Caldwell County Agline

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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

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.  

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

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

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

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

 

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.

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

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

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.

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 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.”

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.

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.

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

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 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.

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.