDA also makes emergency food purchases for distribution to victims of natural disasters.

Government food experts focus on ensuring all purchased food is healthy and nutritious. Food items normally are required to be low in fat, sugar and sodium. The commodities must meet specified grade requirements and be USDA-certified to ensure they meet government standards of quality. USDA purchases only commodities produced in America.

Aquaculture Farm Tours

snagy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:48:15 -0500

December 3 & December 7, 2009: Two aquaculture tours to showcase aquaculture production and fee fishing will be offered on December 3 and December 7. On December 3, a tour of Grandfather Trout Farm, Banner Elk and Hump Mountain Trout Farm, Elk Park will take place. Grandfather Trout Farm is a fee fishing operation located near Boone. Hump Mountain Trout Farm is a fingerling and food fish producer located in Elk Park. Both of these facilities have been in operation for years.

On December 7, a tour of Creekside Carp & Catfish Lakes and Whitmar Lakes will take place. These facilities also have been operating for years. If you ever considered aquaculture as a business venture this is your chance to see some fish farms first hand. This is your chance to talk to the business owners. A van will be available for transportation and will leave Marion at 9:30am on both days. Return time scheduled for 4:00pm on December 3 and 3:30pm on December 7. You are welcome to drive to the facilities as well. Registration is required by December 1 and cost is $5.00. Make checks payable to McDowell County Center. Space is limited, call early. Call Cheryl Mitchell or Molly Sandfoss at 828-652-7874.

New Dairy Extension Associate - Dr. Shannon Davidson

snagy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:09:46 -0500

Dr. Shannon Davidson has joined the North Carolina State University Department of Animal Science and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. She is looking forward to providing support, especially in the areas of dairy cattle nutrition and management, for dairymen in North Carolina and working with the North Carolina Dairy Advantage Program.

Dr. Davidson grew up in Memphis, TN and went to the University of Kentucky where I was very active in the UK Dairy Club and earned a BS in Animal Science in 1998. After graduation from UK, she came to NC State University as a graduate student under Dr. Brinton Hopkins and Dr. Lon Whitlow and earned a MS in Nutrition in 2001 and a PhD in Nutrition in 2006. Her MS research at NCSU included investigating lactation performance and nitrogen efficiency responses to the quantity and quality of rumen undegradable protein in the diets of early lactation cows.

For her PhD, she supplemented a methionine limited early lactation diet with rumen-protected forms of choline, betaine or methionine in order to evaluate the effects of these supplements on performance and metabolism. During her course of studies at NCSU she was very involved with all of the Dairy research being conducted by Dr. Hopkins and Dr. Whitlow and have first-hand experience in research with calf and heifer rearing strategies as well as mycotoxin effects and potential treatments. Dr. Davidson also participated in many Extension programs including the NC Dairy Producers' Conference and giving presentations at field days. Since graduating from NCSU, she worked as an independent consultant in the feed industry.

Dr. Shannon Davidson's Contact Information:
Office: Room 117, Polk Hall, Main Campus, NCSU
Address: Department of Animal Science, Campus Box 7621, Raleigh, NC, 27695
Phone number: 919-515-4045
Fax: 919-515-2152
Email: Shannon_Davidson@ncsu.edu

Farmland Preservation Grant

snagy — Mon, 9 Nov 2009 13:59:12 -0500

County governments and nonprofit groups pursuing farmland preservation projects can apply for funding assistance from the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced.

Applications and guidelines for the 2010 funding cycle are available online at www.ncadfp.org or by calling (919) 733-7125. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Dec. 4.

"The General Assembly appropriated $2 million to the trust fund for the 2010 fiscal year, and we're looking forward to helping communities across the state work to preserve working farms and farmland," Troxler said.

The trust fund's purpose is to support projects that encourage the preservation of qualifying agricultural, horticultural and forest lands to foster the growth, development and sustainability of family farms.

Grants can be awarded to secure agricultural conservation easements on lands used for agricultural production; to support public and private enterprise programs that promote profitable and sustainable agricultural, horticultural and forestland activities; and for the development of agricultural plans.

More information contact Dewitt Hardee, manager NCDA&CS Environmental Programs (919) 733-7125, ext. 256

Farmers Eligible for Grant

snagy — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 10:00:23 -0500

The Rural Advancement Foundation International will hold a "how to apply" workshop in the Catawba County Extension Office on Thursday, November 19^th at 6pm for farmers interested in applying for our grant program. The program is managed by Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA)

As the "Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund (TCRF)". RAFI coordinates information workshops, accept applications, awards grants and monitors the results.

Supported by the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, the grant program is designed to keep farmers in farming and to maintain the economic base of North Carolina's rural communities. All farmers are eligible. Priority is given to projects that provide opportunities for a new generation of farmers and to applicants who had tobacco income at the time of the Master Settlement Agreement.

Eligibility: Qualifying producers must be farmers or farmer "groups" actively engaged in full or part-time farming in the Western Piedmont. Western Piedmont counties include Ashe, Alleghany, Surry, Stokes, Rockingham, Wilkes, Yadkin, Forsyth, Guilford, Caldwell, Alexander, Iredell, Davie, Davidson, Rowan, Burke, Catawba, Rutherford, Cleveland, Lincoln, Gaston, Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Stanly, Union, and Anson.

Awards: The maximum amount available to individual farmers is $10,000 and $30,000 for collaborative farmer or community projects. Grant applications for the Western Piedmont Region are due January 13th, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. The timeline for submitting grants in other NC regions can be seen at: ncfarmgrants.org

"The TCRF is designed to help farmers put their own ideas to work to develop new income sources," said Jason Roehrig, RAFI Program Director. "Through cost-share grants, we can help reduce the risk of trying new ideas." Examples of past projects have included improved greenhouse vegetable production, supplies for pasture-raised livestock, expansion of nursery operations, farmer's market assistance and more.

"We anticipate a large number of farmers benefitting from this unique opportunity," said William Upchurch, Executive Director of the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. The ultimate impact is preservation of the family farm.

Project Partners:

Tobacco Trust Fund Commission: www.tobaccotrustfund.org

Established in 2000 by the NC General Assembly to manage funds that are part of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. Grants target farm areas that have historically depended upon tobacco income through farming or tobacco-related businesses.

William Upchurch
Executive Director
919-733-2160

Jeff Jennings
Program Officer

RAFI-USA: www.rafiusa.org

Rural Advancement Foundation International Private non-profit that promotes sustainability for family farmers and communities.

Joe Schroeder
Field Coordinator (Western Piedmont)
919-323-7587
joe@rafiusa.org

Jason Roehrig
Project Director
919-542-1396
Jason@rafiusa.org

Interested farmers and representatives of agricultural cooperatives or associations may obtain applications at ncfarmgrants.org or by calling 919-542-1396 ext. 208.

State Meat Inspection May Be OK For Interstate Sales

snagy — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 09:03:10 -0500

As of August 13, 2007, twenty-seven states had meat inspection programs for products produced and sold within their states. State meat inspection standards must be "at least equal to" federal standards.

Most state inspection programs duplicate USDA standards. Yet despite the equality in standards (with USDA), state-inspected meat may not sell in interstate commerce.

Recently, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced it would publish proposed regulations to implement a new voluntary cooperative program under which selected state-inspected facilities would be eligible to ship meat and poultry products across state lines.

Currently the proposal is in a comment period. Comments must be received on or before Monday, November 16 through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov or by mail to FSIS Docket Room, USDA, FSIS, OPPD, Docket Clearance Unit, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Stop 5272, Beltsville, MD 20705. All comments must identify FSIS and the docket number FSIS-2008-0039.

2009 Iredell County, NC Corn Hybrid Demonstration Results

snagy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:27:08 -0400

The final results of the 2009 Iredell County, NC Corn Hybrid Demonstration for both silage and grain.

Thanks to all those who participated in the on-farm demonstration, especially McLain Farms for the work they provided in planting and harvesting. Also appreciation is expressed to those seed corn company representatives who assisted in planting, conducting the field day, harvesting, and helping analyze the data.

We hope this will be helpful in selecting hybrids that can improve grower profitability but remember that one year’s data in one location should not be the sole selection criteria.

Iredell Grain Results

Iredell Silage Results

Link to official variety test (OVT) http://www.ncovt.com

Michael P. Miller, Extension Agent - Agriculture
Iredell County, NC

Sustainable Agriculture with Joel Salatin

snagy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:09:51 -0400

Interested in organic gardening or pursuing a career in sustainable agriculture? The WPCC Sustainable Agriculture Program and Burke County Cooperative Extension will host a workshop entitled “Entrepreneur’s Guide to Success in Sustainable Agriculture with Joel Salatin.” Events will include a panel discussion, farm projects tour, exhibits by area organizations involved in sustainable agriculture and a presentation by Joel Salatin. Salatin is the owner/operator of Polyface Farms in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. A third generation alternative farmer, Salatin carries his message of environmentally sustainable farming practices to audiences nationwide. Salatin’s farming methods have been profiled in the film Food, Inc. and in the book The Omnivore’s Dilemma by investigative journalist Michael Pollan. Salatin has written several books about farming including "You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Start and Succeed in a Farming Enterprise".

This free workshop will be held on Monday, November 16 from 1-5 P.M. at the Burke County Cooperative Extension Office in Morganton. Registration is from Noon to 1 P.M. and space is limited, so be sure and arrive early. For more information about this event or if you or your organization would like to have a free exhibitors table, please contact Chip Hope at chope@wpcc.edu or 828 448-3554 or Donna Teasley at donna_teasley@ncsu.edu or 828 439-4460.

This event is being held in conjunction with WPCC’s Fall Speakers Forum. This year, the theme is “Food for Thought: Reinventing Our Food System for a Healthier World”. Speakers on international food issues will appear at Western Piedmont’s Leviton Auditorium from Monday, November 16 through Thursday, November 19. Joel Salatin, author and food activist Anna Lappé and Joel Bourne of National Geographic will speak at 7:15 on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings respectively. Chip Hope, Coordinator of WPCC’s Sustainable Agriculture Program, will speak on Wednesday, November 18 at noon. For more information about the forum, contact Mary Charlotte Safford at msafford@wpcc.edu or 448-3539.

All events are free and open to the public. Sign Language Interpreters will be at each event. Western Piedmont complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and will make every effort to honor reasonable requests made by individuals with qualifying disabilities. Accommodations must be requested three (3) business days in advance of school events or activities through the Disability Access Office in room 103 Hildebrand Hall or call 828.448.3153.

Food Marketing Workshop Nov. 17

snagy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:21:23 -0400

Small food businesses can learn marketing and sales tactics at a workshop sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

“The Secrets of Marketing and Sales Success: A Training and Networking Opportunity for Food Entrepreneurs” will take place Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Martin Building on the State Fairgrounds.

The workshop will cover a variety of topics, including market research, marketing to food service and retail establishments, and effective branding of food products. In addition, a panel of successful food entrepreneurs will talk about how they built their businesses.

The workshop costs $30, which covers materials and lunch. The deadline to register is Nov. 10, and space is limited. For a registration form, visit www.ncagr.gov/markets/agbizmarketing.htm, or call Annette Dunlap in the NCDA&CS Marketing Division at (919) 733-7887.

Hops Production Meeting

snagy — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:49:38 -0400

Come learn about the challenges and opportunities of growing hops, an exciting and new crop for Western NC!

Topics to be covered include:
• Site selection and soil fertility requirements
• Trellising systems and cover crops
• Disease, pest and weed management
• Economics and budgets

Current hops growers will be present to discuss their experiences!
Hops Production Meeting
Wednesday November 18 from 1—5 pm
Camp New Life at the Mountain Research Station, Waynesville, NC
Meeting fee is $5. Payment accepted at the door. CASH ONLY!

Farmers Eligible for Grants

snagy — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:18:53 -0400

The Rural Advancement Foundation International will host a “How to Apply” grant workshop for farmers in Guilford County at the Guilford County Extension office on Thursday Oct 29th at 6:30pm. The grant is for new farm enterprises that demonstrate innovative opportunities in production, processing and marketing.

Awards: The maximum amount available to individual farmers is $10,000 and $30,000 for collaborative farmer or community projects. Grant applications for the Western Piedmont Region are due January 13th, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. The timeline for submitting grants in other NC regions can be seen at: ncfarmgrants.org

No reservations required. For directions, http://guilford.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=contact

NC Market Ready

snagy — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:36:05 -0400

Looking for help with value-added agriculture? The vast resources at http://www.ncmarketready.org can help. This is North Carolina Cooperative Extension's latest tool to help NC farmers and citizens grow Agri-business in today's environment. People in the State are hungry for local food. This is a growing trend for NC agriculture.

I am excited about how this value added program is progressing and maturing. Dr. Blake Brown is providing great vision for project. I encourage you to have a quick look at this amazing resource. Some of the exciting topics include "Staring a Cooperative", "Farmers Markets", and "Enterprise Budgets" just to name a few.

Southeast Vegetable and Fruit Expo

snagy — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:38:46 -0400

The produce industry will once again have an opportunity to learn, share, and network at the 24th Annual Southeast Vegetable and Fruit Expo. The conference will take place December 1-2, 2009 at the Embassy Suites, Kingston Plantation Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. People from all aspects of the produce business are encouraged to attend.

Keynote speaker for this year’s Expo will be Dr. Jim Rushing, Clemson University, speaking on “The importance of post harvest handling in the competitive market of produce sales today”.

The conference will consist of concurrent sessions. Participants will be free to move around to sessions that interest them the most. The program committees have worked very hard to design a program that is timely and topical, to meet the needs of attendees. A sampling of topics includes: tomatoes, cucurbits, nutrient management, food safety, crucifers, sustainable production, marketing, and small fruits.

To top it all off, an extensive trade show will be held during the two day exposition, allowing those involved in vegetables and fruits to learn about useful products and services as well as network with potential business contacts.

The Southeast Vegetable and Fruit Expo is sponsored by the N.C. Vegetable Growers Association and the South Carolina Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Association in cooperation with Clemson University, North Carolina A&T State University, N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, SC Department of Agriculture, N.C. Farm Bureau, and N.C. State University.

For more information or to register, please contact Bonnie Holloman or Cathy Price at the N.C. Vegetable Growers' Association, (919) 334-0099 or email bhollom@bellsouth.net. You can also visit the web site at http://www.ncvga.com for a complete program.

Allan Thornton, Extension Associate, Horticulture Science, NC State

Butner 84-Day Report

snagy — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:16:48 -0400

The 58 bulls at the Butner Bull Test were weighed and ultrasounded on October 20, 2009. Bulls at Butner will be weighed off test November 16 & 17. At that time the two weights and heights will be averaged together to get the final weight and height. The breeding soundness exam will be performed on November 17. Below are the minimum requirements for a bull to make the test.

1. Average Daily Gain on test ratio of 85 or above within breed.
2. Adjusted 365-day weight ratio of 93 or above within breed.
3. Minimum adjusted 365-day frame score of 5.0 or above.
4. Pass Scrotal Circumference minimum of 32cm.
5. Pass Breeding Soundness Exam.
6. Pass a screening committee evaluation for physical soundness.
7. Disposition.

The Butner Bull Sale will be December 18, 2009 at the Granville County Livestock Arena.

FULL 84 Day Report

A New Unwelcome Pest

snagy — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:35:39 -0400

It is official. The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, has been identified in North Carolina. First detected about two weeks ago in the Winston-Salem area, there has been another report in the coastal plain region. Originally found in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 2001, it is now established in many states across the country especially along the east coast. It is an easy traveler in things like motor homes. There is a long list of hosts, both ornamental and agricultural from maple and birch to pecan, peach, apple and cucumber. Adults emerge from overwintering about April. All instars have deep red eyes. Early nymphs are red, then almost black, and finally brown in color as adults. They are typical stink bugs in most ways and damage fruit and foliage with their feeding (proboscis) and saliva. There is a single generation in northern states. To add to their annoyance, they like to overwinter in protected places such as structures. This is where you are most likely to first notice them.

For more information and images see the insect note:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/trees/note148/note148.html

New Switchgrass Technical Bulletin

snagy — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:10:05 -0400

Order a copy of Switchgrass, research bulletin TB-326, from the Department of Communication Services: www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/Publications%20Order%20Form%20for%20the%20Public.pdf
$8 per copy.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a perennial grass native to the southeastern United States that can be used as a pasture, stored forage or biomass crop. A new technical bulletin developed by crop scientists at N.C. State University and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service summarizes the results of 26 independent research projects that focused on switchgrass—from its establishment and management challenges to its potential as a crop for grazing animals and biomass.

Based on their findings, the authors make recommendations for establishing switchgrass, managing it and selecting a cultivar based on use. The bulletin includes data on two improved cultivars developed jointly by the N.C. Agricultural Research Service and the USDA–ARS and released in 2006.

NCSU Extension Urban Horticulture Gets A Face Lift

snagy — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:08:11 -0400

Urban Horticulture Extension Specialist, Dr. Lucy Bradley has given the NCSU Extension Urban Horticulture website a face lift. The site still looks very much the same. However, the notable differences are it should load faster and be compatible with more web browsers.

Have a look at the new site and see if you notice the improvements.

http://www.ncstate-plants.net

Pasture Management Field Day

snagy — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:42:51 -0400

The Avery County Cooperative Extension Center will be hosting a Pasture Management Field Day on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. A meal will be provided immediately after the workshop is completed. Please call the Avery County Cooperative Extension Center by Friday, October 16, 2009 to register. Please find the field day flyer linked below.

Pasture Management Field Day Flyer

NC Cattle Referendum Passes

snagy — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:42:22 -0400

Below is a summary of the results from the October 6, 2009 NC Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum. The vote must be a two/third majority to pass, consequently, the referendum did pass.

Counties reporting: 101
Counties reporting no votes: 21

Votes "for" - 839
Votes "against" - 306
Votes illegible - 3
Total votes - 1147

More information is available at http://www.nccattle.com

Join NCSU Extension Forestry’s New Email Listserv!

snagy — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:34:05 -0400

To better serve woodland owners in North Carolina, NCSU Extension Forestry has created a new listserv "Woodland Owners Update". This service updates you directly through email on woodland owner events throughout the state. We also inform you on current and new publications as they come out. Informed landowners make the right decisions about their woodlands and we are dedicated to providing NC woodland owners the best information available. If you would like to join Woodland Owners Update, please visit our website for more details and registration:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/forestry/list.html

Strawberry Growers Information Portal

snagy — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:12:10 -0400

A one-stop shop has been created to provide a comprehensive place for information about strawberries. this site will not have the strawberry advisories, management information, production notices, and weather, to marketing help. Special thanks to the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission for its support of the development of this resource.

To learn more about this valuable resource. Watch the recorded webinar.

NCSU Open House

snagy — Thu, 8 Oct 2009 10:27:14 -0400

NC State University will be holding our annual open house on Saturday, October 17th, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Faculty, staff, and students representing each of the academic colleges, as well faculty from many departments, will be available to answer the questions young adults and their parents have about educational opportunities at NC State. Participants are encouraged to pre-register for the Open House by visiting http://www.ncsu.edu/openhouse

Organic Certification Cost-Share Assistance

snagy — Thu, 8 Oct 2009 10:22:17 -0400

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

Growers who are certified or recertified after Sept. 30, 2009, can apply for assistance. The program will pay 75 percent of the cost of certification, up to $750.

The program is for the 2009-2010 season, and is funded through a $30,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and the deadline to apply for reimbursement is Sept. 30, 2010.

To apply, growers must fill out an authorization form that can be found online at www.ncdaorganic.com. The completed form, a copy of the farm’s certification and a copy of the receipts from the certifying agency should be mailed to the NCDA&CS Division of Marketing, Attn. Kevin Hardison, 1020 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1020. The invoice must show the total cost of certification and the 75 percent portion that is eligible for reimbursement.

Growers with questions can call Hardison at (919) 733-7887.

“As consumer interest in certified products has grown, so has the number of organic producers statewide,” Hardison said. “North Carolina has more than 6,000 certified organic acres, and these farms produce a variety of vegetables, livestock, herbs and other products.”

Soybean Rust Update

snagy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:25:07 -0400

Asiatic soybean rust was confirmed today at the Central Crops Research Station near Clayton, North Carolina in the sentinel plot located there. Four pustules on one leaf out of 100 leaves were positive for SBR and they were sporulating. This morning we checked samples from sentinel plots in Columbus, Carteret, Granville, Wayne, New Hanover, and Edgecombe Counties that were all negative for soybean rust. We will receive samples from the rest of the sentinel plots today thru Friday. Rust was found yesterday at the research station near Suffolk, Virginia, about 15 miles north of Gates County, North Carolina. Rust has now been confirmed on soybeans in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina.

If no symptoms of rust are visible on the underneath side of the lower leaves yet, it will typically take four weeks or so before much serious defoliation takes place. In four weeks from now, probably 80% of our state\u2019s soybeans will already be defoliated anyway.

That leaves no more than 20% of our state\u2019s crop to worry about. If no symptoms of rust are visible, and the soybeans have one or more pods in the top four nodes of the main stem with full sized seeds (seeds touching each other in the pod), the field is not likely to suffer economic damage from rust, and would not need to be sprayed with a fungicide. If no symptoms are visible, and there are no full sized seeds in the top four nodes, growers should seriously consider spraying with a triazole fungicide, or a combination of a triazole and a strobulurin. If other foliar diseases are also present or considered likely to develop, our preference would be to spray with a strobulurin fungicide, or a combination of the two types of fungicides. The benefit of fungicide applications after plants enter growth stage 6 is highly questionable and not recommended at this time because of the general lack of a yield response this late in the season. Be aware that the use of fungicides pursuant to section 18 permits for control of soybean rust is not legal after plants enter growth stage 6. Fungicides with a soybean label for control of rust or other diseases may also have restrictions that forbid late season applications or requirements for lengthy pre-harvest periods, plant-back restrictions, or other restrictions.

North Carolina farmers should continue to check their soybeans that have not yet gotten full sized beans in the top of the plants, and to continue to monitor reliable reports of where else rust has been found. An up-to-date map of where rust has been found is at http://www.sbrusa.net. The current version of these North Carolina updates should also be available at our Teletip line at 800/662-7301.

High Country Wetlands Maintenance Workshop

snagy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:36:11 -0400

When: October 12, 2009, 1pm-4pm

Location: Newland Town Hall Board Room and site visit to the Newland constructed wetlands
(Town Hall Phone 828-733-2023 Address: 301 Cranberry Street, Newland, NC 28657)

About the Workshop: Participants of this workshop will understand stormwater wetlands and how they function, and understand inspection and maintenance requirements of stormwater wetlands. This workshop will provide classroom instruction and hands-on in the field training. Constructed stormwater wetlands in Banner Elk, Newland, and Boone will be highlighted.

Cost: $10, please bring your money the day of the workshop, checks should be made out to NCCES

Schedule:
1-2pm - Wetlands Maintenance
2-3pm - Wetlands Case Studies
3-4pm - Wetland Site Visit

Instuctors: Bill Lord, Area Extension Specialist and Wendy Patoprsty, Extension Agent

To Register: Call (828)264-3061 or email at Wendy_Patoprsty@ncsu.edu
Please register by October 9 at noon.

BioEnergy Field Day

snagy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:04:03 -0400

2009 Bioenergy Field Day October 1, 2009 at the Williamsdale Farm Agricultural Extension and Research Facility in Wallace, N.C. Registration will be at noon and the program will run from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Program highlights include the latest developments in oil-seed, sweet sorghum, industrial sweet potato and cellulosic biomass production, harvesting, and on-farm processing.

For more information contact Matt Veal at 919.515.6764 or mwveal@ncsu.edu

Irrigation Conference

snagy — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:34:47 -0400

The 45th annual irrigation conference sponsored by the North Carolina Irrigation Society Wednesday November 4th. We will be applying for 6 CEUs for both operators of animal waste systems and operators of wastewater land application systems. There is no guarantee that a full 6 hours will be awarded but we are requesting that.

The program, speakers and registration information can be found at:

http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/workshops/irrigationconference/index.html

Johnsongrass & Weed Control Demonstration

snagy — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:29:35 -0400

Johnsongrass and other weedy grasses can be difficult to control in hay fields and pastures. A new wick-style applicator, called a rotowiper, offers control options for farmers.

To demonstrate this new technology to local farmers the Caldwell Extension Center, Caldwell Soil & Water District, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture are working together to host a demonstration in Kings Creek on October 6 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM. The demonstration will be in the large hayfield on the east side of Hwy 18, just south of the Kings Creek School (MAP)

Forage weed control will be discussed followed by a demonstration of the rotowiper applicator on johnsongrass. North Carolina pesticide applicators will receive one hours of continuing credit by attending the program.

Our plan is to demonstrate something new and provide local farmers with information about this new technology. What producers need to decide is if this will increase their profits and this is something each farmer will have to decide for himself.

For questions about this event, please contact Seth Nagy.

Soybean Rust Update

snagy — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:20:10 -0400

Asiatic Soybean Rust was confirmed yesterday on soybeans in Dorchester County, SC, and in St. Clair County, AL. The Dorchester County site is about the same distance from Charlotte as the previously announced Berkeley County, SC site, at 145 miles. It is a little farther from the other 7 cities we’re tracking than the Berkeley County site. The Berkelely County site is approximately 145 miles from Charlotte, 305 miles from Elizabeth City, 145 miles from Fayetteville, 260 miles from Murphy, 195 miles from Raleigh, 240 miles from Washington, 145 miles from Wilmington, and 200 miles from Winston-Salem. The closest rust to Murphy is now St. Clair County, AL, which is approximately 160 miles away.

Rust has now been confirmed on soybeans in AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS and TN. The other counties announced in the past week to have rust on soybeans are all farther away from our North Carolina soybeans than the sites mentioned in the first paragraph.

We do not consider this find to pose any imminent threat to our North Carolina soybeans yet. North Carolina farmers should continue to check their soybeans that have not yet gotten full sized beans in the top of the plants, and to continue to monitor reliable reports of where else rust has been found. An up-to-date map of where rust has been found is at http://www.sbrusa.net.The current version of these NC updates should also be available at our Teletip line: 800/662-7301.

Tri-State Cow Calf Conference

snagy — Fri, 4 Sep 2009 08:39:33 -0400

A Tri-State Cow-Calf Conference will be held at the fairgrounds at Gray, Tennessee on September 22 and 23, 2009. A tour of three Tennessee cow-calf operations will take place at 1:00 p.m. followed by a light supper and brief program on September 22 with an 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. meeting on September 23. Topics covered at the meeting on the 23nd will include Beef Cattle Outlook, Utilization of By-Product Feeds in Beef Cattle Diets, Managing Genetic Defects and Enhancing End Product, What A Cow-Calf Producer Can Expect From a Custom Feedlot, Making the Decision to Market My Calves or Retain Them and Weaning Healthy Calves. There will also be a panel of Virginia cow-calf producers who will share information about their operations. Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit a trade show of agribusinesses who support the cattle business. While the focus of the meeting is towards cow-calf producers, anyone in the cattle business will benefit from the information presented. The meeting is sponsored by the University of Tennessee Extension, Virginia Cooperative Extension and North Carolina State University-A & T State University Cooperative Extension and a USDA Risk Management Education Grant. Advance registration is requested to plan for materials and a steak lunch. Registration is $10 before September 16 and $15 thereafter. Registration information is available through local County Extension Offices. One may also review information on the conference on the Internet at the following address: www.tnbeefcattleinitiative.org.

NC Cattle Referendum - October 6

snagy — Tue, 1 Sep 2009 16:02:44 -0400

FUQUAY-VARINA, NC -- The North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association (NCCA) has announced that the N. C. Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum vote will take place on October 6, 2009. At the annual meeting of the North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association, during the 58th annual N. C. Cattlemen’s Conference, the Board of Directors voted to request permission from the N. C. Board of Agriculture to conduct a referendum. Permission was granted by the Board of Agriculture and arrangements have been made with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service to facilitate the voting. The Extension offices in each county will be the polling places.

Everett Johnson, president of the North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association, said that the referendum will be to assess all cattle sold and marketed in North Carolina one dollar per head for the purposes of advancing the cattle industry in state. The money collected will be used to fund the following five areas: youth programs, cattle research, education, promotion of North Carolina cattle and beef, and issues management. The North Carolina dairy industry will also benefit from the funds collected, as a portion of the income will be allocated to the same areas within the dairy sector.

The referendum would reinstate the original state assessment program, which was established in 1957. The national beef checkoff assessment of one dollar per head will still be collected and will be used according to the guidelines set forth in federal law. According to Mr. Johnson, “The national beef checkoff does a tremendous job of promoting beef and the beef industry, returning $5.50 per dollar invested; however, these funds cannot be used for many of the production and regulatory-oriented issues facing the industry today. The N. C. Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum would allow producers to provide funds that would be controlled totally by the North Carolina beef and dairy producers to promote our product, our youth, our industry, and to provide research and advocacy to protect their way of life.”

Bryan Blinson, executive director of the North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association, states that, “The assessment will be for a period of three years with a recurring referendum if requested. Also, Mr. Blinson states that producers will be eligible for a full refund of their North Carolina assessment by request within 30 days of the sale of the animal with proof of sale. This is a provision that is not available in the national program due to federal law.”

All cattle owners who are at least 18 years of age as of October 6, 2009, will be eligible tovote. Voting will take place at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension offices. All eligible voters must vote in their county. Absentee ballots may be obtained by contacting the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service office or by requesting them from the North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association.

For additional details on voting procedures or funding information, please contact Seth Nagy at the Caldwell County Cooperative Extension office.

Troxler encourages farmers to have corn tested for aflatoxin

snagy — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:21:34 -0400

RALEIGH - Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging farmers to have their corn tested for aflatoxin to prevent contamination of feeds and food.

Aflatoxin is a byproduct of the mold Aspergillus flavus. "This toxin can be harmful to both humans and livestock, so it's worth a farme's time and effort to have corn tested," Troxler said.

Some farmers may need to have corn samples tested for crop insurance purposes. These farmers must submit their samples to a grain marketing location certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The tests cost $22.20. Farmers should send a 5-pound sample of shelled corn by mail, UPS or FedEx to one of the following USDA-certified grain marketing locations:

    Cargill Soybean Plant
    Attn: Ben Honeycutt
    1400 S. Blount St.
    Raleigh, NC 27601
    (919) 733-4491

    Grain Grading Office
    Attn: Judy Grimes
    407-G Griffin St.
    Elizabeth City, NC 27909
    (252) 337-9782

Aflatoxin tests for other purposes are free and will be conducted at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Constable Laboratory, 4000 Reedy Creek Road in Raleigh. Farmers may drop off 5-pound samples of shelled corn at the lab or at one of the following agricultural research stations:

Border Belt Tobacco Research Station, 86 Border Belt Drive, Whiteville, (910) 648-4703; Ray Horton, superintendent.
Peanut Belt Tobacco Research Station, 112 Research Station Lane, Lewiston-Woodville, (252) 348-2213; Tommy Corbett, superintendent; station contact is Margaret Pierce.
Tidewater Research Station, 207 Research Station Road, Plymouth, (252) 793-4118; Jewell Tetterton, superintendent.
Lower Coastal Plain Tobacco/Cunningham Research Station, 200 Cunningham Road, Kinston, (252) 527-3579; Phillip Winslow, superintendent.
Piedmont Research Station, 8350 Sherrills Ford Road, Salisbury, (704) 278-2624; Joe Hampton, superintendent.
Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station, 74 Research Drive, Fletcher, (828) 684-7197; Denny Thompson, superintendent.

Forms for submitting samples will be available at collection sites.

Samples also may be mailed directly to the lab at the following address:

    N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
    Food and Drug Protection Division
    1070 Mail Service Center
    Raleigh, NC 27699-1070

For additional information about the aflatoxin testing program, contact Jennifer Godwin or Michelle Gilliam at the NCDA&CS Food and Drug Protection Division, (919) 733-7366.

Apply now! New cost share program announced for N.C. farmers

snagy — Mon, 3 Aug 2009 08:03:23 -0400

The North Carolina Value-Added Cost Share Program (NCVACS) was recently announced. The NCVACS complements the USDA Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) by offsetting the costs (by approximately 50 percent) to value-added producers for professional services and equipment purchases. Applications for the NCVACS must be submitted by September 1, 2009.

The professional services supplemented by the NCVACS in Fall 2009 and 2010 are 1) VAPG grant writing and 2) enterprise feasibility assessment and business plan development. Equipment purchases, which cannot be funded by a VAPG, will be eligible for funding through the NCVACS in Spring of 2010 and 2011. Applicants for the NCVACS must also be planning to apply for a VAPG.

NCVACS is funded by the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and administered by N.C. Cooperative Extension and the N.C. State University Value-Added & Alternative Agriculture Program at the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis, NC.

For more information about the NCVACS or to download an application, visit www.ncvalueadded.org.

Soybeans and Hot Weather

snagy — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:44:44 -0400

When temperatures get up to 95 degrees or more, soybeans tend to:

Close their stomates to conserve moisture within the leaf. They can't move enough water through the plant to keep up with that high an evapotranspiration demand. Soil moisture levels, therefore, have little to do with it.
Stop producing photosynthate, since carbon dioxide can't get in through those closed stomates either.
Abort flowers. Not a big deal, since soybeans can replace those flowers, and they don't seem to care much which flowers become pods.
Abort small pods. This is a little more serious, but the plants may well have enough pods left anyway. If a pod was about half full size or bigger, it probably did not abort.
Abort seeds within larger pods if the seeds were still pretty small.
Produce smaller seeds if the seeds were very big already.

Remember that soybeans typically produce more pods than the combine will ever find, and produce way more flowers than the combine will find as pods. That's one of the major ways they survive adversity like this. The net result will probably be not much worse than losing a few days of potential production. I wouldn't expect any lasting effect of this response to high temperatures.

Dairy Goat Field Day - Johnston County

snagy — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:13:36 -0400

The Johnston County Goat Producers and NC Cooperative Extension will present the fourth Dairy Goat Field Day. The event will be held August 1st at the Johnston County Livestock Arena on County Home Road just off Highway 210 in Smithfield, NC starting at 9 AM and ending around 2 PM.

The day will feature several different opportunities where new and experienced goat producers can learn goat care. There will be demonstrations on soap making, cheese making, sanitary milk handling, hoof trimming, and goat milking. There will be instruction on practical nutrition for milk production, milk goat selection and mastitis testing, as well as other topics of interest.

A few product vendors will be displaying their wares to participants. For more information contact: Ron Hughes at (919) 989-5380 or ronald_hughes@ncsu.edu.

Soybean Rust Update

snagy — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 08:12:51 -0400

Current Status of Soybean Rust in North America – July 2009

Asiatic Soybean Rust has been confirmed in Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Most finds, with the exceptions of Louisiana and Alabama, are on Kudzu. Soybean rust has spread very little this year, even with above average rainfall in many soybean growing areas. Temperatures in the 100 degree range along much of the Gulf Coast have limited its development. With more moderate temperatures and soybeans approaching or at reproductive stages, we can expect rust to accelerate its northward movement. Still, it seems unlikely that rust will arrive until soybean harvest is in progress.

The closest to North Carolina confirmation of rust on soybeans is in Gadsden County, FL (near Tallahassee). It is approximately 320 miles from Murphy, NC, 390 miles from Charlotte, and 450 miles from Fayetteville. We do not consider this find to pose any imminent threat to our North Carolina soybeans.

Soybean Disease Summary for North Carolina

Soybean rust currently poses no threat to North Carolina Soybean. Unless a tropical storm or remnants of one moves through the southern US to North Carolina, it is unlikely that soybean rust will affect the soybean crop prior to harvest.

Other soybean diseases that are common this year are soybean cyst nematode, Phythophthora root and stem rot, and brown spot. Phytophthora root rot is most prevalent in low spots in fields. Many varieties are resistant to this disease. If the disease occurs on a resistant variety, identify the source of resistance genes or races that variety is resistant to and do not use a similar type of resistance in the future.

Resources for Soybean Rust in 2009

There are more resources for information on Asiatic soybean rust available this year, than in many years in the past. Some sources for more detailed information are listed below:

Teletip Phone Number: 1-800-662-7301 (the same number as for the cotton insect update) with a message updated as necessary.

The USDA soybean rust web site http://www.sbrusa.net/cgi-bin/sbr/public.cgi

The North Carolina Crop Protection Manual http://ipm.ncsu.edu/agchem/6-9.pdf

2009 Wheat Yeild Contest Winners

snagy — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:58:56 -0400

Results of the wheat yeild contest are in. The State wheat yeild winner is Michael Cobb. The is a Coastal Plain farmer from Greene County. He grew SS 520 with a yeild of 106.5 bu/ac. Louie Johnson was the Agent working with Mr. Cobb.

The top Piedmont entry was from Travis Starnes in Union County. He grew SS 8302 yeilding 88.7 bu/ac. For the entire results go to www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu/Contest/Results2009.pdf

Mid-Atlantic Grass-Fed Beef Conference

snagy — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:08:13 -0400

August 11-12, 2009: Mid-Atlantic Grass-Fed Beef Conference “Making Sense of Grass-Fed Beef” at the Sheraton Imperial RTP in Durham, NC. The conference kicks off with a Pre-Conference Tour to Baldwin Beef, Rogers Cattle Company, and Triple B Farms. Conference sessions will address the economics of grass-fed beef, genetics, grazing management, processing, marketing, and the benefits of eating grass-fed beef. For complete details, download the conference brochure and registration form. Contact Sandy Maddox at 919-658-7682 for more information.

Pesticides Found to Double the Risk of Blood Disorder Among Farmers

snagy — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:23:43 -0400

(WASHINGTON, June 10, 2009) – The prospective U.S. Agricultural Health Study with over 50,000 farmers recently found that exposure to certain pesticides incurs twice the risk of developing an abnormal blood condition called MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) compared to individuals in the general population. The disorder, characterized by an abnormal level of a plasma protein, requires lifelong monitoring as it is considered pre-cancerous for its risk of developing into multiple myeloma, a painful cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow. The study will appear in the June 18 issue of Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology.

“Previously, inconclusive evidence has linked agricultural work to an increased multiple myeloma risk. Our study is the first to show an association between pesticide exposure and an excess prevalence of MGUS. This finding is particularly important given that we recently found in a large prospective cancer screening study that virtually all multiple myeloma patients are preceded by an MGUS state,” said lead author Ola Landgren, MD, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute. “As several million Americans use pesticides, it’s important that the risks of developing MGUS from the use of pesticides is known,” said senior study author Michael Alavanja, Dr.P.H.

A cohort of 678 individuals licensed to apply restricted-use pesticides were assessed for MGUS prevalence via a blood draw. Their median age was 60 years (range 30-94 years) and all lived in either Iowa or North Carolina. Participants also completed questionnaires providing comprehensive occupational exposure information for a wide range of pesticides, including information such as mean annual days of use of the individual pesticides, years of use, use of personal protective equipment while applying pesticides, and pesticide application methods. Information on smoking and alcohol use, cancer history of first-degree relatives, and other basic demographic and health data was also obtained. Individuals with prior histories of lymphoproliferative malignancies (such as multiple myeloma or lymphoma) were excluded. Cancer incidence and mortality were monitored annually and, after five years, follow-up interviews were conducted to update the participants’ occupational exposures, medical histories, and lifestyle factors.

For comparison, data was obtained from a large MGUS-screening study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, and the results from the pesticide-applicator group were compared with the assessments of 9,469 men from the general population of Olmsted County, Minnesota. The two groups were similar in terms of age, race, and educational attainment. Due to the low prevalence of women among the pesticide applicators, women were excluded from analysis.

In the pesticide-applicator group, no MGUS cases were observed among those who were less than 50 years of age, but the prevalence of MGUS in those greater than 50 was 6.8%. Compared to the Minnesota men of comparable age, the MGUS prevalence was 1.9-fold higher among pesticide applicators.

The researchers also evaluated the potential association between MGUS prevalence and 50 specific pesticides for which usage data was known. Of the chemicals studied, a significantly increased risk of MGUS was observed among users of dieldrin (an insecticide), carbon-tetrachloride/carbon disulfide (a fumigant mixture), and chlorothalonil (a fungicide). The MGUS risk for these agents was 5.6-fold, 3.9-fold, and 2.4-fold, respectively. Several other insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides were associated with MGUS, but not significantly. “Our findings are intriguing. If replicated in a larger sample from our study and other large studies, further work should be focused on a better understandingof the molecular basis of MGUS and multiple myeloma. Ultimately, thiswill result in the identification of novel molecular targetsinvolved in the progression from MGUS to multiple myeloma and in the developmentof targeted therapies,” said lead author Ola Landgren, MD, PhD.

###

The American Society of Hematology (www.hematology.org) is the world’s largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders. Its mission is to further the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting blood, bone marrow, and the immunologic, hemostatic, and vascular systems, by promoting research, clinical care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. In September, ASH launched Blood: The Vital Connection (www.bloodthevitalconnection.org), a credible online resource addressing bleeding and clotting disorders, anemia, and cancer. It provides hematologist-approved information about these common blood conditions including risk factors, preventive measures, and treatment options.

North Carolina State of Agriculture Address

snagy — Wed, 3 Jun 2009 09:23:52 -0400

The economic outlook for agriculture will be the focus of the 2009 Ag Development Forum on Thursday, Feb. 5, at the State Fairgrounds.

Economist Michael Walden of N.C. State University will be the featured speaker at the forum, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Holshouser Building. Walden will offer insights on how the economy will affect agriculture in North Carolina and the United States this year.

The forum also will feature a panel of experts talking about the credit outlook for farmers. In addition, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler will deliver his first-ever State of Agriculture address.

Farmers, agribusiness professionals and others interested in farm policy are invited. Admission is free, and lunch will be provided. Registration is requested. To register, go to www.ncagr.gov/agforum.

The forum is sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Carolina Farm Credit and Cape Fear Farm Credit.

Organic Gardening 101

snagy — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:40:12 -0400

June 8th, 2009 @ 9:00 AM - June 11th, 2009 @ 12:30 PM - Valle Crucis, NC

Designed for beginning gardeners or those who would like to switch to organic methods. Topics include garden planning, seed starting, companion planting, how to attract beneficial bugs, pest management, soil tests and amendments, composting and vermi-composting, growing herbs, landscape planning and edible landscaping. Held at the ASU Sustainable Development Farm in Valle Crucis, 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., Monday, June 8th through Thursday, June 11th. Cost is $20.00 for all 4 days. Reserve your spot by paying in advance, NC Cooperative Extension, 971 West. King St., Boone. For more information call 264-3061.

Event Location
Appalachian State University Sustainable Development Farm
Valle Crucis, NC

Sheep & Goat Management Class in Sugar Grove

snagy — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:37:55 -0400

May 28th, 2009 @ 6:30 PM
Sugar Grove, NC
The class will cover foot trimming and care for the grazing season. It will also cover de-worming and management of parasites. Please call the Extension office at 264-3061 to register.

Event Location
2478 Bethel Road
Sugar Grove, NC 28679

Contact
Eddy Labus at Watauga County Cooperative Extension - (828) 264-3061

Starting a Vineyard in the Mountains

snagy — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:34:50 -0400

On Tuesday, June 2, 2009, NC Cooperative Extension will offer a free, full-day workshop on what preparations should be made by growers who plan to start a vineyard in our mountain region. While wine grapes are a crop of great interest to many, they are also beset by issues such as spring freezes, economically-damaging diseases, and other potential problems. Successfully managing these problems requires proper planning and actions long before the first vine is planted. This workshop will bring-together some of the best authorities in the southeast on the subjects of vineyard planning and management, with presentations geared toward helping local growers make smart decisions about whether wine grapes are a good fit for their own farms.

The workshop begins at 8:30 AM on Tuesday, June 2, and will be held at the Watauga County Agricultural Conference Center, located at 252 Poplar Grove Rd. in Boone. There is no charge for the workshop, but pre-registration is required. To register, call the Watauga County Cooperative Extension office at (828) 264-3061.

Speakers will include Norm Oches, Director of the Appalachian Center for Mountain Winegrowing; John Havlin, Professor, Department of Soil Science, NC State University; Sara Spayd, Extension Viticulture Specialist/Professor, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University; Dr. Turner Sutton, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NC State University; and Dr. Hannah Burrack, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, NC State University. Topics to be covered include Soils, Site-Evaluation, Cultivar Selection, Planting, Vine Management Concerns, Grapevine Diseases, and Vineyard Pest Management. Extension Agents Richard Boylan (Watauga/Ashe) and Adam Keeener (Avery) will moderate the discussions, and be on-hand to give local examples of working with growers who are beginning High Country Vineyards. A full schedule for the day follows:

8:30 - 9:00 Check-in - Moderator: Richard Boylan
9:00 - 9:15 Welcome and Housekeeping - Richard Boylan, Area Specialized Cooperative Extension Agent, West District, Watauga Center, Boone, NC
9:15 - 10:00 Opportunities and Challenges for High Elevation Vineyards in NC - Norm Oches, Director, Appalachian Center for Mountain Winegrowing, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
10:00-11:00 Soil and Site: Evaluation and Management Issues - John Havlin, Professor, Department of Soil Science, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
11:00-11:15 Break
11:15-12:15 Cultivar Selection, Planting and Vine Management Concerns - Sara Spayd, Extension Viticulture Specialist/Professor, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
12:15 - 1:30 Lunch on your own
1:30 - 2:30 Grapevines Diseases - Dr. Turner Sutton, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
2:30 - 3:30 Vineyard Pest Management 101 - Dr. Hannah Burrack, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
3:30 - Question and answer session all speakers

Research Station Cattle Sale

snagy — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:57:25 -0400

The Butner Beef Cattle Field Lab, NC A&T, Upper Piedmont Research Station, Tidewater Research Station and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems will be holding a cattle sale at 11:00 am on Saturday June 6, 2009 at the Upper Piedmont Research Station in Reidsville, NC.

The sale will consist of 37 registered Angus, 15 halfblood Braunvieh heifers and 84 commercial females. They will be available for viewing at the sale site on Friday June 5.

An Ode to Grass

snagy — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:12:35 -0400

Most don't give grass a second thought. Maybe we think about it when the lawn needs mowing. There is probably some level of conscientiousness while we enjoy a round of golf, or watch a ball game. But, this is just the icing on the cake. Our civilization would be unrecognizable without the gift of grass.

Grass supplies the human race with 70% of our total daily calories. The major cereal grasses are corn, wheat, and rice. Most of the time these grains are processed into flour for breads, cakes, crackers, breakfast cereal, and pasta. However, we also consume other grasses. Oatmeal is just grass seed smashed between two rollers. Cane sugar and molasses come from the juice of tropical grasses.

So, why am I writing about grass? Because right now it is in full display. Look along any roadside, meadow, or small grain field. Grass is flowering. It does not shout “look at me” with bright gaudy colors. It whispers en masse, with seed heads swaying in the breeze. But, soon these will be gone. The roadsides will be mowed, the meadows swathed, and the wheat fields harvested. We will wait for next year and like always, the grass will flower again, giving us its bounty. Grass is nature's meekest plant, giving us our daily bread and asking little in return.

According to NC Department of Agriculture statistics, Caldwell County grows enough wheat to bake 840,000 loaves of bread, harvests enough hay to make 21,500 large round bales, and combines enough corn to ship 75 fully loaded tractor trailers.

Making Crop Mazes with GPS

snagy — Wed, 13 May 2009 08:12:01 -0400

There will be a program Tuesday June 9th at Weaver Labs, NCSU Campus in Raleigh on crops mazes. GPS offers many advantages for making crop mazes.

One of the most significant is the ability to greatly reduce the time required to layout a maze in the field. In this workshop, you will learn how to take a maze design from concept to layout. The morning session will focus on designing the maze and fitting the design in the field. Participants will have access to a computer with all the necessary software tools and will be guided through the process. The afternoon session will feature taking the designs from the office computer and locating points and paths in the maze with hand held computers and GPS receivers. Several types of GPS receivers will be available to allow the participant to judge which will work best for the kind of maze they want to do. A sample maze will be created based on the designs created.

More information.

Pesticide Record-Keeping Rule Change

snagy — Wed, 6 May 2009 08:23:30 -0400

Several new pesticide record-keeping rules went into effect May 1 following approval by the N.C. Pesticide Board. The new rules involve recording the ending time of applications, the recording of daily applications and how long growers must maintain records.

The changes reflect recommendations of the 2008 Governor's Task Force on Preventing Agricultural Pesticide Exposure and implement the requirements of Senate Bill 847.

Growers making applications that fall under the scope of the federal Worker
Protection Standard must now add the actual "end time" of application to the
records under the change. This is in addition to the "time of the application" that is required to be posted before the application takes place under the current WPS regulations.

Also each day of application must be recorded as a separate application record. After application information has been displayed for the appropriate time (30 days after the restricted-entry period expires), the application information must now be maintained for a period of two years.This coincides with the USDA Requirements for Restricted-Use Pesticides.

Also effective May 1, aerial applicators must record the year, month, date and time of day when each pesticide application was completed for every pesticide application. Additionally, each day of aerial applications must be recorded as a separate record. The commercial ground applicators regulation addressing the same issues for restricted-use pesticides became effective April 1.

Revised record keeping forms may be downloaded from the Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division's Web page, www.ncagr.gov/SPCAP/pesticides/Cmfo.htm, or from your local Cooperative Extension Service. Applicators requiring assistance with these or any pesticide regulation, may contact the NCDA&CS Pesticide Section at (919) 733-3556 for help.

Watauga BQA Meeting

snagy — Wed, 6 May 2009 08:14:54 -0400

The Watauga County Cooperative Extension and the Watauga County Cattlemen\u2019s Association are sponsoring an educational program on"Chute Side Beef Quality Assurance" on Tuesday, May 12 at High Country Farm (Claud Austin\u2019s farm), 321 Johnson Street in Boone. Dr. Jim Turner, Extension Livestock Specialist, and Eddy Labus, Extension Agent, will be doing the program. There will be a registration fee of $7 per person, which includes dinner. Registration will begin at 6 p.m.

Directions:

Turn off of Hwy. 321 onto Deerfield Road. Turn right on Mary Street (just before Watauga Medical Center). Go to the stop sign, and turn right on W. Virginia Street. W. Virginia Street turns into Johnson Street. Continue to the end of the street.

Annual Vermiculture Conference

snagy — Wed, 6 May 2009 08:02:54 -0400

NCSU's 9th Annual Vermiculture Conference will be held on June 4-5 in Durham, NC. This is the only training on commercial vermicomposting in the U.S. The country's top researchers and worm growers presenting at the conference are flying in from Hawaii, California, Canada, and New York. They will cover vermicomposting technologies, vermicompost effects on plant growth and disease suppression, marketing products, and using vermicompost and tea. Detailed info is at www.bae.ncsu.edu/workshops/worms09 Early registration ends on May 21.

Swine Flue

snagy — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:00:41 -0400

The latest information on swine flue can be found at the Center for Disease Control's website (http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu). An informational brochure has also been developed to help answer questions. This is available in PDF for at (http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/pdf/brochure.pdf)

Basic Swine Flu Facts:

(From the National Pork Producers Council)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security:

People cannot get the hybrid influenza from eating pork or pork products. Most influenza viruses, including the swine flu virus, are not spread by food. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.
There are no food safety issues related to the hybrid flu that has been identified, according to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano.
Preliminary investigations have determined that none of the people infected with the hybrid flu had contact with hogs. "This virus is different, very different from that found in pigs."
The hybrid virus never has been identified in hogs in the United States or anywhere in the world.
The hybrid virus is contagious and is spreading by human-to-human transmission.

Register With NCFarmFresh.com

snagy — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:01:07 -0400

RALEIGH - Interest in buying locally grown fruits, vegetables and meats continues to grow as consumers look to support local growers and find foods that haven't traveled very far from the field to the table.

To tap into this growing trend, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is ramping up its efforts to help shoppers find locally grown farm products in their area through promotions and updates of the department's NCFarmFresh.com Web site.

The Web site is as a tool where consumers can search for retail farms, roadside stands, farmers markets, community-supported agriculture operations, nurseries, retail garden centers and similar outlets in their area that sell directly to the public. Listings can be searched by the type of commodity being sold, by county or by region.

NCFarmFresh.com has been active for around five years and lists more than 1,000 farms, 119 certified roadside stands and 116 farmers markets. The site has traditionally focused on fruits and vegetables, nursery products and Christmas trees; however, farmers who sell meat and dairy products can now sign up to be listed.

"Farmers who market their products directly to consumers are encouraged to sign up now so they won't miss this marketing opportunity," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "As our marketing efforts draw more and more shoppers to the Web site looking for farms in their communities that sell direct, this will be a simple and easy way for farmers to promote their products and potentially increase their sales. Best of all, it is free and easy to do."

The department will soon launch a statewide advertising campaign encouraging consumers to use the Web site to find local vendors. The campaign is being funded by special grants from the Golden Leaf Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as cooperative funding from commodity associations.

Farmers can register their farms by logging on to NCFarmFresh.com and following the links on the home page. They may also contact NCDA&CS at (919) 733-7887 for more information or assistance. Farmers interested in joining the Goodness Grows in North Carolina program or becoming a certified roadside stand can also contact the department at the number above.

2009 Strawberry Field Day

snagy — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:31:15 -0400

2009 Strawberry Field Day

May 5, 2009
Piedmont Research Station
Salisbury, N.C.
Registration: 9:30 a.m.

Program: 9:50 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Lunch (sponsored meal): 12 noon

Highlights: strawberry tunnel research, plant material considerations for tunnels, strawberry breeding research, biological mite management.

For information, Barclay Poling,
919.418.9687 or barclay_poling@ncsu.edu
Piedmont Research Station: 704.278.2624

Vermiculture Conference

snagy — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:11:43 -0400

NCSU's 9th Annual Vermiculture Conference will be held on June 4 - 5, 2009 in Durham, North Carolina. Website: http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/workshops/worms09/ The country's leading vermiculture researchers will present the latest research on the effects of worm castings and tea on plant growth and disease suppression, and seasoned worm growers will share their personal expertise.

Who should come: worm growers, farmers, composters, nursery owners, greenhouse growers, soil blenders, orchard owners, entrepreneurs, livestock operators, extension agents, solid waste managers, landscapers, consultants, food service managers, etc.

For details regarding location, hotel recommendations, and registration fees, please visit our website at http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/workshops/worms09/

For questions about the conference, contact Rhonda Sherman at rhonda_sherman@ncsu.edu or 919-515-6770.

Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Chute Side Meeting

snagy — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:12:40 -0400

Learn how to dehorn, castrate, move cattle, and properly give injections to cattle at the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) chute side meeting. The program will take place May 12 at 5:30 pm in Watauga County. The tentative meeting agenda is:

Introduction - Bryan Blinson
Animal Handling - Eddy Labus
Working facility design - Dr. Jim Turner
Castration and dehorning - Dr. Mark Alley
Syringe and needle selection - Dr. Mark Alley

For more information please contact the Caldwell Extension Center.

Learn How To Reduce Spray drift

snagy — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:37:12 -0400

Learn how to reduce pesticide spray drift and earn two hours of pesticide continuing education credits for G H L N O D X categories. The training will be held at the Caldwell County Public Library and Agricultural Resource Center located at 120 Hospital Ave in Lenoir. The program will start at 10:00 am.

For a full list of all approve classes Google "ncda pesticide calendar" or go to www.agr.state.nc.us/aspzine/str-pest/pesticides/PesticideCalendar/calendar.asp

Woody Biomass and Renewable Energy

snagy — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:16:05 -0400

With demand for fuel wood rising as the biomass energy market expands, North Carolina’s family woodland owners are well-placed to enhance their assets, reduce overhead and maybe even turn a profit. Every woodland produces so-called “trash trees” – tree species that are not in high demand for construction or furniture markets. But rising needs for wood-fueled energy by utilities and manufacturers, and the increase in facilities that use wood for heat, have increased the value of the trees. According to Robert Bardon, Forestry Department Extension leader and associate professor at N.C. State University, “The biomass energy markets are just getting started, but we want the state’s landowners to be prepared to take advantage of the economic opportunities ahead. The result will be good for individual landowners, forest health and safety.” Proper woodland management to harvest trees, preserve wildlife, reduce forest fire risk and reduce disease, pests and invasive species always required harvesting the trees. But now landowners may receive value or reduce management overhead as energy markets grow.

Event Location
120 Hospital Ave NE
lenoir, NC 28645

Contact
Seth Nagy at (828) 757-1291

Pesticide Disposal Day

snagy — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:15:14 -0400

A pesticide disposal day will be held Wednesday, May 6 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Caldwell Ag Center / Public Library. This will provide an opportunity for farmers, gardeners, and homeowners to dispose of any unwanted pesticides (insecticide, herbicide, fungicide, etc.) free of charge. The collection is only for labeled pesticides, other house hold hazardous waste will not be accepted. If containers are leaking or fragile, place them in a five gallon bucket with absorbent material such as cat litter or sawdust. Do not transport pesticides in the front of a truck or car. If you have containers larger than five gallons or if you have questions about this collection, please call the Caldwell Extension Center.

More Information

Event Location
120 Hospital Ave NE
lenoir, NC 28645

Contact
Seth Nagy at (828) 757-1291

Aquaculture Workshop - May 4

snagy — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:10:10 -0400

Learn to raise fish. On May 4, Molly Sandfoss will teach workshop attendees how to successfully raise fish in a pond. There is a $5 registration cost for the workshop, or $7 for couples. Please register by by calling 828-652-7874. Make checks payable and mail to McDowell Extension Service, 60 E Court St., Marion, NC 28752. The workshop will be held at the McDowell County Extension Center. For additional information contact Cheryl Mitchell at (828) 652-7874.

Small Grains Field Day - May 5th

snagy — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:39:54 -0400

May 5th at the Piedmont Research Station in Salisbury, NC, small grain growers will have an opportunity to view numerous research plots and to interact with agents, specialists, and other farmers. This is an excellent chance to learn the latest information about small grain production in the piedmont.

Registration starts at 4:00, field tours 4:30, and dinner will be at 6:30.

The agenda includes:

Wheat variety review
Planting wheat before soybean harvest: 5 year results
Syngenta insecticide/fungicide system vs IPM
Stagonospora thresholds research
Advances in hard wheat breeding

Presenters will include; Jack Bacheler, Christina Cowger, David Marshall, Paul Murphy, Randy Weisz.

Contact seth_nagy@ncsu.edu the Caldwell County Extension Center if you would like to attend.

Alexander County Goat Show - May 2

snagy — Mon, 6 Apr 2009 14:28:03 -0400

The Alexander County Spring Goat Show is scheduled for Saturday May 2, 2009. The youth showmanship show and wether show is open to all youth in NC. After the youth show will be the will be the ABGA sanctioned show. The entry forms and class listings are available at the Alexander County website. If you have any questions please contact Allison Brown (allison_brown@ncsu.edu or 828-632-4451).

Before You Sell Your Trees!

snagy — Wed, 1 Apr 2009 10:55:42 -0400

Learning from experience can be very expensive for woodland owners when it comes to selling trees from their woodlands. Selling trees is usually once- or twice-in-a-lifetime occurrence. Years of growth and value are accumulated in mature trees, and the combined annual income from all those years is frequently marketed in a single transaction. When and how the trees are sold can influence how much money one makes, their overall financial plans, the cost of planting new trees, and other management objectives. Too much is at stake for woodland owners to sell trees without an understanding of the selling process.

The process of buying and selling trees involves a woodland owner, a timber buyer, a logger, and a mill (manufacturer). A consulting forester may also be involved in this process as a representative of the woodland owner. The raw materials that supply the manufacturer are obtained through a network of buyers who purchase standing trees, referred to as stumpage, from private woodland owners. Buyers can work directly for a mill, for wood suppliers, for loggers, or for timber brokers. Buyers may be paid a salary or a commission, or they may receive part of the timber brokers' profits. Timber brokers buy and resell trees, making their income from profits. The buyer represents the interest of their employer in the sale while the woodland owner represents his or her own interest. If the woodland owner prefers they may hirer a consulting forester to represent the woodland owner\u2019s interest in the sale.

Standing trees are sold either "per-unit" or "lump sum." A per-unit sale is one in which the buyer and the woodland owner, or their representative, negotiate a price per unit of harvested trees, and the buyer pays for the trees after they are cut and the volume is determined. Per-unit trees are sold either by product class or at a blended average price for all products. Product classes describe the type of products that the logs can be used for. Product classes include poles and pilings, veneer or ply-logs, sawtimber, chip-n-saw, and pulpwood. Woodland owners own per-unit trees until they are cut and payment is received. Woodland owners continue to assume most of the risks associated with owning the trees, including damage caused by acts of nature, and theft.

A lump sum sale is one in which the buyer and woodland owner agree on a total price for the standing trees within a defined area of sale, and the seller receives payment before the harvest begins. In this method the buyer, upon purchasing the standing trees, assumes the ownership risks. Lump sum sales are often done through "sealed-bids" sales. A lump sum, sealed bid, sale is conducted in which multiple buyers participate and each buyer submits an offer for the standing trees. The offers are submitted as sealed bids in which each buyer does not know what the other buyer is offering. It is this competition for the trees that usually result in a higher offer than auctions or negotiated sales.

Demand for specific timber products varies widely over time and across geographic areas. Prices also vary widely. Factors such as quality, size, volume per acre, total volume, logging conditions, distance to market, accessibility, number of competing buyers and general market conditions affect the price of individual sales of standing trees. When selling trees it is important for woodland owners to seek assistance to ensure maximizing the return on their investment.

Consulting foresters, can alert landowners to favorable market conditions, evaluate the trees to determine if they are ready for sale, and handle sale transactions profitably, while protecting future value and productivity of the forest. Experts show that woodland owners who seek assistance in managing and selling trees can receive as much as 28% more for their trees than if they did not use technical assistance. In almost all cases sellers are well advised to obtain an appraisal of the volume and value of any trees prior to sale. Consulting foresters provide appraisal and marketing assistance for a fee. To verify if a forester is registered as a consultant in North Carolina, contact the North Carolina Board of Registration for Foresters at 919-847-5441 or online at http://www.ncbrf.org. Once you select a qualified forester, you should sign a contract. Include a list of services to be performed and specify who will perform them, when they will be performed, and how the forester will be paid for those services.

The North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, also called the NC Forest Service, can also provide a limited amount of free technical woodland management advice and assistance to landowners upon request. Price information and educational information regarding marketing of trees and woodland management can be found on Extension Forestry's website, http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/forestry or by contacting your local county Cooperative Extension office. Links to lists of consultants and buyers of trees are also available through the website and NC Forest Service offices.

You need not sell trees frequently to sell them successfully, but selling trees can be a mysterious and complex process. Remember that a single sale may be your only chance to cash in on the many years of annual income accumulated in a mature stand of trees. A single mistake can result in the loss of a significant amount of your investment. Remember that there are many variables affecting the value of trees. To increase a sellers return from woodland management, it is important that they seek professional forestry advice. For more in depth information on marketing and selling trees read the publication "Timber Sales: A Planning Guide For Landowners (AG-640)" (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/forestry/pdf/ag/ag640.pdf)

Robert Bardon, PhD. robert_bardon@ncsu.edu, Assistant Dean of Extension and Engagement, College of Natural Resources, NC State University, Raleigh, NC.

Equine owners should vaccinate against WNV, EEE

snagy — Wed, 1 Apr 2009 09:57:53 -0400

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler reminds equine owners that now is the best time to vaccinate their horses, donkeys and mules against West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis.

State Veterinarian Dr. David Marshall said these diseases are now endemic to North Carolina, but they are easily preventable.

"We haven't had a lot of cases of EEE or West Nile the past few years, but the disease cycle ebbs and flows in our state," Marshall said. "Horse owners should not let down their guard. They should continue to vaccinate against these diseases, and take other precautions to minimize standing water that would allow mosquitoes to breed."

In 2008, North Carolina had 12 reported cases of EEE in horses, and 11 of them were fatal. It is estimated there are as many as four unreported cases of EEE for every one that is reported.

Horse owners should talk with their veterinarians to determine the best time to start the vaccination process for EEE and West Nile virus. Both vaccinations initially require two shots, 30 days apart, for horses that have no prior vaccination history. Neither vaccination fully protects the animal until several weeks after the second shot, so it is best to vaccinate as early in the mosquito season as possible.

Marshall recommends a booster shot of each vaccine be given every six months in North Carolina because of the extended active mosquito season.

Symptoms of WNV in horses can include loss of appetite and depression, fever, weakness or paralysis of hind limbs, convulsions, impaired vision or hyper-excitability.

Symptoms of EEE, also known as "equine sleeping sickness," include impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling, inability to swallow, irregular staggering gait, paralysis, convulsions and death.

People, horses and birds can become infected from a bite by a mosquito carrying the diseases, but there is no evidence that horses can transmit the virus to other horses, birds or people through contact.

Hildebran Announces New Farmer's Market

snagy — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:56:30 -0400

The Town of Hildebran will be hosting a Farmer's Market in the parking lot of the Town Hall located at 202 South Center Street Hildebran, N. C. beginning May 28, 2009. The hours will be from 8 am to 12 pm each Thursday through the end of October.

The East Burke Senior Center is also located on this property. All farmers must be members of the Farmers Market Association in Burke County or a neighboring county and adhere to Farmer's Market Guidelines and Rules.

For more information contact Donna Teasley at Burke County Extension Center 828-439-4460.

Soybean Rust Update

snagy — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 08:05:10 -0400

PEST ALERT

From: Steve Koenning Extension Soybean Pathology Specialist North Carolina State University and Jim Dunphy Soybean Specialist Crop Science

Current Status of Soybean Rust in North America ? March 2009

As of March 16, 2009, soybean rust is viable on kudzu in parts of Florida (including one site in the panhandle), two counties in southern Georgia, southern Alabama (Mobile area), several locations in Louisiana, and extreme south Texas. Rust is also active in Mexico, and a new potentially new host has been found in Mexico. The new find in Mexico has not been identified as to species, but is said to be quite common on road sides in Mexico. Planting of sentinel plots in will be underway in southern states and will resume when soils dry out.

Soybean Rust Summary for North Carolina ? Reflections on 2005-2008

Soybean rust has been detected in North Carolina every year since 2005. Rust was found in 17, 44, and 6 counties in 2005, 2006, and 2007 respectively. In spite of a favorable fall environment, rust was only found in six counties in 2008. Fungicides were not necessary to control rust and most foliar diseases were minor in 2008. Only in 2006 was it recommended that fungicides be sprayed in the southeastern counties on late planted late maturity soybean. Yield increases in these areas were on the order of 4 to 5 bushels per acre.

Soybean rust generally moves from south to north from Florida to Georgia and finally to North Carolina and Virginia. Much of this movement is by local spread which is relatively slow. Tropical systems that moved through the state from the south have resulted in either delivery of spores or provided an environment conducive for rust to develop. In 2005 this was Ophelia and in 2006 tropical storm Ernesto coincided with development of rust in North Carolina. There was some concern in 2007 when a tropical storm moved through in June which could have brought spores from Florida. This did not happen because Florida and South Georgia were extremely dry and if there was any spore production in Florida prior to this time it was very minor. You have to have spores for a transport event (movement from one location to another).

In general we will likely need a wet spring and a summer with lots of ?gray days? to have an epidemic that requires fungicide sprays over large areas of the state. This can be expected about one year in five to one year in ten in North Carolina. Dr. Jim Dunphy and I will continue to maintain a network of communication with County Extension Agents, CCAs, and consultants to provide warnings about the need to spray for rust. Sentinel plots will be planted in the next 30 days in most locations. In addition, have a teletip phone number 1-800-662-7301 (the same number as for the cotton insect update) with a message updated as necessary.

Resources for Soybean Rust in 2009

There are more resources for information on Asiatic soybean rust available this year, than in many years in the past. Some sources for more detailed information are listed below:

The USDA soybean rust web site - www.sbrusa.net
The North Carolina Crop Protection Manual - ipm.ncsu.edu/agchem/6-9.pdf

Piedmont Woodland Steward Series Quickly Approaching

snagy — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:47:38 -0400

Carl Alwin Schenck founded the Biltmore Forest School in 1898 to assist in managing the vast holdings of George Vanderbilt in Asheville. The Biltmore Forest School was officially re-opened in 2003 with the creation of the Woodland Steward Series. 2009 marks the seventh year of the Woodland Steward Series in western North Carolina and the historic expansion of the workshops to the Piedmont and coastal regions of the state. The Piedmont Woodland Steward Series begins in mid-April with 1.5 day workshops held every other Friday (9am-5pm) and Saturday (9am-noon) through the end of May. Locations include the Davidson County Agricultural Center in Lexington (April 17 & 18), Jordan Lake Educational State Forest in Chapel Hill (May 1 & 2), the NC Zoo in Asheboro (May 15 & 16), and Montgomery Community College in Troy (May 29 & 30).

This series of workshops is designed to share with landowners the knowledge and resources necessary to enrich their experience as a woodland owner and manager. Each workshop includes numerous sessions led by natural resource and land management specialists, including both hands-on activities in the field and instruction in the classroom. Discovering Your Land: Basic Land Management Skills introduces participants to setting goals and objectives, understanding local wildlife, and basic skills such as map and compass use, GIS and GPS information, tree identification, and soil sampling. Woodscaping Your Woodlands & Firewise Management gives an overview of managing forest land, insects and diseases, secondary forest products, and protecting your hom! e and property by becoming "Firewise" in your backyard. Native Landscaping & Water Management focuses on designing with native plants, urban forestry techniques, basic information on invasive plants, solving stormwater problems with plants, and piedmont grassland restoration. Stewardship, Recreation, & Liability covers the basics of planning trails on your property, land ownership liability, recreational income opportunities, conservation easements, finalizing goals, and applying new knowledge and skills in the field.

The Piedmont series will be held in the spring, the mountains series in the summer, and the coastal series in the fall. For more information and registration materials for the course nearest you, visit www.cradleofforestry.org or contact Amy Garascia, Program Coordinator, at amysworkshopinfo@aol.com or 828-884-5713 ex. 26. Registration deadlines are quickly approaching, so send yours in today!

The course is sponsored by: the Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, NC Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Forest Service, NC Zoo, NCWoodlands, Montgomery Community College, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, Land Trust for Central NC, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Death on a Factory Farm to Air

snagy — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 07:56:59 -0400

On Monday, March 16th, an 87-minute documentary called Death on a Factory Farm will air on HBO at 10pm with 20 additional presentations through April 1.

The documentary focuses on the treatment of animals on an Ohio hog farm in 2007 and will present the results of an investigation conducted by a group called the Humane Farming Association (HFA).

At the request of HFA, an individual obtained employment at the farm for the purpose of using a hidden camera to document mistreatment of animals.

Further, the documentary covers the 2007 court case where the owner of the farm, his son and an employee were charged on 10 criminal charges of animal cruelty. The situation depicted on the documentary was investigated thoroughly and resolved by the Ohio court system. Of the 10 criminal charges alleging animal cruelty, one culminated in a conviction.

The treatment of the animals depicted on the HBO documentary is not representative of how responsible pork producers care for their animals.

The National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, Ohio Pork Producers Council, American Association of Swine Veterinarians and state pork associations have worked together on an industry-wide response to this issue.

Our industry's response is clear: Responsible pork producers have zero tolerance for willful acts of neglect or abuse of animals in their care. Responsible pork producers care about their animals and recognize they have both a moral and ethical obligation to protect and promote animal well-being.

Responsible pork producers hold themselves to the production standards that are consistent with the Ethical Principles for U.S. Pork Producers.
Animal Well-Being: We affirm our obligation to protect and promote animal well-being.
·         Provide feed, water and an environment that promotes the well-being of our animals.
·         Provide proper care, handling and transportation for pigs at each stage of life.
·         Protect pig health and provide appropriate treatment, including veterinary care, when needed.
·         Use approved practices to euthanize, in a timely manner, those sick or injured pigs that fail to respond to care and treatment.

In addition to our Ethical Principles, we also demonstrate our commitment to animal care, well-being and pork safety by achieving certification and implementing current best management practices of the Pork Quality Assurance Plus® and Transport Quality Assurance® programs which help ensure those who work most closely with the animals are providing the best possible care.
For more information about pork production practices, visit www.pork.org.

Turkey Show Registration Now Online

snagy — Wed, 4 Mar 2009 08:11:31 -0500

Turkey Show Registration for the annual youth market turkey show is online now and will close when we reach 300 participants. The online registration form is at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/4h/turkeyshow/2009registration.html (you may print and fax this form in, but it will not be counted until we receive the form in our office) Information about the show is at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/4h/turkeyshow/showinfo.pdf

Hurry, this will fill up fast!

Upon completion of each registration you will receive a confirmation to print for your records. Please bring this with you at poult pick up. For more information contact Melissa_Scherpereel@ncsu.edu

Soil test is valuable key to effective pasture renovation

snagy — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:33:18 -0500

With nitrogen prices fluctuating between 60 and 90 cents per pound, frost-seeding white clover into pastures now could be a good way for farmers to add nitrogen and improve forage quality while reducing expensive fertilizer inputs.

"Frost-seeding involves surface application of seed, which is worked into the soil surface by winter rains and snow," said Kent Messick, chief of field services with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Agronomic Division. "For the seed to be worked into the soil, it needs to be done very soon, so the catch is to find out if your pasture has the nutritional elements to make frost-seeding effective."

A recent soil test report from the NCDA&CS Agronomic Division will provide the nutritional information necessary to determine whether a pasture is suitable for clover. There is not time to complete a new soil test, Messick said.

Soil pH is the most critical component because clover thrives at a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. For fields with a current pH of 5.5 or less, an immediate lime application will probably not work quickly enough to make the soil suitable for planting clover this season.

If soil pH is within the acceptable range, the next step is to consult with an NCDA&CS regional agronomist about the need to add phosphorus or potassium, based on your most recent soil test report. Current pasture crop, soil type, date of the soil report and any subsequent fertilizer applications will all be relevant factors to consider.

Once pH and nutrient levels are determined to be favorable for clover, success will depend primarily on the availability of moisture and implementation of good management practices. For best results, select improved, intermediate- to large-type ladino clovers. They are more productive than most native white clovers.

Grazing should be withheld until the clover is sufficiently established. If clover has not been present in the pasture for many years, inoculation of the seed with Rhizobium bacteria is advised. Several varieties are available pre-inoculated. To manage grass competition, do not apply nitrogen fertilizer or manures to pastures where you are trying to establish clover.

NCDA&CS regional agronomists are available statewide to offer advice about nutrient management, sample collection and interpretation of agronomic reports. For contact information, visit www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/rahome.htm or call the Agronomic Division at (919) 733-2655.

Kent Messick, field services section chief
NCDA&CS Agronomic Division
(919) 733-2655

Pesticide CollectionDay - May 6th

snagy — Mon, 9 Feb 2009 16:41:14 -0500

The Caldwell County Extension Center is partnering with North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) for a pesticide collection day. The collection day will be held on Wednesday, May 6 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Caldwell Extension Center on 120 Hospital Ave NE, Lenoir.

The collection day provides an opportunity for farmers, gardeners, and homeowners to dispose of any unwanted pesticides (insecticide, herbicide, fungicide, etc.) free of charge. The collection is only for labeled pesticides, other household hazardous waste will not be accepted (paint, turpentine, gasoline, etc.). If containers are leaking or fragile, place them in a five gallon bucket with absorbent material such as cat litter or sawdust. Do not transport pesticides in the front of a truck or car. If you have containers larger than five gallons or if you have questions about this collection, please contact me (seth_nagy@ncsu.edu) for assistance.

If you will not be able to make the Caldwell Collection day have a look at the entire NCDA spring collection schedule. It can be viewed at http://www.ncagr.gov/SPCAP/pesticides/PDAP/pds.htm

More 4-H Horse Info

snagy — Fri, 6 Feb 2009 16:44:18 -0500

Extension Horse Husbandry Website: A new website has been launched. Please update your bookmarks to http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/Webpages/NCSU_EHH_Home.html
Newsletter: A new issue of the NC 4-H Horse Program Newsletter has been posted. Please read the newsletter for updates such as event location changes, contest schedules and other educational opportunities. http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/Webpages/NCSU_EHH_4H_Newsletters.html
Calendar of Events: Please visit the calendar of events page at http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/Webpages/NCSU_EHH_Calendar.html

Regional Youth Horse Judging Contest

snagy — Fri, 6 Feb 2009 13:22:10 -0500

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, North Carolina State University and Clemson University have teamed up with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) to offer the second annual regional youth horse judging contest. The contest will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2009 in conjunction with the Region 10 AQHA Horse Show in Clemson, SC. Rules and entry forms can be found on the Extension Horse Husbandry website at: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse

The judging contest will feature a special youth division for junior and senior 4-H teams and individuals. Both teams and individual awards will be provided in a number of categories. The Region 10 Horse Judging Contest provides youth with a great opportunity to further expand their horse judging knowledge. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Pesticide Board tightens rules for keeping records

snagy — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:20:51 -0500

The N.C. Pesticide Board approved tighter standards for record-keeping by farmers and others in the state licensed to use pesticides covered under the Worker Protection Standards for Agricultural Pesticides at its meeting Tuesday.

The changes to the state's pesticide rules will require licensed pesticide applicators to record the date and time each pesticide application was completed, and each application day must be a separate record. The records will also have to be kept for two years.

Previously, pesticide applicators were required to record only the date and approximate time that applications were made, and they had to keep the records for 30 days.

The new standards are aimed at increasing the protection of farm workers from pesticide exposure. The changes were mandated by legislation adopted by the General Assembly last year in response to a state task force's recommendations.

If the rule changes are approved by the Rules Review Commission, they could take effect March 1.

Water use by beef cattle

snagy — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:54:25 -0500

Many farmers had received a survey asking about their water use. This has raised many questions as most producers don't know exactly how much water a cow drinks in a day. Water use will differ dramatically by type of animal and environmental temperature, but for planning purposes (and for the survey in question) you need to know the maximum amount of water an animal (and the herd) would use in a given day. Here are the figures we use for planning purposes assuming a 90 degree high temperature. This information is adapted from the National Research Council's publication Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle.

Lactating cow: 25 gallons/day
Dry cow: 14 gallons/day
600 lb stocker: 13 gallons/day
1000 lb finisher: 21 gallons/day
Mature bull: 21 gallons/day

Using those numbers, a 100 cow herd (including 3 bulls) with spring calving would use a maximum of 2563 gallons per day. A 100 cow herd with fall calving and marketing of the calves before the heat of summer would use a maximum of 1363 gallons per day during the summer, but during peak lactation (November) with high temperatures in the 60s they would need 1833 gallons per day (11 gallons for bulls and 18 gallons for cows). The same fall calving herd that keeps all their calves over the summer would need to plan for 2763 gallons per day with peak use during the heat of the summer.

Mythical "Cow Gas Tax"

snagy — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:51:13 -0500

We've had many questions about a cow tax. It was tax the number of cows because of the methane they produce in normal metabolism. The answer to the question is"there is no plan to enact such a tax". The rumor was started when EPA published an "Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" that outlined actions that would be needed should the Clean Air Act be applied green house gas emissions. The point they were making is that strict enforcement of the Clean Air Act would have devastating effects on every sector of the economy including agriculture. This information comes from Bryan Blinson from the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association.

Woodland Steward Series Expands Statewide

snagy — Wed, 7 Jan 2009 14:12:05 -0500

According to 2008 USDA Forest Service data, 84% of the forests in North Carolina are privately owned. Of that total, over 11 million acres of our state's forests are owned and managed by families. These family forests have been called the "last frontier" in sustainable forest management as the decisions made by private landowners affect the entire landscape for generations to come.

Forests provide and protect fresh water, supply habitat for animals and fish, provide recreation and beauty, and offer vital economic products. In 1895 George Vanderbilt hired Carl Alwin Schenck, a forester from Bavaria, to manage his forests and protect the vital resources at the Biltmore Estate and what was later to become Pisgah National Forest. Dr. Schenck opened the first forestry school in America in 1898 and for 15 years he taught his students the concepts of sustainable forest management.

The legacy of Dr. Schenck lives on today. The Biltmore Forest School was officially re-opened in 2003 with the creation of the Woodland Steward Series. This series of workshops is designed to share with landowners the knowledge and resources necessary to enrich their experience as a woodland owner and manager. 2009 marks a historic turning point for the Woodland Steward Series in that it is expanding throughout the state and workshops will be held in each region.

Each workshop series will consist of four 1.5 day sessions led by natural resource and land management specialists, including both hands-on activities in the field and instruction in the classroom. Discovering Your Land: Basic Land Management Skills introduces participants to setting goals and objectives, understanding local wildlife, and basic skills such as map and compass use, tree identification, and soil sampling. Woodscaping Your Woodlands & Firewise Management gives an overview of managing forest land, insects and diseases, secondary forest products, and protecting your home and property by becoming "Firewise" in your backyard. Native Landscaping & Water Management focuses on designing with and planting native plants, urban forestry techniques,! stormwater best management practices, and other water features such as ponds and streams. Stewardship, Recreation, & Liability covers the basics of land ownership liability, planning trails, finalizing goals, and applying new knowledge and skills in the field.

The Piedmont series will be held in the spring, the mountains series in the summer, and the coastal series in the fall. For more information and registration materials, visit www.cradleofforestry.org or contact Amy Garascia, Program Coordinator, at amysworkshopinfo@aol.com or 828-884-5713 ex. 26.

The course is sponsored by: the Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, NC Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Forest Service Cradle of Forestry in America and additional partners in each region.

Unwanted Horses Symposium

snagy — Wed, 7 Jan 2009 10:31:04 -0500

January 17, 2009

Moore County Cooperative Extension Office

Carthage, North Carolina

Presented by REINS, the conference is for horse owners and enthusiasts, veterinarians, rescue organization members, and anyone interested in exploring and remedying the unwanted horse issue in North Carolina. The conference will seek answers to a number of questions including, 1. How bad is the problem of the unwanted horse in North Carolina? 2. What resources do we have, as individuals, organizations and as a State, to address the problem? and 3. What is being done on a national level to address the problem of the unwanted horse.

Agenda

 8:00 -  9:00 Registration

 9:00 -  9:15 Welcome & Introductions

 9:15 - 10:00 What is the Unwanted Horse

10:00 - 10:30 The State's Perspective of the Unwanted Horse

10:30 - 10:45 Break

10:45 - 11:15 The Veterinary Medical Perspective of the Unwanted Horse

11:15 - 11:45 The Animal Control Officer's Perspective of the Unwanted Horse

11:45 - 12:15 The Equine Rescue Groups Perspective of the Unwanted Horse

11:45 - 12:00 Assignment of Breakout Groups

12:00 - 3:00 Working Lunch  (Breakout Group Discussion & Planning)

 3:00 - 4:00 Panel Discussion and Identification of Action Points

 4:00 - 4:30 Wrap- Up, Evaluation, Adjourn

NCSL supports horse industry, humane horse slaughter

snagy — Wed, 7 Jan 2009 10:26:57 -0500

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) this weekend adopted a policy that urges Congress to oppose legislation that would restrict the market, transport, processing, or export of horses, to recognize the need for humane horse processing facilities in the U.S. and not to interfere with state efforts to establish facilities in the United States.

The passage of the policy provides the authority for NCSL staff in Washington, D.C., to lobby on Capitol Hill as it effectively establishes the position of the states. NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories. The Horse Industry Policy received overwhelming majority support at the NCSL annual fall forum in Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 11-13. The policy was co-sponsored by Representative Sue Wallis of Wyoming, and Representative Dave Sigdestad of South Dakota.

Wallis, who is a vice chair of the agriculture and energy standing committee at NCSL, said, "We have received an absolute flood of support from literally every crook and cranny of this nation, and from all walks of life. We had letters of support from Horse Councils nationwide, we heard from horse owners, horse rescue and recovery organizations that are over-whelmed and without options, breed registries, professional rodeo cowboys, horse owners and many, many people who are sincerely concerned about the fate of horses and the equine industry."

Farm-finished, Direct Marketed Beef - Educational Program

snagy — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:41:36 -0500

WHEN: Thursday, Jan 15th 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (approximately) at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center, Mills River, NC. Driving directions are available from the MHCREC web page at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/directions.html

TARGET AUDIENCE: The target audience is beef producers seriously considering getting into pasture-based, farm finished, direct marketed beef and those who are just starting and who are at the initial stages of developing a new enterprise.

THE PROGRAM: Program content will include effective marketing, alternative livestock production systems for finishing beef, forage production systems, risk and risk management strategies, and the economics of going from a cow-calf operation to finishing cattle and direct marketing beef. Production systems will include all forage fed, limited grain finishing and heavy grain finishing regimes. We plan to include a panel of successful producers. Presenters will include Dr. Matt Poore, Dr. Sue Ellen Johnson and Dr. Geoff Benson, who are all Cooperative Extension specialists at NCSU.

REGISTRATION: Space is limited. Make reservations in early to assure seating. For reservations call (828) 687-0570 Ext. 122. Walk-ins are welcome if space is available.

To request accommodations for persons with disabilities, contact Geoff Benson, at (919) 515-5184 no later than five business days before the event. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race color, creed, national origin, religion , sex, age, veteran status, or disability. In addition the two Universities welcome all persons with our regard to sexual orientation.

NCDA&CS undertaking agricultural water use survey

snagy — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:36:58 -0500

North Carolina farmers will have the opportunity to document agriculture-related water use through a survey by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The department’s Agricultural Statistics Division will begin the survey in January in response to legislation passed by the General Assembly last summer. The legislation requires the division to compile a yearly survey of water use by farmers who withdraw 10,000 gallons of water per day from groundwater or surface water.

Farmers will be asked to complete a form documenting their agricultural water use for 2008. Information about individual farms will be kept confidential.

“This survey is extremely important because basic water use information for agriculture is limited in most areas of the state,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “We are encouraging farmers to participate so that we can collect good, accurate data.”

Herb Vanderberry, state director of agricultural statistics, said public perception has been that farmers use an excessive amount of water. But other regional surveys have shown that agricultural water use is relatively small in comparison with industrial and other non-agricultural water consumption.

Troxler said the survey could clear up a lot of misperceptions about the amount of water farmers use. “The survey also will give us a good picture of how much water farmers need, so that if we find ourselves in another drought, we can make the case for making sure farmers aren’t unfairly targeted,” he said.

Survey forms will begin arriving in mailboxes in January, and results should be ready by July 1. Information about the survey is online at www.ncagr.gov/water.

Herb Vanderberry, director
NCDA&CS Agricultural Statistics Division
(919) 733-7293

Western NC Performance Tested Bull Sale

snagy — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:26:25 -0500

January 3rd, 2009 at the Mountain Research Station and Haywood County Agricultural Office Building Waynesville, N.C. will be a program of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in cooperation with the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association.

Program

Haywood County Agricultural Office Building

9:00 a.m. Registration
9:30 a.m. Welcome and Introductions - Dr. Jim Turner
9:45 a.m. Beef Quality Assurance Chuteside Demonstration - Drs. Jim Turner and Mark Alley
11:00 a.m. Adjourn to Bull test and Receive Final Results - Danny Hyatt
11:15 a.m. Bull Test Station - Receive Final Results on Individual Performance and View Bulls - Gary Gregory and Danny Hyatt
12:00 noon Sponsored Lunch at the Haywood County Agricultural Office Building
1:00 p.m. 29th Annual Waynesville BCIP Bull Sale - Bryan Blinson

Everyone will have an opportunity to see the bulls at the Mountain Research Station Saturday morning. They will be auctioned Saturday afternoon while viewing a video of the bulls by sale order. The bulls will remain at the research station and can be picked up Saturday evening, or between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. the following week. They must be picked up by Friday January 9th. Each animal sold becomes the property of the purchaser as soon as sold but will not be released until settled for. Animals will be fed and cared for the following week at the buyer's risk.

Conference Sponsors

North Carolina Farm Bureau
Pfizer Animal Health
Southern States
Sevier Farmers COOP

For further information please contact Jim Turner (Jim_Turner@ncsu.edu or (828) 456-7520)

Soybean OVT Results Posted

snagy — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:09:57 -0500

The results of the soybean Official Variety Tests (OVT) for 2008 are now posted at www.ncovt.com. In addition to soybean, there is also data for corn, cotton, small grains, and tobacco. The OVT's unbiased data can be used by producers to select varieties best suited for their production system. Data presented in the OVT is not just yield data, but also includes disease resistance, maturity information, and other crop specific data.

Shiitake Spawn Orders

snagy — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:15:01 -0500

Winter is here and that means "spawn time" for shiitake mushroom growers. The Edible and Medicinal mushroom project at NC A&T State University is taking orders for shiitake spawn, all spawn orders must be to me by January 15. The spawn should be ready by February.

Any newcomers to the program must attend a NC A&T mushroom workshop. This program is funded through the Golden Leaf Foundation. Its purpose it the expand the budding mushroom industry in NC by supporting growers and helping new growers get started.

Caldwell County residents interested in growing shiitake mushrooms commercially should contact me (seth_nagy@ncsu.edu or 828 757 1290) to learn how to be part of this exciting shiitake mushroom program.

Mushroom Resources

Producing Shiitake Mushrooms: a guide for small-scale outdoor cultivation on logs
www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/forest/woodland/won-20.html

Mushroom Cultivation and Marketing
www.attra.org/attra-pub/mushroom.html

Growing Mushrooms in NC for Food, medicine & profit
www.ag.ncat.edu/OmonMushroom

Discover North Carolina Farms

snagy — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:06:26 -0500

Owners of agritourism farms and vineyards in North Carolina are encouraged to apply to be on a map being developed by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The full-color map will be titled "Discover North Carolina Farms." The department plans to print 100,000 copies in 2009 and place them at welcome centers and other tourism offices across the state.

"Agritourism farms and vineyards have sprouted across North Carolina, and this map is another way to let people know where they are," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "The map can be kept in the glove compartment of your car for easy use on day trips or longer vacations. It will be a great resource, so we encourage agritourism farm and vineyard owners to apply to be on it."

Applications must be postmarked by Jan. 9, and space on the map is limited. For information and an application, log on to www.ncagr.gov/agritourism or call Martha Glass at (919) 733-7887, ext. 276.

The map is funded by a grant from the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.

Martha Glass, manager
NCDA&CS Agritourism Office

Farm Energy Efficiency Project (FEEP)

snagy — Wed, 3 Dec 2008 11:21:31 -0500

The Farm Energy Efficiency Project (FEEP) is a program initiated by North Carolina Farm Bureau. The primary goal is to provide low-cost energy audits for farmers. These audits will highlight energy saving alternatives. The energy audits performed can be used to leverage United States Department of Agriculture Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Section 9007 grant. FEEP will provide 200 on-farm energy audits across NC.

To apply for FEEP, an Interest Form needs to be completed by March 31st. The Interest Form is a simple 1-page front and back form. The sooner you can get these forms in the better. March 31st is the absolute latest to get these forms in. To find out more about FEEP, you may contact Scott Welborn (scott.welborn@ncfb.org) 919-782-1705 x8209, NC Farm Energy.

Again, with the energy audit, you can apply for a USDA-REAP grant. REAP is a program to assist farmers and rural small businesses with energy projects. This program provides grants and guaranteed loans for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvement projects. Typically, projects must show a 20% savings in energy audit to score well enough to receive funding.

REAP projects

    * must be located in a rural area.
    * must be for a pre-commercial or commercially available and replicable technology.
    * must be technically feasible.
    * must have sufficient revenue to provide for operation and maintenance.
    * the applicant must be the owner of the project and control the operation and maintenance of the proposed project.

The find out more about REAP, David Thigpen (david.thigpen@nc.usda.gov) 919-873-2065.

Canola Guide

snagy — Wed, 3 Dec 2008 11:02:16 -0500

Canola is a new crop gaining acreage in North Carolina. Our neighbors in Georgia and Arkansas have recently publish great information on canola production. This information is generally applicable to North Carolina growers.

Georgia Canola Site - http://www.caes.uga.edu/commodities/fieldcrops/canola
Arkansas Canola Production Guide - http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-2154.pdf

Christmas Tree Selection and Care

snagy — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:55:19 -0500

When looking for the perfect Christmas tree, keep in mind that trees look smaller outside than they do in the house. Measure the space you intend to place the tree and take a tape measure with you on your tree search. The best bet for a Christmas tree that stays beautiful all season is to buy a fresh tree and keep it fresh. There are two simple tests for freshness:

Check the condition of the needles by placing a needle between your thumb and forefinger. Bring your fingers together. If bent gently, the needle from a fresh tree should bend rather than break.
Lift the tree a few inches off the ground and then drop it down on the stump end. If outside green needles fall off in abundance, the tree may not be fresh. Pine trees shed their inside needles every fall and sometimes needles lodge among the branches. This is a normal process and not the sign of an old or dry tree.

When you get the tree home, keep the tree outdoors or on an unheated porch or patio until you are ready to decorate. Make sure it is protected from the wind and sun. An area that provides protection from the wind will help the tree retain its moisture.

Keep the trunk of the tree in water. Any large container will do. Simply make a fresh, straight cut across the trunk about an inch up from the original cut. This opens the tree stem so it can take up water. Plunge the trunk end immediately into fresh water. It doesn't have to be distilled water or mineral water. And forget the recommendation from some to place an aspirin in the water. Trees don’t get headaches. Save your aspirin for a day of shopping at the mall.

Trees are thirsty. They may drink between two pints to a gallon of water per day, so make sure to check daily and supply fresh water as needed. Trees often take up more water the first couple of days. A tree stand which holds at least one gallon of water is recommended. If the water runs out, you have to cut another inch off the trunk to remove plugged xylem tissue (the pipes that carry the water up the stem). Place your tree away from fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, space heaters and other heat sources. These will dry out the tree faster than it can take up water.

Use common sense about fire safety. Don't use frayed or worn electrical cords, don't overload electrical circuits and don't burn the lights when away from home or asleep.

To find a choose-and-cut NC tree farm, log on to www.ncfarmfresh.com or call the Caldwell County Extension Center. Other good NC tree farm sites are www.ncchristmastrees.com or www.nc-chooseandcut.com for Eastern NC tree farms.

Forestry Webinar Series

snagy — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:18:20 -0500

Presented by Dr. P. Daniel Cassidy.

National program leader for Forest-Based Bioenergy with USDA CSREES

There has been unprecedented interest in renewable energy the last several years due to factors such as increasing energy prices, environmental concerns, and national security. Now, with sustained high-energy costs and the additional impact of Federal and state incentives and legislation, wood-using energy projects are rapidly being planned and constructed through out the nation creating demand for woody biomass. Attendees will be presented with an overview of forest-based bioenergy, woody biomass utilization, and sources of federal and state assistance.

December 15, 2008 12:00 PM EST to 1:00 PM EST

To participate visit http://forestrywebinar.net

Value Added Producer Grant Workshops

snagy — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:36:45 -0500

Three workshops will be held across North Carolina to help producers understand how to apply for USDA-Rural Development's Value Added Producer Grant. This grant is targeted to producers planning to add a value-added enterprise to their farm. The grant RFP for the 2009 cycle is expected to be announced by USDA in early 2009. Please inform your producers of this opportunity. More information can be found at www.ncvalueadded.org and at www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm.

The workshop dates and times are:

Monday, Dec. 8, 1-5 p.m., Burke County Extension Center, 130 Ammons Drive, Suite 2, Morganton
Wednesday, Dec. 10, 1-5 p.m., Lee County Extension Center, 2420 Tramway Road, Sanford
Thursday, Dec. 11, 9 a.m. - Noon, Craven County Extension Center, 300 Industrial Drive, New Bern

The workshops are free and registration is not required. Though the workshops will provide valuable information to aid the application process. However, attendance is not mandatory to apply for a grant.

If you have questions email seth_nagy@ncsu.edu, blake_brown@ncsu.edu, or Bruce Pleasant at USDA-Rural Development, Bruce.Pleasant@nc.usda.gov.

Public Hearings for the Research Stations

snagy — Mon, 3 Nov 2008 15:31:41 -0500

In June 2008, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, Johnny Wynne, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at N.C. State University, and Alton Thompson, dean of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at N.C. A&T State University, announced that their organizations would jointly develop a comprehensive strategic plan for the management of the state's agricultural research stations.

The following regional meetings have been scheduled to receive public comments during the planning process:

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 at 6:00 pm Tidewater Research Station, 207 Research Station Road, Plymouth, NC (252) 793-4118
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at 6:00 pm Wake County Office park, Commons Building, 4001 Carya Drive, Raleigh, NC (919) 250-1000
Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at 1:00 pmMountain Research Station, 265 Test Farm Road, Waynesville, NC (828) 456-3943

For more information visit http://www.ncagr.gov/research/strategicplan.htm

NCDA Water Use Survey

snagy — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:36:34 -0400

Make your voice heard and the facts known - we need you cooperation on this important survey. North carolina farmers have the opportunity to document agricultural water use. Based on recent legislation passed in response to the ongoing drought, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Agricultural Statistics Division, will be surveying farms in early 2009 to do just that.

The survey is important because basic water use information for agriculture is limited in most areas. While public perception has been that agriculture water use is excessive, other regional surveys have provided facts that show agriculture water use is relatively small in comparison with industrial and non-agricultural water uses.

This survey will provide comprehensive, state-wide facts about agricultural water use so that informed policy decision can be made. Individual farm data collected will be held strictly confidential by law. Farms that participate will also be documenting their own agricultural water use needs which is important for ensuring future access.

Your cooperation on this survey is critical to provide accurate facts about agricultural water use.

Look for your survey form in January of 2009. The results will be made available no later than July 1, 2009 and will document agricultural water use during 2008. Every North Carolina agricultural organization supports the 2008 Agricultural Water Use Survey.

For more information about the
2008 Agricultural Water Use Survey, contact
Herb Vanderberry, Director, Agricultural Statistics Division
1-800-437-8451

Soybeans and Frost

snagy — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:09:37 -0400

We are getting frost this week, it will probably catch some soybeans that are not yet physiologically mature. A green canopy is harder for frost to kill than a maturing canopy, because the green canopy holds heat better than a maturing canopy, and the green leaves have more solutes in the sap than a yellowing leaf. If the leaves get killed, but the petiole stays green, I'd expect the beans to suck most of the goodies out of the dead leaves anyway, with little net loss in yield from the frost. If the petioles are also killed , I'm not sure how much of the photosynthate in the leaves will make it to the seeds, but I suspect very little.

Frost injury will be pretty evident the morning after the frost. If only the top portion of the canopy get injured by frost, I'd expect the yield to be reduced only in the top portion of the canopy.

If the entire crop gets killed prematurely by frost, there may be little effect except smaller than hoped for seeds. Small seeds should be close enough to normal in content (e.g. oil and protein) that they will not get discounted at the elevator; green (in cross section, not just the seed coat) seeds probably will get discounted.

General Hugh Shelton National Leadership Scholarship

snagy — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:17:22 -0400

The General Hugh Shelton Leadership Initiative is pleased to offer for the fifth year a major four-year college scholarship. In 2005, high school senior Ryan Nilsen won this national scholarship. In addition to tuition and lodging support, Ryan used his enrichment stipends to study and travel in Oxford, England, Ghana, and Guatemala, and Mexico. The 2008 winner is Mary Burroughs of North Carolina. Next year's winner could be from your school or community!

The mission of this initiative, housed at NC State University, is to "inspire, educate, and develop values-based leaders who are committed to personal integrity, professional ethics, and selfless service".

We conduct scholarship programs, executive forums, and youth outreach programs.

As a part of the scholarship program we have endowed the General Hugh Shelton National Leadership Scholarship. Essentially, we are trying to identify and award America's most outstanding high school student leader. The type of student leaders you are producing are exactly the ones who may be qualified and interested in pursuing this scholarship, valued at $10,000 per year (and renewable), plus an annual $2,000 stipend for external leadership experiences such as study abroad.

The following website will provide a description of the scholarship, the criteria and the application, which is due by November 1.

http://www.ncsu.edu/extension/sheltonleadership/leadership-scholarships/national-scholarships.php

November 12 - Building a Sustainable Local Food Economy from Farm to Fork

snagy — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 08:21:23 -0400

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (www.cefs.ncsu.edu) has been funded to reach out across the state and together with our partners ask: What will it take to build a sustainable local food economy in North Carolina? If each North Carolinian spent 25 cents/day on local food (just 2.5 percent of the $3600.00 that we spend on average on food consumption per year), it would mean $792 million for the state's economy. That money circulates here in the state so has a multiplier effect, rather than going to a corporate headquarters in another state.

Over the next year, CEFS and its partners will be gathering information from across food system sectors: conducting regional meetings, targeted issues discussions, interviews, and hosting a statewide summit on March 2 and 3, 2009. Our desired result is a Statewide Action Plan for Building the Local Food Economy with specific steps (short- and long-term) that policy makers, Universities, government agencies, environmental organizations, businesses, funding agencies, social activists, NGOs and citizens can take to make this happen.

The first western regional meeting has been set to be held in Asheville, North Carolina on November 12, 1:30-4:30 at the NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way.

The purpose of this regional meeting is to bring together those engaged in all aspects of the food system, to collect information and ideas that will be the building blocks of discussion at the summit and eventually the core components of the State Action Plan. We want to identify specific regional and local sustainable food systems models that are working and also regional challenges that can be addressed through policies, programs, and funding. We seek to engage the broad group of those involved with the food system including farmers, suppliers, processors, economic development organizations, distributors, farm and food industry workers, extension and other educators, marketers, financial institutions, Universities and community colleges, elected officials, government agencies, county and city planners, farm organizations, anti-poverty organizers, social justice workers, consumers and consumer groups, granting agencies, health and wellness organizations, environmental groups, food banks, and more.

The end product - the State Action Plan - will articulate a shared vision and set of common goals for building a local, sustainable food system and economy in North Carolina. Another key goal of this process is the formation of an ongoing working committee or task force, with broad representation across food system sectors that will focus on facilitating and carrying out action items, provide ongoing networking opportunities, and revise the action plan as needs and priorities change.

Please RSVP to nancy_creamer@ncsu.edu if possible if you plan on attending this regional meeting as it will help us in our planning, and check the CEFS website (www.cefs.ncsu.edu) for updates.

Avoid Prussic Acid Poisoning After Frost

snagy — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:30:16 -0400

Remove livestock from sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass, and johnsongrass pastures for two weeks after the first killing frost. This will preventing prussic acid poisoning. All classes of livestock are susceptable to prussic acid; cattle, horses, sheep and goats. Also, watch for new shoot regrowth on partially frost-killed plants. Direct grazing of these fresh shoots can be toxic. Hay made from sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass, and johnsongrass can be safely feed after waiting two weeks.

Prussic acid is also a problem with wilted cherry leaves. Prussic acid also called hydrocyanic acid posions the blood's ability to transport oxygen. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, vertigo, spams and death. The problems will appear shortly after consuming event a small amount of leaves. Death often occurs within one hour.

Statesville Regional Beef Conference

snagy — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:37:18 -0400

Thursday January 8, 2009

Iredell County Agricultural Resource Center

444 Bristol Drive, Statesville, NC

LOCATION: From I-40 take Exit 148. Go east on US 64/90 to Bristol Drive (first street on right). Turn right and proceed 1/3 mile to entrance on right. CLick here for a Yahoo map.

3:30 pm Registration

3:45 pm NC Cattlemen's Association Activities

Brian Blinson, Executive Director
NC Cattlemen's Association

4:00 pm Drought Recovery

Dr. Matt Poore

Extension Animal Science Specialist NCSU

4:45 pm New Technologies in the Beef Industry

Dr. Gary Hansen
Area Extension Specialist NCSU

5:15 pm Break

5:30 pm Beef Production in the New Economic Environment

Dr. Geoff Benson
Extension Economist NCSU

6:00 pm Trends in Cattle Marketing

Marcus Harward
Harward Brothers Livestock

6:15 pm Animal Health Product Update

Stephanie Cannon
Pfizer Animal Health

6:30 pm Sponsored Meal Compliments of

Harward Brothers Livestock Market & Pfizer Animal Health

Sheep & Goat Directory

snagy — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:00:42 -0400

North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) has launched a marketing website for sheep and goat producers. The site was rolled out last month. There are already many producers who have listed their farm on the site. Users can search the directory by county, species (meat goat, dairy goat, or sheep) or by specific breed. This site will help interested buyers locate breeders and producers in the State. The listing service is free. The directory can be found on NCDA&CS's site at http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/livestock/goatandsheep/directory/

Winter Cover Crops For Nitrogen

snagy — Mon, 6 Oct 2008 07:59:04 -0400

With rising interest in alternative nitrogen (N) sources NCSU Extension Specialists Dr. Carl Crozier and Dr. Ron Heiniger developed information for growers on current costs associated with cover crops and the amount of N that may be fixed. There is also a good NC Extension factsheet on growing cover crops "Winter Annual Cover Crops" written by Greg Hoyt, Michael Wagger and Carl Crozier.

The bottom line is cover crops can work. However, growers should quickly make a plan and decide how the cover crop will be destroyed in the spring.

Using Winter Cover Crops to Provide N for Corn in 2009 - Extension Corn Note (pdf)
Winter Annual Cover Crops - NCSU Soil Facts (pdf)

North Carolina Cattlemen's Association Rehires Bryan Blinson As Executive Director

snagy — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:00:15 -0400

The N. C. Cattlemen's Association and N. C. Cattlemen's Beef Council are welcoming back Bryan Blinson as the new executive director. Bryan's Parents are Keith & Peggy Blinson of Lenoir, NC.

Bryan Blinson was the executive director of both associations from March 1, 1994 through November 1, 1999. He obtained his B.S. in animal science from N. C. State University in 1984. He left the association to work for a real estate auction business in Angier, North Carolina. During this time he obtained a Certified Auctioneers Institute degree in 2002 from the Auction Marketing Institute in Overland Park, Kansas. The experiences Bryan has gained in the real estate business will further assist him in dealing with issues that the future holds in store for the cattle industry.

Bryan's duties begin October 1, 2008, and he looks forward to working again with the members and leadership of the N. C. Cattlemen's Association and N. C. Cattlemen's Beef Council to strengthen the beef industry in North Carolina.

Open Meetings Planned to Discuss Agricultural Research Stations

snagy — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:00:49 -0400

NCSU's Dean Johnny Wynne, NCA&T Interim Dean Donald McDowell, and Commissioner Steve Troxler invite the public to attend and participate in open meetings to discuss the North Carolina Agricultural Research Stations.

As instructed by the legislature, NC State University, NC A&T State University, and the NC Department of Agriculture are in the process of developing a comprehensive strategic plan for the stations.

The first meeting will be held on Monday, September 15, 2008 in Greensboro. Details of that meeting are below. As additional meeting are planned, but the details are not final.

September 15, 2008
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Guilford County Extension Center
3309 Burlington Rd
Greensboro, NC 27405
(336) 375-5876 Phone
(336) 375-2295 Fax

Sevin (carbaryl) is still on the market

snagy — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:23:40 -0400

Each year pesticides must be registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency. As a result of the re-registration process for carbaryl, many registrants decided not to re-registrar their products containing Carbaryl. Carbaryl is the active ingredient in Sevin and any other insecticide products. This past year EPA asked for additional data to support re-registration. Many companies decided not develop the required data. According to the EPA about two-thirds of the carbaryl products were voluntarily canceled by the registrants. It could be that some products are not longer available due to the voluntary cancellations.

Beekeepers and Hurricanes

snagy — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:58:04 -0400

What should beekeepers do to prepare for a hurricane? First, move bees from low-lying areas particularly those prone to flooding. Second, make sure they are on sturdy hive stands that are not top heavy or prone to tipping--they will go over with heavy wind. Third, it would be helpful to tie the entire hive together with twine, rope, or a strap, particularly so that the lid doesn't blow off. A heavy brick or cement block can help, but a strap would be best. Finally, place an entrance reducer in the hive entrance to minimize water being blown inside the hive, but be sure to allow for proper ventilation for the bees particularly if the weather is still warm.

While the above is fairly intuitive for most beekeepers, what happens following a hurricane can be as important. Specifically, mosquito abatement programs are common after big storms, and insecticide spraying can pose a real danger to bees. To reduce the risk from spraying, register your hives with the NCDA&CS (www.ncagr.gov/plantindustry/plant/apiary/index.htm). Registration is voluntary, but they can only contact those beekeepers that they know. Second, we have a comprehensive web site devoted to recommendations for protection of bees from pesticide spraying (our web server is currently down, but if you go to our homepage entomology.ncsu.edu/apiculture, click on the 'Extension' then 'Information & FAQ' links, you will see the 'Pesticide spraying' link that will lead you to it). Much of the same information can be found in the current Ag Chemicals Manual.

This was adapted from an email communication with
Dr. David Tarpy, NCSU Extension Apiculturist

Regional Beef Conference - Jan. 08

snagy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:19:09 -0400

The 2009 Statesville Regional Beef Conference is scheduled for January 8 at the Iredell Extension Center. The program will begin at 3:00 pm and conclude with dinner at 6:30 pm. Mike Miller, Iredell County Extension Agent, has lined up a all-start group of beef professionals to present on a variety of interesting topics. Below is a list of speakers and topics. Stay tuned for more information . . .

Matt Poore- Drought Recovery/Forages/Forage ID
Gary Hansen-New Technology in the Beef Industry
Geoff Benson-Beef Production in the New Economic Environment
Marcus Harward- Cattle Price Outlook/Marketing

Buy-In Waiver for Supplemental Disaster Assistance

snagy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:17:38 -0400

Kim Rumfelt, County Executive Director of the Burke-McDowell-Caldwell Farm Service Agency (FSA), announces new disaster legislation enacted into law May 22, 2008 in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. There are 5 new disaster assistance programs available as follows:

Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE) provides assistance in crop production losses and/or crop quality losses during the crop year and the total loss of production is greater than 50 percent of the normal production. Livestock Forage Program (LFP) will be available to eligible livestock producers who suffered grazing losses for eligible livestock because of drought. Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) will be available to livestock producers on farms that have incurred livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality because of adverse weather. Tree Assistance Program (TAP) - provides assistance to orchardists and eligible nursery tree growers who produce nursery, ornamental, fruit, nut, or Christmas trees for commercial sale that lost trees because of a natural disaster. Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm Raised Fish (EALHF) provides emergency relief to producers of livestock (including horses), honey bees, and farm-raised fish because of losses from adverse weather or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires. This program is intended to cover disasters that are not adequately covered by any other disaster program.

Ordinarily producers who wish to participate in the new disaster programs would need crop insurance or non-insured crop disaster assistance (NAP) coverage on all farms in all counties in which they have an interest. Since the 2008 Act was enacted after the application periods had closed for those programs, producers who did not have insurance coverage could not comply with this requirement in order to be eligible. However, the 2008 Act authorizes a waiver that allows producers to pay a fee, called a "buy-in" fee, to be eligible for the new disaster assistance programs

The buy-in fee is due no later than September 16, 2008. Those who miss this opportunity will not be eligible for 2008 disaster assistance. Producers are also reminded that the payment of the applicable buy-in fee does not provide the producer crop insurance or NAP coverage; it only affords eligibility for the 2008 disaster programs. The buy-in fee for 2008 eligibility is $100 per crop, but not more than $300 per producer per administrative county, or $900 total per producer for non-insured crops and the same fee for insured crops in all counties less any previously paid fees for insured and/or non-insured coverage.

Fall Armyworms on the March

snagy — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:55:44 -0400

I want to issue a very strong alert and warning for fall armyworms. They are showing up everywhere, and are a large threat to newly established turf and can also severely damage established stands. I expect serious problems in turf over the next 3 months.

The fall armyworm is a continuous resident of Central America, tropical South America and the West Indies. During mild winters, it may overwinter in coastal areas of southern Florida and Texas. Each spring, the fall armyworm spreads from these areas into the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and westward into southern New Mexico, Arizona and California.

The larvae are green, brown, or almost black. The dark head is marked with a yellow inverted "Y". There is a longitudinal black stripe along each side of the body and a faint narrow middorsal stripe. There are four black dots on the dorsal side of each abdominal segment. Fully grown larvae range between 1.38 and 1.97 in (35 - 50mm) long. The reddish brown - black pupae are about 0.5 in (13mm) long and are found in the soil. Adult moths have front wings that are dark gray mottled with light and dark markings. There is a white blotch near the tip of each front wing. The back wings are white.

The fall armyworm is most commonly associated with damage to bermudagrasses in the southern United States. However, it also feeds on fescue, ryegrasses, bentgrasses, bluegrass, and various small grain and grass crops. Infestations are associated with lush, green, dense grass. Problems most commonly occur in late summer and fall.

Larvae feed on all above-ground plant parts. Younger larvae skeletonize the most tender leaf tissue. Older larvae may consume most or all of the leaf tissue. Larvae move in groups from consumed areas to new areas. After fall armyworm feeding, bermudagrass, with proper management, usually regenerates. Feeding on cool-season grasses such as fescue and bluegrass may result in permanent damage.

Adult moths are most active at night and are attracted to lights. Light-colored objects adjacent to turf, such as flags on golf greens, goal posts, metal gutters and metal fences on athletic fields are favorite sites for egg deposition. Eggs hatch in 2-10 days. After 2-3 weeks, fully grown larvae burrow into the soil to pupate. Moths emerge in 10-14 days.

Flocks of birds feeding consistently in turf areas may indicate fall armyworm presence. If no larvae are seen, examine the turf for green fecal pellets and larvae. Soap flushes can be used to bring larvae to the surface. Except for home lawns and golf greens and tees, infested areas of less than 1,000 ft2 (92.9 m2) are seldom treated. Mowing before insecticides are applied may mechanically destroy a few larvae; in addition, it reduces the depth of the turf and ensures better coverage by spray applications. Light irrigation several hours before treatment may help to increase larval activity near the turf surface. Applications of biorational and chemical products should be made during periods when the larvae are active near the surface, usually early morning or late afternoon.

Emerald Ash Borer in Virginia

snagy — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:25:05 -0400

The U. S. Department of Agriculture?s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the identification of the emerald ash borer in Fairfax County, Virginia, on July 9,2008. This emerald ash borer detection is in close proximity to Dulles International Airport. Theinitial detection was made on July 7, 2008, by an employee from the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDF), who noticed several suspect emerald ash borer exit holes. The VDF informedthe Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) who, in turn, notified APHIS of the suspect emerald ash borer find.

On July 8, 2008, APHIS and VDACS personnel visited the suspect emerald ash borer site in Fairfax, Virginia. One partially emerged adult and two dead adult beetles were recovered and sent to an APHIS Identifier in Michigan, who confirmed their identity as emerald ash borer. Inresponse to this detection, APHIS is working closely with the State of Virginia to carry out delimiting surveys around the initial detection site. Further, it is necessary for APHIS to quarantine this infested area in order to prevent the further spread of emerald ash borer.Accordingly, effective immediately, all interstate movement of emerald ash borer regulatedarticles from Fairfax County must be done in accordance with the Federal Order. Specifically, the interstate movement of emerald ash borer-host wood and wood products from Fairfax Countyis regulated, including firewood of all hardwoods species, nursery stock, green lumber, waste, compost, and chips of ash species. The Federal Order allows Virginia 30 days from July 11,2008, to place an equivalent parallel quarantine in place for emerald ash borer, otherwise it will be necessary to quarantine the entire State as an emerald ash borer quarantine area.

Emerald ash borer is present in some partsof the United States. Currently, the entire States of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois are quarantined foremerald ash borer, together with portions of Michigan?s Upper Peninsula, the entirety ofMichigan?s Lower Peninsula, and Prince George?s County in Maryland. Four counties in westernPennsylvania are also under quarantine and emeraldash borer was detected last year in one county inWest Virginia. Emerald ash borer is an invasivewood boring beetle that is native to China and eastern Asia. Emerald ash borer probably arrived in North America hidden in wood packing materials commonly used to ship consumer and other goods. It was first detected in the United States in southeastern Michigan. Since then, emerald ash borer has been responsible for the death and decline of more that 25 million ash trees in the United States. The interstate movement of firewood from quarantined areas is an especially high risk pathway for spreading emerald ash borer, and APHIS is working with State cooperators and foresters to raise awareness about this threat among the public.

Pesticide Recertification Credits

snagy — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:33:24 -0400

I've listed a few local classes that should have some broad appeal to certified pest applicators. A full list of continuing education classes is available at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Section web site.

7/30/2008 - Lenoir, NC 2 hr credit A B G H I K L M N O T D X, Specialty Training, Contact: Seth Nagy - (828) 757-1290
8/1/2008 - Statesville, NC 2 hour credit N O D X, Corn & Pasture Demonstrations, Contact: Ken Vaughn - (704) 878-3165
9/15/2008 - Morganton, NC 2 hour credit V, Private Safety Training, Contact: Seth Nagy - (828) 757-1290
9/16/2008 - Morganton, NC 2 hour credit A B G H I K L M N O T D X, Specialty Training, Contact: Donna Teasley - (828) 439-4460
9/16/2008 - Morganton, NC 2 hour credit V, Private Safety Training, Contact: Donna Teasley - (828) 439-4460

Hay Field Day - August 12

snagy — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:10:25 -0400

Mountain Research Station -- Waynesville, N.C.
Registration: 9:00 a.m.
Program: 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
(including lunch)

Highlights: Mowing and tedding demonstrations,fertilization and weed control, stand renovation and soil sampling, using ano-till drill, raking and baling demonstrations. For information, contact Jim Turner at 828.246.4466 or jim_turner@ncsu.edu

Tomato Field Day

snagy — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:03:06 -0400

Market Tomato & Vegetable Field Day
Thursday, August 7, 2008
12:30 - 5:30 pm

Mark your calendars now and reserve the date for the annual tomato field day at the Mills River (formerly Fletcher) Research Station! This is your opportunity to see new up and coming varieties and learn the latest about disease, insect, and weed control for staked tomato production in western North Carolina. As always, the afternoon field day will be followed by a pig pickin' at Lake Julian. This year will be special because we will be celebrating the retirement of Dr. Randy Gardner, breeder of many fine commercial tomato varieties including Mountain Pride, Mountain Spring, and Mountain Fresh. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Tomato field day is sponsored by North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, NC Agricultural Research Service and NC Cooperative Extension Service, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the North Carolina Tomato Growers Association. For more informtion, contact Denny Thompson at 828.684.7197 or Jeanine Davis at 828.684.3562.

Additional details and full agenda can be found at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/events/2008-tomato-fieldday/index.html

North Carolina's 1st Annual Urban Forestry Conference

snagy — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:04:46 -0400

Announcing the first annual
Trees for an Urban Future: Emerging Issues, Innovations, and Current Trends
North Carolina Urban Forestry Conference
September 9 - 11, 2008
Marriott Hotel Downtown Greensboro, NC

Conference Context and Objectives Recently, North Carolina was determined to be the 6th fastest growing state in the nation. With the positive aspects of this status, comes an urgency to increase awareness of how to plan for, and with, our urban forests. This conference is designed to cover environmental, planning and educational issues, as well as technical tools and resources, needed to assure urban forest quality throughout North Carolina.

Conference Planners The conference is being organized through the joint efforts of the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the NC Urban Forest Council. The conference planning committee includes members from NC Division of Forest Resources, NC State University Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources and Department of Horticulture Science, City of Greensboro, City of Raleigh, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Project Learning Tree, Arborgard, City of Salisbury, and University of North Carolina School of Goverment.

Who Should Attend The expected 200 attendees will come from local tree boards, elected officials, planning commissions, appearance commissions, the development community (HBA), city staff (technical), landscape architects and other state agencies (Soil and Water, Cooperative Extension, etc.). This varied audience has many challenges and objectives in common and this conference will facilitate their exploration of their common issues.

Exhibitors A variety of organizations are lining up to hold exhibits at this conference including arborist services, urban forestry educators, non-profit organzations focused on urban community forestry, municipalities with success stories, and researchers. To learn more about the opportunity to exhibit please click here.

Conference Sponsorships are Available Your organization may wish to play a more active roll in the planning and logistics of this important conference. We invite you to review the Sponsorship and Exhbitor Prospectus by clicking here.

Conference Accreditation Continuing Education Units/Credits will be offered by:International Society of ArboricultureSociety of American ForestersAmerican Society of Landscape ArchitectsAmerican Planning Association

A complete conference overview is at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/forest/feop/urbanforest/conference.html

Burley Tobacco Field Day

snagy — Mon, 7 Jul 2008 16:43:52 -0400

Burley Tobacco Field Day on July 30, 2008 at the Upper Piedmont Research Station in Reidsville, NC. The Field Day will start with registration at 2:30 pm and end with a meal at 6:00 pm. I don't have a schedule yet, but Loren Fisher will be heading up the program. Please let me know if you are interested in attending . . . Seth (seth_nagy@ncsu.edu)

2008 Wheat Variety Recommendations

snagy — Thu, 3 Jul 2008 15:19:42 -0400

The 2008 wheat variety recommendations are now available! This is the latest and great NC Extension has to offer wheat growers. As in the past, we are recommending growers select an above average yielding variety for better fields and plant three varieties. Of the three varieties only one should be early heading. Early heading varieties are more susceptible to late spring freezes. The full report can be found at www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu.

2008 Apple and Peach Field Day - August 12, 2008

snagy — Thu, 3 Jul 2008 15:16:24 -0400

The Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station in Fletcher, NC is having a field day August 12, 2008. Registration begins at 12:30 and the program runs 1:00 - 4:00. The field day will highlight NC State University Faculty's research on bloom tillers; thinning; apple rootstock/replant; peach cultivar evaluations, P fertilization and Gala apple quality; disease, weed and insect management studies.

For more information, contact Jim Walgenbach, 828.684.3562 or jim_walgenbach@ncsu.edu.

On-Farm Energy Workshops

snagy — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:26:13 -0400

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems in collaboration with the National Center for Appropriate Technology will be hosting two back-to-back full day workshops on on-farm energy conservation and use. The first (July 10) will explore on farm energy use and conservation, renewable energy options, enhancing energy efficiency on the farm, the latest in carbon credits, and potential funding sources for on-farm energy projects. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to construct a solar heating system to supplement the propane heat used in greenhouses. Larry Shirley, The Director of the State Energy Office, will provide the keynote.

The second workshop (July 11) will be a hands-on workshop led by Matt Rudolf of Piedmont Biofuels teaching on-farm production of biofuels from seed crushing to end-product. For more details and registration information, go to: http://www.cefs.ncsu.edu

Major funding is provided by the USDA Risk Management Agency.

June 25 Specialty Crops Field Day - June 25

snagy — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:55:38 -0400

Below is the proposed agenda for the Specialty Crops Field Day on June 25 at the Upper Mountain Research Station.

9:30am Registration

10:00am Welcome: Dr Tom Melton, Administration-Extension Service, Assistant
Director and Associate State Program Leader ANR/CRD, Les Miller, Superintendent,
Upper Mountain Research Station and other Dignitaries.

10:30 am Program

Dr. Barclay Poling, Extension Specialist, Horticulture Science: Albion and Seascape day-neutral strawberry trials at the Upper Mountain Research Station
Bill Jester, Extension Associate, Horticulture Science and Specialty Crops Coordinator and Brad Taylor, Agriculture Research Technician: Golden Leaf Foundation sponsored Lettuce adaptation trials and research in the NC Mountains.
Dr. Chris Gunter, Extension Specialist, Horticulture Science, Jose Garzon, Research Technician, Horticulture Science and Dr. Brian Whipker, Extension Specialist,Horticulture Science : Identifying Macro and Micronutrient Deficiencies in RomaineLettuce.
Nick Augostini, Marketing Specialist NCDA&CS: The Importance of Proper Packagingto Successful Produce Marketing.
Dr. Jeanine Davis, Extension Specialist, Horticulture Science and Richard Boylan, Area Specialized Agent: Growing Heirloom and Heirloom-Type Hybrid Tomatoes in an Organic Production System.
Dr. Gina Fernandez, Extension Specialist, Horticulture Science: Bramble activities at Upper Mountain Research Station and beyond...

12:00 -1:30PM: Luncheon sponsored by Dole Foods

1:30PM -3:00PM: Program

3:00PM: Adjourn

Turfgrass Heat and Drought Stress

snagy — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:29:13 -0400

With recent temperatures topping 100 degrees, non-irrigated turfgrasses are showing signs of heat and drought stress. The initial visual symptom looks like dark spots in the lawn. This is due to leaf curling. The symptoms are most pronounced during the heat of the day. Often the plant will re-hydrate overnight. At some point, if the turfgrass plant is not able to re-hydrate, the leaves will turn brown and result in thinning of the turfgrass. But, just because the turf turns brown does not mean it is dead. This is the plant's protection mechanism.

It does not matter if the grass is tall fescue or zoysiagrass, the response is very similar. If allowed to go into summer dormancy, tall fescue can survive for an extended period of time despite its brown appearance. In one experiment conducted during last summer's intense heat and drought, all of our tall fescue cultivars tested recovered after 40 days without any water and most survived 48 days without water. The grasses then grew back from their crown when watering resumed. This is why we suggest dormant lawns are watered every three to four weeks with about ½ inch of water to keep the turf crowns hydration.

-- Dr. Grady Miller, Professor of Crop Science and Turf Specialist

Soybeans and Hot Weather

snagy — Mon, 9 Jun 2008 08:53:39 -0400

Soybeans, like many other plant species, cannot translocate enough water to keep up with the evapotranspiration demand that temperatures over about 95 degrees creates. So with temperatures over 95, soybeans will wilt in the heat of the day regardless of how much water is available to them. They close their stomates to dramatically reduce water loss from the leaf, but this also closes the stomates to carbon dioxide getting into the leaf, so little or no photosynthesis takes place while the stomates are closed.

If water is available to the soybean roots, the plants will tend to recover significantly when temperatures drop down into the 80s, and may well look pretty normal before nightfall. If water is not available to the roots, however, it will take them longer to recover. It's possible to kill soybean plants with a combination of little moisture in the root zone with high daytime temperatures, but soybeans can tolerate more of this situation than many other plant species can.

If soybeans have not started blooming, there is probably little long term effect other than having lost a few potential growing days. If soybean are blooming, or past blooming, they will tend to abort whatever reproductive structure is being developed at the time (e.g. flowers, pods, or seeds), which won't necessarily be too serious, if they have time to put on more flowers/pods/seeds.

Whether to plant with the current temperatures or not is not an easy call. If the soil has enough moisture that I expect to be able to get a crop up, I would be concerned about the soil temperature, and the expected daytime highs several days out. I'd be inclined to delay planting if soil temperatures are in the 90s at 2 inches depth, or if I expect the daytime highs to be above 95 when the plants emerge. If soil temperatures are in the 80s or below, and the daytime highs when the soybeans emerge are expected to be below 95, I'd probably go ahead and plant.

-- Dr. Jim Dunphy, Crop Science Extension Specialist

Cost-Share For County Farmers

snagy — Tue, 3 Jun 2008 10:04:48 -0400

farmers, farm organizations, and community groups for farm enterprises, which demonstrate new ways to generate income on the farm. RAFI-USA\u2019s Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund will award cost-share support of up to $10,000 to individual producers and support of up to $20,000 to collaborative farmer efforts. Demonstration grants will be awarded through a competitive selection process. Grants will be awarded to innovative projects which show farmers a new direction or opportunity. Priority will be given to projects that benefit farmers who had income from tobacco and to projects that create income opportunities for a new generation of farmers.

Deadline for applications is October 1, 2008. Funds will be available to farmers in December 2008. For complete eligibility requirements and guidelines, visit RAFI-USA\u2019s website at www.rafiusa.org. For application materials, more information, or to discuss potential project ideas contact:

Jason Roehrig
919-621-0534
jason@rafiusa.org

6th Annual Short Course for Private Landowners Offered

snagy — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:53:07 -0400

Pisgah National Forest, NC? Over the past 15 years, and in direct relation to a growing population, WNC has seen an increase in wildland-urban interface issues, including fire danger and invasive plant and animal species. Approximately three-fourths of all forestland in NC is owned by nonindustrial private woodlot owners and this course is designed to offer educational opportunities on diverse land management goals to these landowners, especially those owning 20 acres or less.

Landowners interested in learning more about managing their land in Western North Carolina are invited to participate in a unique educational event scheduled for this summer. A team of land management experts from federal and state agencies, universities, and the private sector are coordinating efforts to offer the annual Woodland Steward Series through the Biltmore Forest School.

48 hours over 4 one and a half day sessions will be provided with opportunities to engage with natural resource and land management specialists. Sessions include both hands-on opportunities in the field and instruction in the classroom. Introductory information on a wide variety of land management topics will be discussed.

Workshop Schedule:

Discovering Your Land: Basic Land Management Skills (July 11 & 12)--How to set property management goals and objectives while considering the role of your land in the big picture of Southern Appalachian ecosystems. A basic introduction to some local native wildlife and how to manage your land with wildlife in mind. Learn to use basic tools such as plant ID, soil sampling, using maps and compasses, and GIS information to manage your land.

Woodscaping Your Woodlands & Firewise Management (July 25 & 26)--A general overview of managing your forest land?how topography and soil affect the forest type and an overview of harvesting methods. Basic information on forest insects and diseases, pasture management, and how to grow native woodland medicinals and ramps. Reducing the risk of wildfire loss by becoming ?Firewise? in your backyard.

Native Landscaping & Water Management (August 8 & 9)--A general overview of creating a base map of your property and designing with native plants. Care of urban trees and basic information on invasive plants. View stormwater best management practices and erosion control measures. Basic information on planning and locating ponds and managing streamside riparian zones.

Stewardship, Recreation, & Liability (August 22 & 23)--Planning trails and roads on your property, plus the basics of land ownership liability and conservation easements. Explore management practices in the field and apply your new knowledge and skills. Finalize your goals and objectives. Graduation ceremony and lunch will follow on Saturday for those who have attended at least three of the four workshops.

Registration

The cost is $50.00 per person per session, with spouse or other family member at $25.00. Registration includes lunch and snacks on the first workshop day as well as workshop-related materials. Reserve your spot for the whole course by registering early! Registration deadline is one week prior to the session desired. Credit toward NC Environmental Education Certification is available, as well as CEU credits. Workshops also count as electives toward the Asheville Board of Realtors ECO Certification. For more information and registration materials, visit www.cradleofforestry.org or contact Amy Garascia, Program Coordinator, at amysworkshopinfo@aol.com or 828-884-5713 ex. 26.

The course is sponsored by: the Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, NC Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Forest Service Cradle of Forestry in America, NC Arboretum, NCWoodlands, Soil and Water Environmental Technology Center, and Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy.

Bread Wheat and Organic Production

snagy — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:33:29 -0400

June 24, 2008

4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Mountain Research Station

265 Test Farm Road Waynesville, NC 28786-4016

Demand for bread wheat and organic wheat is rising in NC. Come learn more about hard wheat varieties (bread wheat) that perform well in the southeast. We will hear from a USDA wheat breeder working on hard wheat varieties that do well in the southeast, as well a wheat agronomist and a farmer who is growing the varieties commercially in NC. Organic wheat production will also be covered, and an organic wheat farmer will talk about his experience. Conventional and organic wheat buyers will be in attendance to answer marketing questions.

Registration fee: $10 (dinner included)

To register, visit: www.cefs.ncsu.edu/calendar2008.htm

OR call: 919-513-0954

Agenda

4 p.m. Registration and Introductions

4:15 ? 5 Hard wheat variety trial (including some heirloom varieties) and agronomic considerations (David Marshall, USDA and Troy McCue, Agronomist, Mountain View Harvest Cooperative)

5 ? 5:30 Farmer experience with hard wheat in NC

5:30? 6 Organic wheat production (Chris Reberg-Horton, NCSU)

6 ? 6: 15 Farmer experience with organic wheat in NC

6:15 ? 6:30 Wheat buyers and processors talk marketing

6:30 Dinner - There will be opportunity during this time to talk further with wheat buyers and processors, as well as view harvested wheat and flour, and sample local artisan wheat breads.

Directions:

Off I-40 west, take Exit 27 onto 19/23 South. Go 3 miles to Exit 104 (the "Lake Junaluska - East Waynesville" Exit). Take Hwy 23 Business south toward Waynesville. Go 2 miles. At the traffic circle turn left onto Ratcliffe Cove Road (SR 1818). Travel approximately 0.6 mile, to the station sign (the road name will change to Raccoon Road - continue straight). Turn right onto Test Farm Road (SR 1810 - a gravel road). Follow the signs to the Mountain Research Station.

U.S. Department of Agriculture grants for N.C. farmers

snagy — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:21:45 -0400

RALEIGH ? The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services secured a $136,155 Specialty Crops Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support the continuation and development of four statewide agriculture programs.

The grant will be split between the Good Agricultural Practices Certification Cost Share, Farm to School and Specialty Crops programs, as well as a program to increase demand for the state?s green industry crops.

?Our farmers work very hard to provide some of the highest-quality fruits, vegetables and plants available for purchase,? said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. ?The programs supported by the Specialty Crops Block Grant will make our agriculture industry stronger and more competitive.?

The four programs meet the grant?s requirements that these funds enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in North Carolina, according to Ross Williams, assistant director of marketing for the NCDA&CS. The grant will be distributed between the four projects:

The GAP Certification Cost Share program, which began in 2007, has helped 30 farmers adhere to industry food safety standards known as Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices. The grant will provide up to $600 for a grower?s cost for an audit of the farm?s food safety program to decrease the risk of microbial contamination and increase buyer demand.
The Farm to School initiative serves to increase the number of North Carolina schools purchasing locally grown produce. A new program will be implemented with the grant money to supply schools with N.C. food products.
New varieties of honeydew, Asian melon, asparagus, lettuce for processing and medicinal herbs are just some of the crops the Specialty Crops partnership with N.C. State University has created to provide new sources of income for farmers. Grant money will fund marketing projects to promote new specialty crops.
The green industry marketing campaign will promote N.C. plants through targeted advertising and public relations efforts in conjunction with the Water-Wise Works! conservation program. For more information on the Water-Wise Works! program, visit its Web site at www.tarheelgardening.com.

For additional information on the grant or the programs it will support, contact Ross Williams, NCDCA&S Marketing Division, at (919) 733-7887, ext. 237, or by e-mail at ross.williams@ncmail.net.

BQA Sale at Turnersburg

snagy — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:55:11 -0400

To: Beef Cattle Producers

Re: Beef Quality Assurance Feeder Calf Sale, August 14

Thanks for your interest in the BQA Feeder Calf Sale scheduled for August 14 at Harward Brothers Livestock Market in Turnersburg, NC. This letter is to provide information on sale requirements and deadlines so you can make a decision on whether or not to participate. You may contact our office at any time if you have questions. The consignment deadline is June 14.

Requirements ? only farm raised calves that are less than one year of age as of August 14, 2008. No bulls will be accepted, only steers and heifers. All other rules of the regular graded sales will apply. Extension and NCDA&CS personnel and the market owner will make decisions on grouping cattle to form trailer load lots if that potential exists with the cattle on hand. No consignor will have a no sale privilege.

Sale Requirements

? Producers must have a current BQA (Beef Quality Assurance) certification.

? Farm must have a premise identification number.

? Calves will be source and age verified according to USDA specifications. Contact Bruce Shankle, NCDA&CS at 919-733-7912, ext. 251 or 704-826-8848 for information and procedures.

? Calves must be weaned and bunk broke at least 45 days before sale.

? Final vaccinations (2^nd set of shots) must be given at least 3 weeks before the sale and no more than 6 weeks before the sale.

? 1^st set of shots should be given 2 to 4 weeks before Final Vaccinations.

? Vaccination records, dates and products must be maintained and provided to the market operator.

? Cattle will be graded, weighed and penned according to grade, weight, breed and sex. Over filled cattle will not be graded. Cattle will be graded and sold in truckload lots whenever possible.

? Sire ID recommended, but not required.

Health Requirements

The 2008 health protocol requires that all BQA Sale cattle follow a vac45 program

? The Intervet Beef Calf Health Management Protocol has been selected for this program and all consignors must use this program for their calves.

For more information on the specific requirements of this program contact your local livestock extension agent.

Health Requirements

? Two (2) doses of modified live respiratory vaccine (Vista Once and Vista 5)

? Two (2) doses of clostridial/blackleg vaccine (Vision 7 and Vision 7 With Somnus)

? One (1) dose of pasteurella vaccine (already contained in Vista Once)

This dose can be administered in combination products in order to reduce the number of injection sites.

? One (1) dose of Haemophilus Somnus vaccine (already contained in Vision 7 Somnus)

This dose can be administered in combination products in order to reduce the number of sites.

? Parasite Control ( Safe-Guard Drench)

The last date to wean calves for this sale is July 1. The first series of shots can be given no earlier than June 5. Final vaccinations can be given no later than July 24. Refer to all other health requirements above when determining when you wean and vaccinate calves to meet all requirements.

Lextron Animal Health will provide all animal health products and Lutz Farm and Garden in Catawba County has been selected to provide these products for your use. They can be reached at (704) 462-1227.

Mike Miller Jeff Carpenter

Agricultural Ext. Agent Area Specialized Agent, Livestock

Return this consignment form to the Catawba County Extension Office no later than June 14.

I plan to deliver _____ steers and _____ heifers to the Turnersburg Area BQA Sale on Thursday, August 14.

Delivery times will be 7 AM til 4 PM.

_______________________________

(Producer)

____________________

(Date)

Return to: Catawba County Cooperative Extension Service

c/o Jeff Carpenter, Area Specialized Agent, Livestock

P. O. Box 389

Newton, NC 28658

(828) 465-8240

Current Status of Soybean Rust in North America - May 2008

snagy — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:47:06 -0400

Soybean rust is viable in parts of Florida and Texas at this time. Rust was found fairly far north in Mississippi on kudzu, but was under water for sometime and though the kudzu may recover from flooding, the rust will have to reach this site again to initiate new infections. Rust may be active in Mexico onvolunteer soybean growing in corn on a limited acreage, but there is a good chance that these volunteer soybean have since been killed with herbicides.Though we have yet to receive reports of soybean rust on jicama (yambean, a crop grown in Mexico on as much as 100,000 acres) there is a good possibility that it may be developing there since yam bean has been planted andthe rainy season has or should start soon. Planting of sentinel plots in Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi has been completed, though some sites mayhave to be replanted because of excessive rainfall. Some early maturing soybeanin Mississippi and Louisiana are now flowering and conditions are good for rust development, but planting delays may inhibit development of rust in these locations.

Another Host for Soybean Rust

A new host for soybean rust in the US is Coral Bean, grown in many areas especially along the East coast. Pictures of this plant can be found at http://www.floridata.com/ref/E/erythrin.cfm.Coral bean is most likely to serve as an additional over wintering host for soybean rust in the gulf coast states, and its contributions to the epidemiology of have not been assessed at this time.

Soybean Rust Summary for North Carolina - Reflections on 2005-2007

Resources for Soybean Rust in 2008

Soybean rust sentinel plots will be planted inthe next 30 days in most locations. In addition, we have a teletip phone number 1-800-662-7301 (the same number as for the cottoninsect update) with a message updated as necessary.

There are more resources for information on Asiatic soybean rust available this year than in many years in the past. Soybean Rust Management in the Mid-AtlanticRegion can be found at the SSDW web site http://cipm.ncsu.edu/ent/SSDW/, as well as the Soybean Disease Atlas. The Fungicide Manual is available as a PDF version from http://oardc.osu.edu/soyrust/. This Fungicide Manual actually contains more information than most growers are likely to need.

Some sources for more detailed information are listedbelow:

The USDA soybean rust web site http://www.sbrusa.net/cgi-bin/sbr/public.cgi
The North Carolina Crop Protection Manual http://ipm.ncsu.edu/agchem/6-9.pdf
Fungicide Manual http://oardc.osu.edu/soyrust/

SteveKoenning Extension Soybean Pathology Specialist North Carolina State Universityand Jim Dunphy Soybean Specialist Crop Science

Livestock Compensation Program

snagy — Fri, 9 May 2008 09:01:47 -0400

Just want to make everyone aware of the Livestock Compensation Program. This is a USDA program offered though the Farm Service Agency. Our local office is in Morganton. My understanding is this program is fairly simple and payments are timely. Basically USDA is helping livestock owners from last year's drought. The beef rates are: $10.66 per head for cows and bulls and $8.00 per head for non-adults animals weighing 500 lbs or more.

To learn more about this program contact the Farm service Agency in Morganton at 828.439.9727.

Wheat Head Scab

snagy — Wed, 7 May 2008 17:16:18 -0400

Weather conditions during the end of April were ideal for the development of head scab in many parts of the state. Caldwell County's risk of head scab or fusarium head blight was low, but it has been a problem in the past. Planting seed from infected fields increases the risk.

Head Scab shows up as pinkish heads, like the ones pictured below. The kernels may have high levels of vomitoxin. Increasing the air in the combine can help blow them out the back end of the combine.

To learn more about head scab go to http://www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu/Pests/Scab.html

Applying Fungicides At Todays High Wheat Prices

snagy — Fri, 2 May 2008 14:06:46 -0400

Over the past months, there have been lots of questions about application of fungicides to wheat. The central issues have been:

Do strobilurin fungicides (like Quadris or Headline) increase yield when diseases are not present?
At high wheat prices, shouldn't our spray thresholds be lower?
At high wheat prices, shouldn't fungicides be applied routinely to all our wheat?
Have the University recommendations been updated anytime in the last few years?
Why is the University not encouraging more fungicide use?

To help answer these questions, Randy Weisz - NC Small Grains Extension Specialist compiled the latest information from his research and colleagues from around the Southeast. I think for Caldwell County growers variety selection can be a very useful tool and the most cost effective. We do not have a high disease pressure like is present in the eastern part of the State.

I hope you find it useful. The report can be found at:

http://www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu/SmartGrains/No19Fungicides.pdf

Cost-share program to help farmers recovering from drought

snagy — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:32:32 -0400

RALEIGH --- North Carolina farmers reeling from drought can obtain help under a program unveiled Tuesday in Raleigh. The program will cover 75 percent of the cost of restoring drought-damaged pastureland and providing additional water supply for livestock and crops.

The N.C. Agricultural Drought Recovery Program will be administered statewide through local Soil and Water Conservation district offices beginning May 1. It was made possible by a $6 million grant from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.

"This grant makes it possible for more than 1,000 farmers and farm operations to restore some of the damage from last summer's severe drought and to prepare, so the next long, hot and dry summer doesn't do as much damage," said Billy Ray Hall, president of the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center.

The Rural Center worked with the General Assembly's Joint Select Committee on Agriculture Drought Response, the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, several state agencies and other agricultural interests to design the program and arrange funding. The Division of Soil and Water Conservation, which will administer the program, is part of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Others participating in the program design were the N.C. Department of Agriculture, North Carolina Grange, N.C. Farm Bureau, N.C. State University Agricultural Extension Service, N.C. Foundation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, U.S. Department of Agriculture, N.C. Soil and Water Conservation Commission and Agricultural Advancement Consortium.

Rep. Ray Rapp, co-chairman of the legislative committee, said a bill seeking an additional $6 million to extend the program to more farmers will be submitted to the General Assembly in May.

"We recognized that any proposal we made to the legislature could not go into effect before July at the earliest, too late to save many of our farmers," Rapp said. "Fortunately, the friends of agriculture in North Carolina are not limited to members of the General Assembly. Money from the Tobacco Trust Fund lets us put this project into effect immediately."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture last year designated 85 of North Carolina's 100 counties as natural disaster areas. As of April 8, 80 counties remained under drought conditions with the other 20 considered abnormally dry.

Farmers affected by the drought may apply to one of the state's 96 Soil and Water Conservation district offices for help with several types of projects. These include pasture renovation, drilling and redrilling wells, pond construction and renovation, converting closed lagoons to fresh water ponds, and upgrading existing irrigation systems to more efficient models. The program is open to farmers with a total adjusted gross income of less than $250,000 or those who derive 75 percent of their income from farming operations.

"North Carolina farmers lost a half billion dollars in crops last year because of this drought -- that's 17 percent of total crop revenue in a typical year," said Sen. Charlie Albertson, also a committee co-chair. "The damage wasn't merely in lost harvest. Pastureland needs to be renovated and reseeded before livestock can graze again, and we're still in this drought. Farmers really need our help to go forward."

This information comes from the www.ncruralcenter.org

Soybean Rust Past Present and Future

snagy — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:49:21 -0400

Current Status of Soybean Rust in North America

As of April 8, 2008, soybean rust is viable in parts of Florida, southern Alabama (Mobile area on kudzu), and Louisiana. Rust was found overwintering fairly far north in Mississippi on kudzu, but this site is now under water. Rust is active in Mexico on volunteer soybean growing in corn at this time on a limited acreage, but no soybean rust has been found on jicama (yam bean, a crop grown in Mexico on as much as 100,000 acres) because their rainy season has not started yet. Planting of sentinel plots in Florida is nearly complete, and many have been planted in Mississippi. Sentinel plot planting in Mississippi is currently on hold because many fields are under water and many if not all of their sentinel plots may have to be replanted.

Soybean Rust Summary for North Carolina: Reflections on 2005-2007

Soybean rust has been detected in North Carolina every year since 2005. Rust was found in 17, 44, and 6 counties in 2005, 2006, and 2007 respectively. For the most part it has not required fungicide sprays. Only in 2006 was it recommended that fungicides be sprayed in the southeastern counties on late planted late maturity soybean. Yield increases in these areas were on the order of 4 to 5 bushels per acre.

Soybean rust generally moves from south to north from Florida to Georgia and finally to North Carolina and Virginia. Much of this movement is by local spread which is relatively slow. Tropical systems that moved through the state from the south have resulted in either delivery of spores or provided an environment conducive for rust to develop. In 2005 this was Ophelia and in 2006 tropical storm Ernesto coincided with development of rust in North Carolina. There was some concern in 2007 when a tropical storm moved through in June which could have brought spores from Florida. This did not happen because Florida and South Georgia were extremely dry and if there was any spore production in Florida prior to this time it was very minor. You have to have spores for a transport event (movement from one location to another).

In general we will likely need a wet spring and a summer with lots of ?gray days? to have an epidemic that requires fungicide sprays over large areas of the state. This can be expected about one year in five to one year in ten in North Carolina. We will continue to maintain a network of communication with county Extension agents, CCAs, and consultants to provide warnings about the need to spray for rust. Sentinel plots will be planted in the next 30 days in most locations. In addition, have a Teletip phone number, 1-800-662-7301 (the same number as for the cotton insect update), with a message updated as necessary.

Soybean Rust Prospects for 2008

The potential for soybean rust to negatively affect North Carolina soybean production in 2008 appears greater than in the three previous years (2005-2007) ?at this time.? I emphasize ?at this time,? since my crystal ball is no better than most, and this is mostly speculation for April 2008.
Factors that may make soybean rust more of a problem in 2008 are as follows:

It seems that the La Nina effect that was at least partially responsible for the 2007 drought is breaking up, thus the chances for at least average rainfall or greater are improved.
Projected soybean plantings for 2008 to the south of us, Georgia and Alabama may well double in 2008. Increased wheat plantings this year make it likely that more soybeans will be planted double crop to the south of us this year. This of course is partially dependent on soybean seed supply.
Some crop protection specialists are concerned that fungicide supply in 2008 may be limited because of increased use on the small grains this spring. There are reports that some wheat growers are already planning on two fungicide applications on wheat this spring (2008).
The large North Carolina wheat crop is likely to mean increased double-cropped soybean in 2008 which may be at greater risk to soybean rust. This again depends on the supply of seed.

Obviously, this is only speculation on our part. The transport of rust to North Carolina is dependent on numerous environmental factors, including weather to the south of us and environment during the growing season. Still greater vigilance seems warranted at this time.

Resources for Soybean Rust in 2008

There are more resources for information on Asiatic soybean rust available this year than in many years in the past. Some sources for more detailed information are available on the web at:

USDA soybean rust web site:
http://www.sbrusa.net/cgi-bin/sbr/public.cgi

North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual soybean disease control recommendations:
http://ipm.ncsu.edu/agchem/6-9.pdf

From: Steve Koenning, Extension Soybean Plant Pathologist, and Jim Dunphy, Extension Soybean Crop Scientist

How Much Nitrogen?

snagy — Tue, 1 Apr 2008 10:39:21 -0400

NC Cooperative Extension Corn Specialist, Ron Heininger was recently interviewed by the Southeast Farm Press. Dr. Heininger talked about how much nitrogen it will take to make a corn crop. This is the same material that he presented at the Iredell County Corn and Soybean Meeting on February 21.

I was at the meeting in Iredell, but it never hurts to hear new messages more than once. Read the article at (southeastfarmpress.com/grains/corn-fertilization-0327/).

Soybean Rust Update

snagy — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:45:04 -0400

This is our first soybean rust update for 2008, and is being sent now both to catch you up to date on the status of rust in the continental US, and to be sure we?re still getting to everyone we intended to reach, before rust becomes more active. If you know of any Extension soybean agents, CCAs, licensed consultants, regional NCDA&CS agronomists, research station superintendents, or CPAs who did not receive this update, please let Jim Dunphy (919/515-5813) or Steve Koenning (919/515-3905) know.

Florida has rust on kudzu in south Florida (Tampa and below), and in the Jacksonville area, but not in the panhandle area. They have had rust on kudzu in the panhandle until the past two weeks.

Georgia has some kudzu greening up, but no rust has been detected yet.

Alabama has rust on kudzu in Mobile. They have 2-3 week old soybeans growing in the Baldwin area . (Both cities are on the coast.)

Mississippi has found no rust yet this winter, and has 20 sentinel plots planted.

Louisiana has green kudzu on the coast, but has found no rust. 2 of their sentinel plots have been planted.

Texas has kudzu and Texas Bluebonnet up and growing , but no rust has been found yet.

Mexico had rust on soybeans 2 weeks ago, and we presume still does.

We (NC State University) plan to have sentinel plots this year in Bertie, Camden, Carteret, Cherokee, Cleveland, Columbus (2), Edgecombe, Gates, Granville, Henderson, Hyde, Johnston, Lenoir, Montgomery, New Hanover, Pasquotank, Rowan, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Union, Washington, and Wayne counties, all with a very early maturing variety and a mid-season variety.

For More Information:

Soybean Seed Supply From NCDA

snagy — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:23:12 -0400

Due to extreme weather conditions across North Carolina over the past year, it had been expected there might be potential shortages of seed for the 2008 season. The primary purpose of this communication is to share general information related to the seed supply that will be helpful in your discussions with our state's farmers.

Soybean seed production, in general, has been greatly affected by the extreme drought conditions last year resulting in reduced yields and a slight decline in overall seed quality. It is expected there will be an increase in soybean acreage for this season, further impacting the potential availability of seed for planting. As a result, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Plant Industry Division has received multiple inquiries from farmers expressing concerns related to seed supply issues, specifically for soybeans. Producers that might have booked their seed order early are receiving information on potential allocations from seed dealers. Others that have not booked or do not have existing agreements with dealers may be turned away.

To assess the potential seed shortage, NCDA&CS convened a cross-section of individuals representing the N.C. Seedsman's Association, North Carolina Crop Improvement Association, and multiple private industry partners to discuss the current conditions. From this group, it was determined the certified seed growers here in North Carolina are still in the process of conditioning seed for the 2008 planting season. As such, they do not yet have final bag counts.

There may be some potential relief for seed supplies. It was determined that a limited amount of seed of lesser quality are held "on reserve" in the state for use if needed. However, supplies of lower quality seed are limited and would likely be utilized only in extreme emergencies. It is expected that the price for these seed would likely be reduced. Some companies have already lowered their germinations for certain varieties to 75%. Lower germination levels are legally acceptable, down to 70% for soybeans, sold in North Carolina. Many producers may not be able to plant their preferred soybean varieties and/or maturity groups. In consultation with N.C. State University, producers may need to review or re-assess overall seeding rates.

Drs. Spears and Dunphy, NCSU Crop Science, recommend that if soybean seed are labeled at 80% germination or higher, no adjustments from normal seeding rates are recommended. If soybean seed are labeled at 70-79% germination, seeding rates should be increased by 10% for full season (e.g. May) plantings, or by 5% for double-crop (e.g. June) plantings. Be sure to account for seed size (as reflected in the number seeds per pound), since this may be variable this season. There is also concern that the lower germinating seed may well be accompanied by lower vigor, which would be more serious with the cooler May planting dates than with the warmer June plantings.

The industry partner group is expected to continue to track the seed supply issue over the next few weeks and will reconvene to jointly share information. Based on this information, NCDA&CS will assess the need for further actions.

Should you have information related to this issue, please contact Eddie Martin, NCDA&CS Seed Administrator by email: Eddie.Martin@ncmail.net or phone: 919-733-3933 ext. 226.

Local Pesticide Recertification Credits

snagy — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:24:30 -0400

3/25/2008 - Charlotte, NC 1 hr credit A N D X, Aquatic Weed Mangement, Contact: Jim Monroe - (704) 336-4006
3/27/2008 - Fletcher, NC 3 hr credit A B G H I K L M N O T D X, Saving Money by Calibrating Sprayers, Contact: Amanda Stone - (828) 255-5522
3/28/2008 - Laurel Springs, NC 3 hr credit N O D X, Mountain Forage Field Day, Contact: Callie Birdsell - (828) 264-3061

Cerone To Reduce Wheat Lodging

snagy — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:48:47 -0400

Some farmers are asking about Cerone. In general, we have not recommended using Cerone in NC, but there are cases where it can be beneficial. If you are concerned about lodging, Cerone maybe something to consider. However, it may do more harm than good if applied improperly. What follows is information from Randy Weisz, NCSU Small Grain Extension Specialist.

Cerone is a plant growth regulator that can be used to shorten the distance between nodes (where each leaf attaches to the main stem) in small grains. By shortening internode length, plant height is reduced. This helps reduce the likelihood of lodging during grain-fill and ripening. Cerone must be applied at the correct growth stage or yield losses can occur. Late application, can significantly reduce yields. Also, keep in mind that Cerone cannot increase yield potential, but only minimize yield loss due to lodging problems.

Cerone is very beneficial in reducing yield losses from lodging in fields that traditionally have problems with lodging. Cerone should be applied only on fields that are frequently scouted to determine growth stage.

Situations that favor consideration of Cerone are as follows:

Wheat with high nitrogen (N) application rates.
Heavily manured ground.
Wheat coming into the spring with excessive growth and at risk to lodging.
Small grains are between Feekes Growth Stage 8 (flag leaf is visible but rolled up, the head is starting to swell inside the stem) and Feekes Growth Stage 9 (early boot, ligule of flag leaf is visible).

Cerone should not be used in the following situations:

Before Feekes growth stage 8.
After the boot has split, or anytime the heads are exposed.
In fields that are not frequently scouted for growth stage development.
When temperatures are higher than 90 degrees.
When small grains are drought stressed.
When small grains have fungal disease present and a fungicide is not applied.
Rainfall is anticipated within 4 hours.
Small grains have already lodged.

If your situation indicates a need for Cerone, read and understand the label. Because of the economic consequences of misapplication, understand the limitations and restrictions on when it can be applied.

More information about small grain production can be found at www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu

NC State University's 8th Annual Worm Farming Conference

snagy — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:50:46 -0500

May 19 & 20

Raleigh, NC

This a chance to see the top vermicompost researchers and worm growers in the
U.S. all in one place!

At this conference, you will learn:

Current research on the effects of vermicompost and tea on plant growth and disease suppression
How to brew and use vermicompost tea
How to effectively market worms and vermicompost
What successful worm farmers do at their facilities
Types of vermicomposting technologies
Testing vermicompost, soil and feedstocks

Details about the conference and registration are on our conference
website at www.bae.ncsu.edu/workshops/worms08/index.htm

Conference Chair and Coordinator: Rhonda Sherman

2008 Agricultural Commodity Meetings

snagy — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:16:23 -0500

Event

Date

Location

Weed Science Society of NC Annual Meeting	March 6, 2008	NCSU JC Raulston Arboretum. Ruby McSwain Education Center, Raleigh, NC
Cooperative Council of North Carolina	March 6-7, 2008	Embassy Suites, Greensboro, NC
NC State Beekeepers Association Spring Conference	March 7-8, 2008	Burlington, NC
Plant Pathology Society of North Carolina Annual Meeting	March 13, 2008	Bartlett Tree Research Lab, Charlotte, NC
27th Annual NC Watermelon Association Annual Convention	March 14-15, 2008	Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, Wrightsville Beach, NC
NC Potato Association Meeting (80th)	May 19, 2008	Pines Golf Club, Elizabeth City, NC
Southeast Greenhouse Conference & Trade Show	June 19-21, 2008	Greenville Convention Center, Greenville, NC
NC State Beekeepers Association Summer Meeting	July 10-12, 2008	Southern Pines
Crop Protection Association of NC Meeting (Summer)	July 24-26, 2008	Marriot, Myrtle Beach, SC
NC Seedsmen's Association	July 27-29, 2008	Grove Park Inn, Ashville, NC
Summer Green Show & Power Expo	August 12-15, 2008	Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Annual Meeting	November 10-13, 2008	Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Myrtle Beach, SC
NC Agricultural Consultants Association Meeting (Fall)	December 2-3, 2008	Blue Ridge Ramada Inn, Raleigh, NC
Crop Protection Association of NC (Winter)	December 16, 2008	McKimmon Center, Raleigh, NC

NCDA Wrapping Up Hay Program

snagy — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:06:10 -0500

I think the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) has responded better than I could have ever imagined to the 2007 drought. They have gone above and beyond what I expected. I don't know of a single person who would disagree with that statement.

It is now time for NCDA to switch off crisis mode and start returning to normal. They have issued a press release to this effect. The link is below.

Emergency Hay Program to begin winding down

New: Tank Mix N With Insecticides or Fungicides?

snagy — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:13:00 -0500

Hessian flies have been found farther west that normal this year. I've seem them in Rowan County at the NCDA Research Station. This is not normal. The good news for Caldwell farmers is I've not seem any in the county and don't expect to see any. However, to respond to those who are being effected by Hessian fly, NCSU Small Grain Specialist Dr. Randy Weisz has developed a great factsheet.

To see this and other great production info visit www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu.

Drought Page

snagy — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:33:48 -0500

Ever wish you could find everything all in one place? Well, if you're looking for drought information you wish has been granted. NC State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) has created a site called "dealing with drought".

NC Lawns May Benefit from Spring Seeding

snagy — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:22:25 -0500

Dave Caldwell
North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture

While many people may consider turfgrasses as plants used only for aesthetic purposes, Yelverton reminds people that turfgrasses have a positive effect on the environment. Turfgrasses help keep soil in place and act as a natural filter for water and air.   North Carolina homeowners who watched their lawns fry in the drought conditions of the summer and fall of 2007 may want to take the unusual step of spring seeding in an effort to renovate turf, say turfgrass experts at North Carolina State University.

Normally, the best time for lawn renovation - tasks such as seeding and aerating - is the fall, said Dr. Fred Yelverton, crop science professor and North Carolina Cooperative Extension specialist in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at N.C. State. And normally, Yelverton would not recommend spring seeding. But these are not normal times, as drought continues to grip North Carolina and much of the Southeast. While lawns across North Carolina were damaged by the drought during the summer and fall of 2007, Yelverton said most lawns appear to be "salvageable." And among the steps he recommends to salvage and renovate lawns is a process called "slit seeding."

Because of the drought and outdoor irrigation restrictions in many parts of the state, Yelverton added, many homeowners did not seed their lawns last fall. Even though irrigation restrictions remain in place throughout the state, many lawns will benefit from seeding this spring, he said. Yelverton recommends slit seeding, a process that employs a machine that opens the soil so that seeds will be in contact with the soil. Irrigation is normally recommended following seeding, but Yelverton said homeowners don't need to irrigate to benefit from seeding. As long as the seeds are in contact with soil, they'll germinate when it rains, even if there's a gap between the time seed is sown and it rains.

Spring is also the time for fertilizing lawns, particularly tall fescue lawns, and Yelverton said homeowners should follow a normal fertilization schedule. He cautioned homeowners who seed their lawns to be careful if they also apply herbicide this spring. "People need to be careful with spring pre-emergence herbicide applications," Yelverton said. "Seed can be damaged by certain herbicides.It is important that the correct herbicide is used once the fescue reaches a certain growth stage".   He suggested checking the N.C. State University Turffiles Web site for herbicide recommendations for spring-seeded lawns. Turffiles (www.turffiles.ncsu.edu) is a Web site developed by N.C. State turfgrass experts with information for homeowners and landscape professionals on growing and caring for turfgrass in North Carolina.

Homeowners who watched their tall fescue lawns suffer through last year's dry conditions may also be considering converting their lawns to more drought-tolerant types of turfgrass, but now is not the time for such a conversion, said Dr. Grady Miller, professor of crop science at N.C. State. North Carolina is considered part of the transition zone for growing turfgrasses. Both warm-season and cool-season grasses can be grown but specific conditions may favor one grass over another. Tall fescue, which is the predominate turf found in North Carolina, is a cool-season grass. Warm-season grasses such as bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and centipede, are more tolerant of the hot, dry summers than tall fescue. Warm-season grasses go dormant and turn brown over the winter, then green up in the spring. Miller said late spring is normally the best time to establish a warm-season grass lawn, but establishing a new lawn requires irrigation, and that's not possible in many parts of North Carolina due to local water restrictions. Besides, Miller added, while it's true warm-season grasses generally require less water than cool-season grasses, the amount of water used by the plant depends on the specific cultivar, or type, of warm- or cool-season grass. And warm-season grasses are not as tolerant to shade, so they may not be appropriate for many North Carolina landscapes.

The Turffiles Turf Select program contains information on different types of grass and which are best suited for different applications and parts of North Carolina, along with other information designed to help homeowners and landscape professionals weather the drought.   Once your lawn is established, you can track its water needs online using the Turf Irrigation Management System (TIMS) (www.TurfFiles.ncsu.edu/TIMS).

This FREE program takes into consideration your grass and soil types to help track and predict irrigation needs. Local State Climate Office weather station data is used to calculate rain, and water evapotranspiration. These values combined with your grass and soil type are used to predict daily irrigation needs. TIMS also offers options for water restrictions. It's a great tool to look at the real water use demands of your lawn system-and offers North Carolina a tool against over-watering.

For more information on turfgrass please contact the Caldwell County Extension Center at 828 757 1290 or e-mail seth_nagy@ncsu.edu.

WNC Independent Poultry and Rabbit Meat Producers Workshop

snagy — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:54:49 -0500

March 29 - 9am to 4pm
McDowell Technical Community College, Marion NC
William Harold Smith Building

Exciting things are happening in the world of poultry and rabbit meat production in the western part of North Carolina. You are invited to attend a full day workshop in March to learn and share tips and techniques on how to succeed in this growing niche market. Learn about best practices for farm management, tips on successful marketing, and information about regulatory requirements for direct-marketing of poultry and rabbit meat.

Plans are underway for development of a small scale inspected slaughter and processing facility to serve independent producers. Come and hear more about this effort, review floor plans and equipment lists, and help make this project a real benefit to our community!

Presenters will include fellow farm producers, cooperative extension personnel, marketing specialists, and supermarket and restaurant buyers. Our keynote speaker is Dr. James McNitt, Rabbit Production Specialist and Professor of Animal Science at the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Baton Rouge, LA.

This workshop is organized by the Independent Small Animal Meat Processors Association of Western North Carolina (ISAMPA). ISAMPA\u2019s mission includes: Promoting best practices for raising, processing and marketing small meat animals; support for the development of a small animal processing facility meeting state or federal inspection requirements, and; raising public awareness of small animal meat products humanely raised and processed in a manner that contributes to the social, economic, and environmental well being of western North Carolina\u2019s people and natural resources.

Support for this workshop comes from a USDA Value Added Producers Grant and Heifer International. A delicious lunch will be served, and admission is free (with a $10 suggested donation).

Please RSVP by March 15 by calling Smithson Mills at 828-273-9119, or by emailing smithson@smithsonmills.com. Please give your name, phone number, and email address when your register.

Wheat Production Meeting

snagy — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:15:08 -0500

A Wheat Production meeting will be held Wednesday, March 5. The meeting will start with a sponsored BREAKFAST at 8:00 am at Knox Grain Farm's Shop Building on 3485 Amity Hill Road, Cleveland NC (near intersection of Knox Farm Road and Amity Hill Road).

We will discuss growth stages of wheat, tissue sampling to determine Nitrogen needs, insects, diseases etc. One hour of pesticide credit is approved.

Please contact me for breakfast reservations by Februrary 29 at 828.757.1290 or seth_nagy@ncsu.edu for interested producers.

Google Map Link

24th Annual On-Site Wastewater Treatment Conference

snagy — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:44:27 -0500

Old Problems ? New $olutions

April 15-17, 2008

McKimmon Center
North Carolina State University

The Major Focus in this year's conference is the development of new, regional solutions for old problems. Existing problems that have been encountered over many years can now be solved using advanced on-site wastewater treatment technologies and newly improved siting, design, installation, and operation methods. These have become much more routine over the past 2-3 years. Many advanced technologies, siting practices and design solutions, that were viewed as extravagant and way out-of-the-norm a few years ago, are now becoming standard systems and solutions for today. This progression to advanced technologies and more sophisticated site assessments and designs will be the norm in the future.

All of us in the on-site wastewater industry, whether Environmental Health Specialists, Program Specialists, Supervisors, Licensed Soil Scientists, Engineers and System Designers, Certified Installers and Inspectors, Certified Operators, or Developers are involved in a continually changing technical world. We will need to improve our understanding of these new designs as well as their siting, installation and O&M needs in order to keep them functioning properly. This is absolutely required if we want to assure public health protection, environmental soundness, and sustainable wastewater management options for our citizens and communities.

The 2007 conference had a record attendance of just over 450 participants, and early indications are that 2008 will grow even larger. You have asked for sessions on the most critical topics in on-site wastewater, and you will hear the brightest and most experienced in-state and out-of-state experts address these issues.

Highlights
Keynote Speakers: Bill Stuth and David Linahan
Regional sessions focused on the Piedmont, Coast, and Mountains
Great technical sessions on soils, design, technologies, installation, & O&M
Manufacturers Exhibition Hall
Awards Luncheon & reception with door prizes
Special guest appearance by the "King of Poo," children's educator
9 excellent tour options
Free t-shirt for every participant

To register or see complete conference details

Fertilize in Februrary

snagy — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:26:44 -0500

I guess everyone is aware just how expensive fertilizer is this year. Last report showed Nitrogen was almost $0.70 per pound. That is expensive! You do not have control over fertilizer prices, but you do have control of if and when you fertilize. Cool season pastures and hay field should be fertilized before March 15.

Common cool season grasses are fescue, orchardgrass, and ryegrass. In clover grass mixtures limit nitrogen to a maximum 40 pounds per acre. Pastures with clover mixes should also be grazed sooner so the clover does not get shaded out. Start grazing when it reaches six to eight inches and remove animals when it is down to three. Grass mono-cultures should be grazed stating at eight to ten inches and stop grazing at three or four.

Lastly . . . if you can . . . don't start grazing immediately when it greens up in late March. Give forages a chance to replenish their reserves and strengthen the root system.

North Carolina's Changing Agriculture

snagy — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:54:24 -0500

North Carolina is changing. In just 23 short years the changes have been astonishing. Tobacco was 27% of the farm cash receipts in 1983, today they account for only 6% . Farms are fewer, but now 51 acres larger. And agriculture is still big business, last year Agriculture grossed 8.2 billion dollars in North Carolina . . . if you think these statistics are interesting then you'll want to read Dr. Blake Brown's article in the Value-Added and Alternative Agriculture Newsletter.

More NCSU Ag-Econ Newsletters

Cattle Handling Facilities

snagy — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:52:44 -0500

The factsheet on cattle handling facilities has been updated with new inforamtion. If you have question or comments please forward them to me at seth_nagy@ncsu.edu.

Cattle Handling Facilities

The World We live In

snagy — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:31:15 -0500

Today we worry about terror attacks on the homeland. Agriculture has heightened its security with regards to crop dusters and stored fertilizers and pesticides. This seems like a new thing for agriculture, but maybe this is not so.

Last week I was doing a little research on cattle handling facilities. I was updating a publication (Cattle Handling Facilities) and found some plans for a Cattle Fallout Shelter. The plans are dated 1963. The Cuban Missile Crisis took place in late 1962. I'd bet these plans from the Maryland Extension Service were a result of the incident.

To me it seems crazy to have a bunker for cattle. If an attack occurred there would be radiation spread all over the pastures. The cattle that survived the attack would concentrate the radioactive fallout when they grazed. I guess it seemed like a good idea at the time. I wonder if any were built?

NCDA Pasteurizer Loan Program

snagy — Tue, 5 Feb 2008 14:45:15 -0500

When farmers expand into the value-added business, startup costs can be overwhelming. One of the larger expenses dairy producers face when adding value to their fluid milk is the pasteurizer. To help, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) will be loaning pasteurizers to two dairy operations in the State for one year.

The selection criteria will be based on:

    * Business readiness of the applicant;
    * Experience in the dairy industry;
    * Viability of the business plan;
    * Knowledge of value-added dairy production;
    * Suitability of available pasteurizer to the planned production;
    * Personal investment of time and money in the value-added venture.

Applications are due by February 29 and award winners will be announced March 15. Complete rules and information are available from Ron Fish, assistant director of marketing, NCDA&CS, 1020 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699. He may also be reached at (919) 733-7887, ext. 219, or ron.fish@ncmail.net.

Weed Watch

snagy — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:43:04 -0500

A lush healthy sod is a barrier for weeds, then have a trough time growing through it. However, the drought has left our pastures and hayfields in rough shape. Weeds will be able to get a foot hold this year. The most likely weeds we'll see this spring are henbit, chickweed, buttercup, and hedge mustard. These are not new weeds, we've seen them before. They germinate in the fall or early spring and grow quickly when the weathers warms.

The key to controlling these weeds is spraying when they are young (a.k.a. small). Big weeds are just harder to control (and gobble up that expensive fertilizer) . Look at your fields, really look at them. Get down on your hands and knees to see if there are tiny weeds under the grass. These winter annual weeds should be controlled January to March. Early control is easier and easy is better.

The other thing I'm concerned about are new weeds. Anytime hay gets moved around the county weeds get moved too. If you see weird weeds it could be something new. Contact me if you suspect a new weed, especially if you've feed hay from outside the County or State.

Weed Images

Seedingling Henbit

Mature Henbit

Common Chickweed

Mouseear Chickweed

Buttercup

Hedge Mustard

Hedge Mustard Seed Pod

Weed Images Courtesy of
Virgina Tech Weed Guide
www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/

Get Certified in Stormwater BMP Inspection & Maintenance

snagy — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 12:09:40 -0500

Attention landscapers! There is a business opportunity emerging for specialized services in the local area. Many new construction projects are incorporating devices that modify how rainwater is managed on the building site. These devices are permanent and should be periodically inspected and maintained by a trained person or company.

These rainwater devices or stormwater best management practices (BMP's) are things like; raingardens, bioretention areas, constructed wetlands, wetponds, engineered grassy swells, etc.

The training and certification program being offered by NC Cooperative Extension will be in three locations. Details are available at www.bae.ncsu.edu/stormwater/bmpworkshop.html

Feb. 18-19, 2008 - Charlotte, NC
Feb. 21-22, 2008 - Apex, NC
Feb. 28-29, 2008 - Winston-Salem, NC

To learn more about this opportunity visit the Stormwater Engineering Group website or contact the local Caldwell County Center.

Wilkesboro Graded Sales

snagy — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:29:21 -0500

Kilby's Livestock Market in North Wilkesboro will host two graded sale events this year. There will be a Stocker Sale (the only one in the area) April 2. The Calf Sale will be Oct. 1. Consignment forms are due two weeks prior to the sale date.

The basic rules for the sale are;

Calves must be at least 300 pounds and less than 1 year of age.
Animals must be dehorned.
Bull calves must weigh less than 695 pounds.
Calves must be vaccinated with Blackleg and Malignant Edema at least 14 days before the sale.

A complete list of graded sales will soon be available at (www.nccattle.com/feedercattle.html). Also, livestock market reports are available form NC Department of Agriculture at (ncagr.com/markets/mktnews/cattle.htm).

Winter Feed Update

snagy — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:46:10 -0500

Hopefully all of you have inventoried your feed supplies and you are in good shape to make it to April 1 with your cattle herd. The winter has only really recently begun, even though you probably feel like you have been operating in "winter mode" since September. Congratulations on making it thus far and I hope you all are still standing when the grass begins to return.

I have compiled another relative value calculation based on the prices for locally available by-products for your consideration. If you are in a position to supplement your cow herd daily or 3 times per week this may offer you an opportunity to stretch your hay supplies a little further. You may have found more economical sources of concentrates as I only checked with 2 suppliers for the prices listed below.

The ingredients are listed on the left followed by their normal values for dry matter, TDN (energy), crude protein, the local price for that commodity and the relative value of that feed based on it's nutritional value compared to the equivalent amount of corn and soybean meal. The final column is % of value at your price and the lower numerical value indicates the best feed buy.

Some feeds have more worth than may be indicative in this example due to the manner in which they are fed. The protein tubs and other convenience feeds may be a better option for some operations with limited labor and facilities even though they may not be the most economical source of nutrients.

Ingredient % DM TDN% CP% ton protein & Energy %Value

Corn             90 89 10 $228     $228         100
Soybean meal     90 81 53 $373     $373         100
Cottonseed       90 96 22 $265     $287         92
Corn gluten      90 82 20 $165     $254         65
Soybean hulls    90 77 14 $167     $221         75
Whole soybeans   90 92 42 $400     $340         118
Wheat midds      90 80 18 $185     $243         76
Cottonseed meal 90 77 44 $275     $312         88
Med. Quality hay 85 55 10 $165     $149         110
Cottonseed hulls 90 42   4 $159     $108         147
Protein tub      80 75 24 $420     $225         187

I also have some good ration balancing programs available if you know of anyone that needs to troubleshoot their feeding program. With the wide variety of roughages being fed, variations in quality and limit feeding strategies being used it is critical to know you are supplying enough nutrients to winter your animals properly. With high fertilizer prices being the next big hurdle it will be very important to make sure animals are in good enough condition to rebreed and produce a calf to pay for their upkeep.

Cost share programs for hay transported from out of state are currently available on a first-come first-served basis. Check the Hay Alert website for information on eligibility or contact our office for more information.

Don?t forget the important management practices that pay big dividends ? vaccinating cows and calves for the common diseases, castrating bull calves, use of growth promoting implants, pregnancy diagnosis, good forage utilization and effective marketing strategies. A small investment in any of these could produce a $50 per head return. It?s the little things that add up to success in the long term.

Good luck and contact Cooperative Extension if we can assist you in any way.

This article was submitted by:
Area Specialized Agent
Jeff Carpenter

Horse Industry Referendum 2008

snagy — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:09:54 -0500

The Caldwell County Extension Center and all other one hundred County Centers will be holding a Horse Industry Referendum vote Wednesday March 5th. Horse owners will be voting to continue their self-assessment of $2.00 per ton of horse feed.

This money is used by the NC Horse Council to support the equine industry. For full details about the referendum visit Horse Industry Referendum 2008 at the NCHC.

Emergency Hay Is Available

snagy — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:30:34 -0500

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture is purchasing hay from out of State and shipping it to State Research Stations for resale. This program is designed to help folks who are out of hay. They are offering people help until they can locate a more permanent source of hay. This is not a cheap source of hay, but it will get folks out of a bind for a few days. Contact the stations directly about this program; the Piedmont Research Station, 8350 Sherrills Ford Road, Salisbury, (704) 278-2624, or the Upper Mountain Research Station, 8004 N.C. Highway 88 East, Laurel Springs, (336) 982-2501. Truckloads of hay can be arranged through the HayAlert hotline (866 506 6222) for direct delivery to your farm.

Forage Conference January 23 Near Oxford

snagy — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:34:07 -0500

On January 23rd, 2008 The North Carolina Forage and Grasslands Council will sponsor a forage conference at the Southern Livestock Center located 2 miles south of Interstate 85 on Hwy 15 in Granville County. Cost for the program will be $15, and the dinner will be made with locally produced beef. This will be an outstanding program and will be very timely, given the widespread need to renovate pastures and develop better drought management plans in the coming year. Registration will begin at 1 pm and the presentations will start at 1:30 pm and adjourn at 7:30 pm.

This same conference will be held in three Virginia locations, Harrisonburg, January 21; Abingdon, January 22; and Blackstone, January 24. At the Virginia locations registration will start at 8 am and the program will begin at 9 am.

Speakers will include University Faculty from North Carolina State University, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia University, and will also include presentations by a grass-fed beef producer, a fencing expert, and the National Resource Conservation Service.

If you plan to attend the North Carolina conference please call Kim Burge at the NC Cattlemen's Association at 919-552-9111 or e-mail Kim@nccattle.com. If you wish to attend one of the Virginia locations contact Margaret Kenney at 434-645-9349 or Dr. Chris Teutsch at 434-292-4331 ext. 234 for conference cost and registration information. For additional information contact your Livestock Extension Agent at your local Cooperative Extension Center.

Up Coming Pesticide Classes

snagy — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:04:48 -0500

I listed a few local classes that should have some broad appeal to certified pest applicators. A full list of continuing education classes is available at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Section web site.

1/25/2008 - Spruce Pine, NC 2 hour credit G L N O D X
Winter Christmas Tree Workshop
Contact: Jerry Moody - (828) 733-8270
1/29/2008 - Lenoir, NC 2 hour credit V
Private Safety
Contact: Seth Nagy - (828) 757-1290
1/29/2008 - Newton, NC 2.0 hour credit L N D X
Foothills Landscape Management Winter Workshop
Contact: Fred Miller - (828) 465.8240
1/31/2008 - Fletcher, NC 2 hour credit L N O D X
Regional Greenhouse Growers Workshop
Contact: Amanda Stone - (828) 255-5522
2/5/2008 - Charlotte, NC 3 hour credit L N D X
Landscape Seminar
Contact: Jim Monroe - (704) 336-4006
2/5/2008 - Lenoir, NC 2 hour credit V
Private Safety
Contact: Seth Nagy - (828) 757-1290
2/6/2008 - Taylorsville, NC 2 hour credit A B G H I K L M N O T D X
Pesticide Update
Contact: Lenny Rogers - (828) 632-4451
2/11/2008 - Taylorsville, NC 2 hour credit V
Private Safety
Contact: Lenny Rogers - (828) 632-4451
2/12/2008 - Wilkesboro, NC 1.5 hour credit N O D X
Wilkes Corn Production Meeting
Contact: Matthew Miller - (336) 651.7335
2/13/2008 - Statesville, NC 2 hour credit L N D X
Ornamental & Turfgrass Pest Management - Morning & Afternoon Sessions
Contact: Don Breedlove - (704) 878-3155
2/19/2008 - Lenoir, NC 3 hour credit L N O D X
Foothills Ornamental Production Workshop
Contact: Craig Adkins - (828) 757-1290
2/21/2008 - Statesville, NC 2 hour credit N O D X
Regional Corn/Soybean Conference & Trade Show
Contact: Ken Vaughn - (704) 878-3165
2/22/2008 - Lenoir, NC 1 hour credit N O D X
County Soybean Production Meeting
Contact: Seth Nagy - (828) 757-1290
2/28/2008 - Morganton, NC 3.0 hour credit L N O D X
Foothills Greenhouse Production Workshop
Contact: Craig Adkins - (828) 757-1290
4/21/2008 - Fletcher, NC 2 hour credit G H L N O D X
Green Industry IPM
Contact: Amanda Stone - (828) 255-5522

NC Cattlemen's Annual Meeting - Hickory, NC

snagy — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:04:02 -0500

The 57th Annual North Carolina Cattlemen's Conference will be held at the Hickory Metro Convention Center February 22 - 23. This years meeting is a little different than in the past. The educational programs will be held on Friday and the committee meetings Saturday.

For a full listing of the conference and registration details visit the event home page at www.nccattle.com/Conference.html

Ryegrass Control in Small Grain Fields

snagy — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:39:36 -0500

Ryegrass is the biggest weed in small grain fields in Caldwell county. Research shows yields are reduced 0.4% for every ryegrass plant per square yard. Control becomes economical when expected yield reduction exceeds treatment cost. I use 8 to 12 plants per square yard as a thumb rule for treatment. This number can vary depending on small grain prices.

For more information on weed control in small grains go to Alan York's Small Grain Weed Control chapter in the NC 2004-05 Small Grain Production Guide.

Blackberry Meeting

snagy — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:44:38 -0500

The NC Commercial Blackberry and Raspberry Growers Assoc. will hold their Annual Meeting Thursday, January 24th at the Cleveland County Cooperative Extension Center. The program will focus on disease and insect management for commercial blackberry production. Registration opens at 4:30 and the program begins at 5:00 pm.

If you would like to attend this meeting please print the form below and return to Daniel Shires or contact him directly at 704-482-4365.

Turnersburg Feeder Calf Sale Dates Are Set

snagy — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:24:55 -0500

The sale dates are set for the feeder calf sales at the Harward Brothers Livestock Market in Turnersburg. The sales will be August 7 and September 18, 2008. Feeder calf sales have been around since the 1950's in Norrth Carolina. The advantage of these special sales is the cattle are grouped & graded with like cattle from other farms. Buyers are willing to pay a premium for getting larger groups of like cattle.

The basic rules for the sale are;

Calves must be at least 300 pounds and less than 1 year of age.
Animals must be dehorned and castrated.
Calves must be vaccinated with Blackleg and Malignant Edema at least 14 days before the sale.

Consignment forms are available at the Caldwell Center.

Stand Up and Be Counted

snagy — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:23:57 -0500

The 2007 Ag Census is under way. The Ag Census is a tool decision makers use to decide how and where to spend Federal, State and local dollars . . . tax dollars! Don't miss out. Fill out your census form and return it no later that February 4, 2008. To learn more about the census visit the sites below.

Time to Scout Your Wheat Fields

snagy — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:39:40 -0500

Calling all wheat growers in Caldwell County . . . time to scout your fields. Thin wheat stands will benefit from a split application of Nitrogen. Adding additional N will help thin and late planted stands to grow additional tillers. If your stands are thin, 20 - 30 tillers per row foot, then apply 50 - 70 pounds of N in late January or early February will help. Most importantly, if your wheat looks good, 50 tillers per row foot, DO NOT apply any N! You will hurt your yields! Fields with 50 tillers per row foot only need N when they reach growth stage 30, usually in March.

Besides tiller counts the other thing I'm scouting for are hessian flies. Normally we do not have to worry about the hessian fly. This year may be different. The warm weather this fall may not have broken the hessian fly life cycle. To familiarize yourself with the hessian fly read (www.ces.ncsu.edu/plymouth/pubs/ent/HFLYupdate03.html).

If you need any help scouting your small grain fields please give me a call (757 1290) or e-mail me (seth_nagy@ncsu.edu). For more about N application read this month's Smart Grains Newsletter (www.smallgrains.ncsu.edu/SmartGrains/No15SpringN.pdf).

Caldwell Co. On-Farm Research

snagy — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:19:59 -0500

NC State / NC Cooperative Extension and NC Department of Agriculture (NCDA) studied crop fields with high levels of Phosphorus (P). They did this because when P gets into surface water (lakes, ponds, & streams) it produces algae blooms. Algae does more than just look bad. It causes problems with municipal water intakes, produces foul odors in drinking water, and can reduce the Oxygen levels in water. Besides algae, physteria also bloom in waters containing elevated nutrients. Physteria can produce toxins that kill fish . . . and greatly affect people! This is the organism responsible for the red-tide that occurs from time to time in the ocean.

One source of P is from row crop farming. Of course, agriculture is not the only source of P. There is a long list of potential sources which include municipal waste treatment and erosion from land disturbing activities.

To reduce agriculture's P contribution to surface waters, NC State researchers asked for help from County Extension Agents. They wanted to study P-levels on farms in the state and look at ways to limit P from escaping farm fields. We - Caldwell County - participated in a two-year on-farm trial with 13 other counties. We looked at plant growth on fields that contained moderate to high levels of P.

The study concluded fields with elevated P levels do not need any additional P. This means farmers do not need to have P in their starter fertilizer. This is good news for row crop farmers. They can now save money on fertilizer and improve their world.

Caldwell County's participation in this project was possible because of John Looper providing the field and tractor work and Lynn Howard, our local NCDA Regional Agronomist, helping with sampling during the growing season.

More on this project is available at the Watershed Education Networks' website www.wen.ncsu.edu/stories/p-fertilizer.html

Caldwell Co. On-Farm Soybean Test Is Harvested

snagy — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:46:13 -0500

This year was not a great year to have a soybean test. However, it will still yield useful results. The plot was planted late, July 2, 2007. It was planted behind barley and after a rain. The test examined varying plant populations (25,000 seeds/ac to 200,000 seeds/ac) in both 15 & 30 inch rows. This is the third year we've examined soybean populations in the county.

The results have not been calculated from this year's trial. I will post that information when it is calculated. I did take some video of the combine harvesting the test plots. The combine is a Massey Ferguson 8. I've been told it is built in Europe to Massey's specifications. It is powered by a Perkins 70 hp soy-biodiesel engine. I hope you enjoy the video.

Soybean Links

NCSU Crop Sci - www.soybean.ncsu.edu
Caldwell Extension Center - caldwell.ces.ncsu.edu soybean links

Lime, Not Just For Land

snagy — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:55:52 -0500

I've quoted an article below from our NC Cooperative Extension, Regional Aquaculture Specialist, Molly Sandfoss. She just wrote a great article on liming ponds. For more pond & aquaculture information have a look at Molly's news site, fish on (fishfitnessfamily.blogspot.com).

Lime is used to increase alkalinity. Common liming material is calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) or agricultural limestone. Other liming materials include calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂)--hydrated lime, slaked lime, builder's lime--and calcium oxide (CaO)--burnt lime, unslaked lime, quick lime. Calcium hydroxide and calcium oxide are not recommended unless you are applying to an empty fish pond because they can drastically change pH. They are also highly caustic which makes them dangerous to handle. You can purchase lime either in bulk which is cheaper or bagged which is easier to handle especially for small ponds.

Alkalinity can be checked with the water test kit, but a soil sample must be taken to determine the amount of lime to be added to your pond to increase the alkalinity. Approximately 10 samples should be taken from around, the pond. To collect soil from the deep areas, use a long pole with a can attached. Mix the samples in a 5-gallon bucket. Allow the sample to dry. Soil samples are sent to NCDA Soil Testing Lab for analysis. Make sure you identify the sample as a pond sample. You can get packing and shipping materials from your local NC Cooperative Extension office. Make sure that you follow the directions for packing, or your sample may not be analyzed.

You can also determine the lime requirement by using the same application rate that people are using for crops in your area. If the rate is correct, the total alkalinity should be above 20 mg/l after 3 to 4 weeks. If not, apply more and check again in 3 to 4 weeks. For a general recommendation, ponds seldom need less than 2 tons/acre and it is not uncommon to apply 5 tons/acre. Check alkalinity in 3 to 4 weeks. If low, apply again.

Typically, lime can be added any time of year, but it is usually added in the late fall and winter to allow the lime time to react with the soil and water before spring. You need to remember that you are treating the pond bottom as well as the water so when applying the lime should be applied over the whole pond as much as possible. Lime can be applied from a boat or a platform attached to a boat, for large applications.

A Little Research Humor

snagy — Fri, 7 Dec 2007 16:45:39 -0500

We just finished up our on-farm soybean population trial with local farmer John Looper. I've run this experiment for three years with cooperation from Dr. Jim Dunphy and Michael Buffaloe. These on-farm population trials have truly made an impact with local growers in the county. However, it is not all serious work. I had my video camera on harvest day and caught Michael trying to move the grain truck across the road so he could dump the beans from the combine . . . enjoy what happened.

Statesville Regional Beef Conference - Jan 3, 2008

snagy — Fri, 7 Dec 2007 08:01:02 -0500

The Statesville Regional Beef Conference is always a great source of information for local cattlemen. This year's meeting is planned for Thursday, January 3. Registration opens at 3:00 pm and the first speaker will start at 3:45 pm. The meeting will include a sponsored meal thanks to Harward Brothers Livestock Market & Schering-Plough Animal Health. For directions to the Iredell County Center go to iredell.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=contact

The regional Conference will cover topics on; Pasture Management & Recovery From Drought, Drought Management Strategies for Cattle Operations, Fly Control Strategies, and Market outlook for 2008. I hope you will make plans to attend.

Applications for Golden Hay Relief Program due Dec. 31

snagy — Mon, 3 Dec 2007 16:55:13 -0500

RALEIGH ? Dec. 31 is the application deadline for the Golden Hay Relief Program, which helps livestock producers pay for transportation of hay and alternative forages purchased in North Carolina.

The program is administered by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and funded by a $500,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation. It will help producers of cattle, sheep, goats and horses pay for having hay and alternative forages, such as cornstalks and soybean hay, trucked to their farms from inside North Carolina.

?Don?t wait until the last minute to submit your application,? said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. ?Interest in this program has been strong, and we?ll have a stack of applications to review before writing checks. The sooner we get through the stack, the sooner we can send out the reimbursements.?

The reimbursement amount will be determined by dividing the $500,000 by the amount of money requested by farmers in approved applications. Farmers will be reimbursed for up to 50 percent of their transportation costs. Department personnel anticipate mailing reimbursement checks to farmers in late February.

Farmers can download an application and eligibility criteria from the NCDA&CS Hay Alert Web site, www.ncagr.com/HayAlert. Or they can request an application by calling toll free 1-866-506-6222 weekdays.

The Hay Alert site and hotline also help farmers find hay and transportation.

This article is a NC Department of Agriculture News release. For all 2007 news releases go to www.ncagr.com/paffairs/news-rel.htm.

NC State 24th Annual Equine Health Symposium

snagy — Mon, 3 Dec 2007 15:22:18 -0500

The College Veterinary Medicine is offering the 24th Annual Equine Health Symposium Saturday, February 23, in Raleigh, NC. This program offers the most up-to-date information straight from NC State University veterinarians on subjects that directly affect your horse's care and management. There will be separate symposiums for veterinarians & horse owners. For more information and registration go to www.cvm.ncsu.edu/docs/equinemedicinesymposium

Lynn Howard - NCDA Regional Agronomist Earns Award

snagy — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:31:47 -0500

Below is a great press release from the NC Department of Agriculture. Everything in the release is true. Lynn has worked long hours making a real impact for farmers in Caldwell County and Western NC. We are all lucky to have Lynn Howard as our farm friend.

Granite Falls resident receives Employee of the Month

Lynn Howard (left) and Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler (right).
Download a high resolution version

RALEIGH ? R. Lynn Howard of Granite Falls was in Raleigh recently to accept the Employee of the Month award from Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. Howard, a regional agronomist with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, was nominated for his work with the department?s hay relief efforts.

The drought has caused problems for growers across the state, but especially for livestock producers in the western North Carolina, which is Howard?s territory. Howard was instrumental in getting workshops started across the state to encourage farmers to sell or buy alternative feed for cattle made from corn stalks and soybeans.

Howard was nominated by three different co-workers.

?Lynn has gone above and beyond expectations with his assistance statewide and leadership in his region with the drought relief for livestock producers. Lynn has worked tirelessly and methodically to provide exceptional state service,? said fellow regional agronomist Bill Yarborough.

Howard and his wife Linda have three grown children, Robert, Chad and Kevin and four grandchildren. He graduated from North Iredell High School and N.C. State University.

-jkn-

Drought Help From FSA for Livestock Owners

snagy — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 09:49:37 -0500

Our farm friends in Morganton at the Burke-Caldwell-McDowell Farm Service Agency Office (FSA) have a program to help livestock owners if their animals do not have enough water to drink. Below is the press release and contact information.

DROUGHT EMERGENCY MEASURES FOR LIVESTOCK

A lack of moisture, over an extended period of time, has caused producers in Burke, McDowell, and Caldwell Counties to suffer from the effects of severe drought conditions. Farms experiencing severe drought conditions may be eligible for cost-share assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP). This disaster program is administered by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency (FSA), which provides cost-share assistance if the damage is so severe that water available for livestock has been reduced below normal to the extent that the livestock cannot survive without additional water.

A producer qualifying for ECP assistance may receive cost shares not to exceed 75 percent of the cost of installing eligible temporary measures. Cost sharing for permanent measures is based on 50 percent of the total eligible cost. Approved practices and measures may include:

installing pipelines or other facilities for livestock water
constructing and deepening wells for livestock water
hauling water for livestock

Producers who have experienced severe drought conditions requiring outside assistance to provide supplemental emergency livestock water may contact the Burke-McDowell-Caldwell Farm Service Agency Office, 130 Ammons Dr., Suite 1, Morganton, NC 28655 at 828-439-9727 est. 2. Requests for assistance will be accepted from November 26 through December 17, 2007.

To be eligible for cost shares, practices shall not be started until a request has first been filed at the FSA Office and an onsite inspection of the problem area has been made by the County Committee (COC) or its representative. COC will review the inspection findings when considering the request for cost shares.

Improve Your Wheat Yeilds

snagy — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 08:01:24 -0500

Most have finished planting their small grains and the stands look good. Now, we need to think about weed control. Scouting for weeds such as Italian Ryegrass, wild garlic, curly dock and other winter weeds should not be overlooked. Scouting for weeds will help with the selection of herbicides and application timinig.

Our State Extension Weed Specialist, Dr. Alan York states "farmers get poor weed control, especially annual ryegrass when applying herbicides late". So, scout for winter weeds over the next few weeks. Be ready to apply herbicides at the right time.

NC Cattle Referendum Fails To Pass

snagy — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:51:03 -0500

The NC Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum held on November 14th did not pass. I was very surprised when I heard the results. To help understand what happened, let's look at some numbers. There were 766 total votes cast across the state and there are about 10,000 cattle farms in North Carolina. Voting eligibility requirements stated "you must be over 18 and own at least one animal". Most of the 10,000 operations will have a minimum of two eligible voters, husband & wife. I'm also guessing the average farm probably has at least one son, daughter, or grandchild that has an interest in farming and owns a cow or two. For argument sake, let's say the average farm has three people eligible to vote or 30,000 potential voters in the State. The total vote was 766 or 2.5% of the eligible voters. Of the 2.5% who voted, the majority voted for the additional dollar assessment.

Again, to make sense of the results of the referendum, 2.5% of the eligible voters voted. Of the 766 votes cast, greater than 50% voted for the assessment. However, the referendum required a 2/3 majority to pass. I suspect if all 30,000 plus potential voters voted, there would have easily been a 2/3 majority.

Moral of the story is, if you want to be counted, you had better vote! Below is a press release from the NC Cattlemen's Association on the vote, it states the facts of the referendum.

FUQUAY-VARINA, NC -- The North Carolina Cattlemen's Association held a North Carolina Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum vote on November 14, 2007. The results from that referendum were that it did not pass. NCCA Executive Director Bundy Plyler reported that 766 producers voted in the state and while a majority of producers voted for the referendum, a 2/3 majority vote was needed to pass the assessment.

The N. C. Cattlemen's Association needs to take account of the situation and to report back to our Board of Directors at our annual meeting in February. This referendum would have assessed all cattle sold (beef and dairy) an additional $1.00 per head.

Proceeds from the $1 per head assessment would have been used by the NC Cattlemen's Association for producer education -- regarding beef production topics, beef production research, youth education and leadership development events, NCCA administration, beef industry leadership development, promotion and marketing of North Carolina cattle, and promoting the interests of the cattle industry. Plyler also said that the N. C. Dairy Industry would also have benefited from this program, as dairy cattle would also be assessed at the same level.

For more information, contact the N. C. Cattlemen's Association at (919) 552-9111.

How To Use RSS And News Feeds

snagy — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:27:37 -0500

Really Simple syndication (RSS), news feeds, and Extensible Markup Language (XML) are all really the same thing. It allows the Internet to work for you, it delivers what you are interested to your doorstep. For a great explanation of RSS and newsfeeds, checkout Lee LeFever EXCELLENT video explanation. If you like the video then check out www.commoncraft.com, his website.

Click To Play

Links to news readers

Caldwell County Farm City Tour A Success

snagy — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 09:28:16 -0500

Yesterday's Caldwell County Farm City tour was another exciting adventure. Below is a great article about the tour in the NewsTopic. Thanks to Tiffany Shirley for such a great article.

NewsTopic - Agricultural education 'in the field'

National Farm-City Council

Shiitake Spawn Orders

snagy — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:37:59 -0500

Winter is approaching and that means "spawn time" for shiitake mushroom growers. The Edible and Medicinal mushroom project at NC A&T State University is taking orders for shiitake spawn. This program is funded through the Golden Leaf Foundation. Its purpose it the expand the budding mushroom industry in NC by supporting growers and helping new growers get started.

Caldwell County residents interested in growing shiitake mushrooms commercially should contact me (seth_nagy@ncsu.edu or 828 757 1290) to learn how to be part of this exciting shiitake mushroom program.

Mushroom Resources

Value Added - Specialty Food Business

snagy — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:54:27 -0500

Agriculture is diverse in North Carolina . . . and getting more so every day. The NCSU Value-Added & Alternative Agriculture Site is designed to help farmers and entrepreneurs expand into new agricultural markets. This month's Profitable Agriculture Alternatives Newsletter's feature article is entitled "Essentials Ingredients of a Specialty Food Business" written by Gary Bullen, Extension Associate, Ag & Resource Economics, NCSU.

If you have not read the newsletter or viewed the site have a look at the site or go directly to this month's newsletter.

County Nurserymen's Meeting

snagy — Wed, 7 Nov 2007 16:46:44 -0500

The Caldwell County Nurserymen's Association invites you and your spouse to attend the Fall Nurserymen's Meeting scheduled for Thursday, November 15 at 6:30 PM at the Caldwell County Public Library/Extension Center (Meeting Room 7) in Lenoir.

The guest speaker will be Mr. Bill Glenn, Marketing Specialist, with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Bill's program is entitled "Marketing in Challenging Times ... among other things."

Our business session will address the upcoming 2008 Green and Growin Show in Greensboro, and the Caldwell County Nurserymen's Association's role and trade show booth.

John Deere Crop Insurance is the meeting sponsor, and a short presentation will be made by Mr. Bobby McCormick.

Please contact the Extension Center (828-757-1290) or Craig_Adkins@ncsu.edu by Tuesday, November 13 if you plan to attend this dinner meeting.

Farm City Tour

snagy — Tue, 6 Nov 2007 17:06:25 -0500

This year's Caldwell County Farm City Tour will highlight the diverse agricultural business in the County. Tour stops will include;

La Paz Group, LLC (aquaculture venture devoted to roe (a.k.a. caviar) farming)
Ripshinn Goat Dairy
Ford's Nursery

The tour will take place Wednesday, November 14. The tour will start and end at the Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce at 12:30. The tour will be $15.00, to sign-up call the Chamber at 828-726-0323.

Small Hive Beetle Solution

snagy — Thu, 1 Nov 2007 11:15:07 -0400

The small hive beetle is a problem for beekeepers in western NC. This month's issue of the Agricultural Research magazine has a soultion. It uses the beetle's own biology to bring its demise. To read more on this new techology go to "A Trap for the Small Hive Beetle", for more beekeeping info visit the NC State's Apiculture homepage.

Southeast Strawberry Expo Nov. 11-13

snagy — Thu, 1 Nov 2007 09:18:34 -0400

The Southeast Strawberry Expo takes place Nov. 11-13, with the main conference happening on Nov. 12-13, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel, in Durham. The Expo is oriented toward plasticulture strawberry production. Any grower with a serious interest in strawberry production -- on a scale greater than a home garden -- will find it worthwhile. For example, there are session on frost/freeze protection, growing strawberries in high tunnels, and avoiding costly mistakes for new growers. And the trade show is a great way to meet suppliers of plants, packaging, etc. For more information, visit www.ncstrawberry.com or email ncstrawberry@mindspring.com.

Wasps & Lady Bugs

snagy — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 11:11:02 -0400

Paper Wasps

The potential for frost on the Halloween pumpkin also signals the potential for increased activity by the "Polistes" or paper wasp colonies as they begin to decline. Some of the remaining workers (who will croak eventually) along along with next year's crop of queens are likely to start bailing out of nests. The surviving queen wannabes (not "wanna bees") will seek out some place to pass the winter and all too often our houses become the location of choice. There are several species of paper wasps, but the common ones brown in color with yellow stripes on their abdomens.

You will likely see the wasps outdoors hovering about the eaves, soffits, and even porches. For whatever reason, the wasps seem to orient to vertical objects so chimneys become an object of their attention. Same is true for cell phone towers, water towers and other such structures.

At some point, the wasps make their way indoors and things get more exciting. The wasps are often seeing moving about slowly and bouncing off windows, ceilings, light fixtures, etc. As we've mentioned in the past, another semi-reliable indoor wasp monitor is your pet cat. Aside from their rigorous schedule of napping and eating, cats will stare at absolutely nothing for hours. So, when the cat tries to scale the curtain, wall or lampshade, it's likely chasing a paper wasp or maybe Asian lady beetles (see note below).

First - seeing the wasps does not mean that there is a nest in a wall, but quite likely there is a nest (or several nests) outdoors on a roof overhang, under a porch, in/on a tree or some other protected area.

Second - since these are queens looking for overwintering sites and not workers defending a nest, they are not aggressive and so stinging incidents are rare unless you have a "close encounter of the Polistes kind" such as I had when I laced up my running shoe one morning only to discover that a wasp had crawled inside there during the night.

Third - spraying indoors is an exercise in futility because there simply isn't a specific target area you can treat. Spraying the exterior of the house also has limited value because there are so many gaps accessible to the wasps. Although the gable vents are often a point of vulnerability, soffit vents, some ridge vents and the gap between siding and the chimney are all well-traveled access points.

When does it stop? Your guess is as good as mine. We're not into any real cold weather yet. As I said earlier, you can expect it even after periods of cold weather seems to have brought it to a halt, but when the outside air temperature (and sun heating walls of homes) is adequate for activity to occur you will see a them.

Best advice:

First - Keep a rolled-up newspaper handy. Yes, you can unload an entire can of "Raid" on the beast but then what do you do about its 'sisters' that are likely to show up? Plus, it's not smart to be chasing a wasp around and spraying into the air (the same air which you and the people around you then inhale) in a typically futile attempt to kill it. Be patient, let it land then smack the &$^@! out of it.

Second - If you leave items like shoes on the floor or clothing hanging on a door, shake them before putting them on so you can see if a wasp flies out or if you dislodge the chewed remains of one that are mixed in with the hairball your cat hacked up inside your shoe last night while you were asleep.

For further information about paper wasps (not hairballs), check out: http://insects.ncsu.edu/Urban/paperwasp.htm

Asian Lady Beetles

We have more versions of this story than there are Harry Potter novels. Unfortunately, you still can't wave an magic wand and make the beetles disappear. Exterior sprays are still marginal at best in stopping the beetles. Fogging indoors is equally futile and potentially harmful if people go the typical route of using 4-5x the number recommended on the label.

You can read about the beetles at: http://insects.ncsu.edu/Other/goodpest/note107.html

NC Cattle Referendum

snagy — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:12:04 -0400

The North Carolina Cattlemen's Association (NCCA) has announced that the N.C. Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum vote will take place on November 14, 2007. At the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association's joint board of directors and annual business meeting in February, during the 56th annual N. C. Cattlemen's Conference, the board of directors voted to pursue the referendum. The N. C. Board of Agriculture has granted us permission and the date has been arranged with the N. C. Cooperative Extension Service. The county extension offices will serve as poling places across the state.

Bundy Plyler, executive director of the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association, said that the referendum language will be to assess all cattle one dollar per head for the purposes of promoting the cattle industry in North Carolina. The funds will be used for producer education -- regarding beef production topics, beef production research, youth education and leadership development events, NCCA administration, beef industry leadership development, promotion and marketing of North Carolina cattle, and promoting the interests of the cattle industry. Current beef checkoff funds cannot be used for any of these purposes. Plyler also said that the N. C. Dairy Industry would and should benefit from this program, as dairy cattle will also be assessed at the same level.

Ronnie Hammonds, president of the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association, stated that beef producers in North Carolina first started an assessment program in 1957. "The original assessment program was superseded by the beef checkoff in 1986. The beef checkoff does a fine job of increasing consumer demand for beef; however, there are many cattle production issues within the state we need to address. By federal law, beef checkoff dollars cannot be used for any purpose other than the promotion of beef or research to improve beef quality. For this reason, after a lot of discussion within the industry, we are convinced of the need to reinstate the original state assessment program."Bundy Plyler also says, "The beef checkoff is a national assessment program and must follow the guidelines set forth by federal law. The N. C. Cattle Industry Assessment is a state program and would follow the guidelines of the state's enabling act. In contrast to the beef checkoff, the N. C. Cattle Industry Assessment would have recurring referendums as well as a refund provision."

All North Carolina cattle owners over the age of 18, as of November 14, 2007, are eligible to vote during the regular business hours of their local county office of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. For more details, contact the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, or your local county office of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.

Referendum Q and A

What is the North Carolina Cattle Industry Assessment
Referendum? The Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum is a vote by the cattle owners (both beef and dairy) of North Carolina to assess all cattle one dollar ($1) per head for the purposes of promoting the cattle industry in North Carolina.

Is this an additional $1.00 per head assessment? Yes.

What is the purpose of the assessment and what will the
funds be used for? The proceeds of the assessment will be used for producer education -- regarding beef production topics, beef production research, youth education and leadership development events, NCCA administration, beef industry leadership development, promotion and marketing of North Carolina cattle, and promoting the interests of the cattle industry.

How long would the assessment be in effect? The assessment would be in effect for three years, and after the second referendum, the referendum schedule would be every six years. The program would be in place as long as a majority of producers vote to continue the program.

How would the assessment be collected? The assessment would be collected in the same manner as the national beef checkoff, in that all cattle sellers have the duty to pay the $1.00 per head assessment and all cattle buyers have the duty of seeing the money is forwarded to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture or the N.C. Cattlemen's Beef Council.

Is this assessment payment refundable? Yes, this additional $1.00 will have a refund provision, which means that if producers don't wish to pay the $1.00 assessment, they can request a refund in writing. Along with this request in writing, they will also need to include a copy of their bill of sale indicating the number of head sold and the amount of the assessment paid. When all of this information is received, a refund of their assessment will be sent to them.

Where do I vote? Voting will occur on November 14, 2007, at all county offices of the N. C. Cooperative Extension Service.

Who can vote? Any producer of cattle who sells cattle within the state of North Carolina can vote. Producers must be at least 18 years of age on November 14, 2007, and must vote in their county of residence. Under the current program all cattle sellers are required to pay the assessment, so anyone currently contributing to the present system should be able to vote if they meet the age and residency requirements. Each individual producer is allowed only one vote, regardless of the number of counties in which they produce or market cattle.

How do I prove that I am entitled to vote? Voters will need to identify themselves with a North Carolina driver's license (or other legal ID) and sign an affidavit sheet stating they are cattle owners and current residents of North Carolina.

Where can I get more information? Contact the office of the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association at 919/552- 9111, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture andConsumer Services, or the Caldwell County North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center.

Who will manage the referendum? Bundy Plyler, executive director of the N. C. Cattlemen's Association, will serve as manager of the referendum. A panel made up of representatives from the N. C. Farm Bureau, the N. C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the N. C. Cooperative Extension Service, the N. C. Livestock Auction Markets Association, and the N. C. Cattlemen's Association will tally the county votes and certify the results. A designated extension employee (preferably a livestock agent, but an agriculture agent will suffice) will manage their county's individual voting process. Board members of the N. C. Cattlemen's Association at the county level will also be available to assist with county procedures.

Crop Protection School - 59th Annual

snagy — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:11:35 -0400

The 59th Annual Crop Protection School & Annual Meeting of Crop Protection Association of NC will be December 11, 2007 at the McKimmon Conference and Training Center on the NC State Campus in Raleigh. This program provides a close look at research data, recommendations, and problems in the area of pests, pest management, pesticides, fertilizers, and application equipment. Learn from and interact with Manufacturers, Formulators, Dealers, Salesmen, Professional Agricultural Workers, and Farm Managers. Have the opportunity to earn Pesticide Applicator and Certified Crop Advisor credits.

For full color brochure, please click here.

Agenda

8:00 am Check-in Begins

8:00 - 11:45 am Graduate Student Poster Competition - Dr. David Jordan, Moderator

9:00 am Welcome and Introductory Remarks - Dr. Ed Jones, Associate Director and State Program Leader, ANR/CRD

Certification and Credit Instructions and Meeting Logistics - Dr. Wayne Buhler, Pesticide Education Specialist, Horticulture, NC State University

9:15 am Morning Session - GMOs: Strategies for the Future - Wyatt Richardson, CPANC President, Moderator

GM Crops in Production Agriculture - Dr. Arthur Weissinger, Professor, Crop Science, NC State University

Herbicide Resistance Management: Today and Tomorrow - Dr. Stewart Sherrick, Monsanto

Insect Resistance Management for Bt Crops - Dr. Ryan Kurtz, Syngenta Biotechnology

10:45 - 11:00 am Break

11:00 am CPANC President's Report and Business Meeting - Wyatt Richardson, CPANC President

11:45 am CPANC Awards Luncheon and Legislative Remarks - Glenn Jernigan, Glenn Jernigan & Associates

1:00 - 2:30 pm Session I: Pesticide Stewardship - Steve Toth, Moderator

WPS Training Tools: Revising the Pesticides and Human Health Crop Sheets - Dr. Julia Storm, Agromedicine Information Specialist, Toxicology, NC State University, and Catherine LePrevost, graduate student

Nuts and Bolts of Calibration - Dr. Gary Roberson, Extension Specialist, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, NC State University

Pesticides and Endangered Species - Dr. Steven Wall, Syngenta Crop Protection

2:30 - 3:00 pm Break

3:00 - 4:30 pm Session II: Crop Updates - Dr. Steve Koenning, Moderator

Weed Management Update for Cotton, Corn, Soybeans, and Small Grains - Dr. Alan York, William Neal Reynolds Professor, Crop Science, NC State University

Corn Fungicide and Plant Nutrition Update - Dr. Ron Heiniger, Professor, Crop Science, NC State University

Soybean Fungicide Update

Fees

$89.00 - Per person if paid by December 1, 2007
$109.00 - Per person if paid aft er December 1, 2007

Register

Phone - 919 515 2261
Online - http://www.dcs.ncsu.edu/opd/course.cfm?cid=276&sid=2797

Soybeans for grazing, hay or silage

snagy — Fri, 7 Sep 2007 11:12:25 -0400

Last week, Jim Dunphy, NCSU Soybean Specialist, wrote "Have we run out of time to make a grain crop from our drought-stressed soybeans? In many parts of the state, probably yes. I don't expect soybeans to develop a flower into a physiologically mature seed in less than 45 days, and parts of the state are already within 45 days of the average first killing frost. Much of the state which is not there yet will be soon."

With the continuation of the drought, it seems less and less likely that soybeans will make a profitable bean crop, but they may have some value as a forage crop. Soybean forage can definitely help North Carolina producers who are short on feed because of the drought. In the current drought conditions this is a draft summary of information on salvaging soybeans for forage use. If a producer in your area has had hands-on experience grazing soybeans or making or feeding soybean hay or silage please share your experience with us. Email se_johnson@ncsu.edu.

If producers have soybean herbage, making hay or silage for their own stock or for sale is an economic calculation. Remember, a field should have enough forage to pay for the fuel to harvest it. An acre of soybeans may yield 3-4 round bales at best. A maximum of 2 tons dry matter (DM) per acre is possible, but much less is likely.

Two cautions before salvaging soybeans as forage:

1. Insecticides and herbicides used on the beans must be within the labeled use for livestock forage. See www.ces.ncsu.edu/disaster/drought/Soybean_Hay.pdf for complete information.

2. Contact a crop insurance agent before harvesting for forage. They will advise each producer on how harvesting a crop for forage may affect insurance payments. The status of the crop may need to be documented for possible disaster payments before haying or grazing.

Grazing

Grazing is the most efficient means of harvesting the forage. Strip grazing soybeans will result in less waste due to trampling, fouling with manure etc. Grazing is the best option, especially if the beans made very little growth. But the field must be fenced, and water needs to be provided to the animals.

If there are still animals grazing perennial pastures, use the beans (or corn) to get the animals off the permanent pastures. This may allow pastures to survive the drought. At this point in the season and the drought, pastures need to put all their energy into recovery and survival. Feed alternatives now and let pastures recover for next season.

Soybean silage

In Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Maine, silage is recommended as the best preservation option for soybean forage. But silage is not as portable/movable (nor therefore) saleable as hay. For those who have experience with silage, beans will work. For silage the plants still need to be more than 50% green, at 35-40% DM. This will probably require wilting many NC beans in their current stage of growth. Peak stem digestibility is at R3 or R4 - (beginning to late pod) stage. The fat in more mature beans may interfere with fermentation. Dry matter testing (using the microwave method) is advisable, since most of us don\u2019t have experience measuring soybean DM. Chop at 3/8\u201d.

Soybean forage made into balage can be slightly drier. There is less information about soybean balage; but several North Carolina producers in Rowan County have been making balage, and are satisfied with the process so far. Balage will be more portable. We don\u2019t have information on the final product yet, but they are hoping for good outcomes. The big challenge (as with soybean hay) is the moisture in the stems is so much greater than moisture in the leaf portion of the plant. This makes fermentation difficult, and may adversely affect final quality of the feed.

Soybean hay

Soybean hay is routinely produced in parts of the state, especially the Northeast- north central areas. Here are some summary comments from experienced NC producers of soybean hay:

From Jeff Copeland: Both farmers harvest at early pod stage. Both consider it a high quality feed. Neither has experienced feeding problems associated with soybean hay. One feeds 1 round bale SB hay to 2 Grass round bales at same time. Yield is approximately 1/2 of fescue hay. One farmer noted when he gets 10- round bales fescue weighing 750-800 lbs. each (scale weight), he only harvests 4 to 5 SB hay. If SB hay is stored outside, use netwrap. String is o.k. inside shelter but he lost 1/3 of bale stored outside with string.

It's worse than peanut hay about leaf shatter. Minimize times it's mechanically handled (raked, tedded).

From Bryan Cave: I have had lots of experience with soybeans for hay here in Surry County. It works great if the beans are cut with a mower-conditioner. If not, it takes forever for them to dry. Also, stage of maturity is HUGE in final quality of the hay. The beans here in Surry should be cut now for optimal quality. The best stage to cut is when the pods are not filled out and there are still lots of leaves. The biggest issue is when to bale, too soon and they will mold, and too late and the leaves shatter. I try to bale in the evening to cut down on leaf loss and the dust while baling is not so bad. They will change color and look brown not green after baling. The cattle consuming them do well and I typically cut some every year to stretch my other grass resources.

One important issue this year is if the producer has crop insurance he should get an Insurance Adjuster out prior to cutting to make a determination as to loss. This along with knowing which chemicals were applied is the biggest issue this year.

From Matt Poore: With soybeans they are difficult to get cured, and a tedder will do a lot of damage to them. Best to just swath them leaving about a 4 inch stubble, and then let them get almost totally dry before doing anything else. Then, rake them before they get crispy dry in the morning and don't make the windrows too big. Once they are raked they will dry very slowly, so raking too soon is often a problem. Once they dry in the windrow for at least several more hours, you can invert the windrows for a little more drying time. It is very sensitive to shattering so rake slow and gentle.

Tedding after the leaves dry will knock most of the leaf off and reduce yield and quality. It is best if it is rolled in the late evening... Be aware that the leaf will get crispy after only one day of drying, but the stems take more like 3 or 4 days to cure especially if they are big and if there is a high yield.

From Seth Nagy: ...guys in the county have made soybean hay. Their strategy is to work it like alfalfa so leaf shatter is minimized. It takes a while to dry. They only stir it or bale it in the morning or evening when the humidity is higher.

From Amy Thomas: Myself, along with several other producers in the area have fed soybean hay. The only thing you should be aware of is that cattle have an increased tendency to bloat on this hay more than any other. You can limit the risk by not feeding it free choice or mixing it with other grass type hay.

Note, ironically, 3 dry days are needed for making soybean hay. With soybeans there will be leaf loss, don't be tempted to bale too quickly after cutting because the stems need time to dry down, or you will have heating, mold, and losses.

Storage: Soybean hay, even round bales, will need protection from rain. Bales need to be covered by a shed, barn or plastic. Soybean round bales will not shed rain and you will have sodden, worthless lumps. Soybean balage will also need protection.

Feed value: If you are able to use soybeans for forage they can provide excellent feed. The best soybeans for forage are in the beginning pod stage (harvested at R3 - when one of the top four nodes with a fully developed leaf has a 3/16-inch long pod). Less mature soybeans have lower protein and digestibility. Soybean silage runs 14-20 % protein, Soybean hay is high protein (averaging around 15%) and beef cattle fed soybean forage should also be fed a lower quality forage. Feed the soybean hay or silage (or pasture) as 20-30% of the ration. This will balance and stretch the quality feed.

Wisconsin farmers noted that soybean silage was not as palatable to cows as alfalfa or corn silage but dairy animal production not affected.

Bloat has been reported. Horses can consume soybean hay.

Timeliness: Given the condition of the crop and possible damage by rain or wind, we suggest you begin the forage harvest as soon as you have followed the procedures necessary for crop insurance and disaster payments. Harvesting before leaves become too battered, even if the plants are still flowering may be wise.

Marketing: There is absolutely a forage market, contact a county agent or the NCDA for assistance with marketing your soybean hay. They may connect you with custom haymakers who will come to your farm and bale. If you are interested in purchasing soybean forage, contact NCDA&CS or your county agent.

Conservation: Remember to leave some residue and cover in the field to protect the soil when the rain finally arrives.

Good luck and let us know how things go and additional questions you have.

Authors :
Sue Ellen Johnson -Forage Specialist
Jim Dunphy - NCSU - Soybean Specialist

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