The Agronomic Services Division has hired three new regional agronomists to fill vacant positions. The agronomists work one-on-one with farmers to help troubleshoot crop issues, and provide agronomic advice to increase yields and improve efficiencies.

• Every so often I like to highlight a division and talk about the work their employees do, so I thought I would use the hiring of three new regional agronomists as an opportunity to talk about how working with an agronomist can help farmers. |
  
  
• We are fortunate in North Carolina to have regional agronomists across the state who work one-on-one with growers to help them manage nutrients to improve yield and production efficiencies.
  
  
• These can be extremely valuable resources for farmers because their science-backed recommendations can help farmers troubleshoot problems before they become bigger problems.

• And as many listeners and farmers know, when you improve yields and reduce inputs, you are making a positive impact on the bottom line, which is something every grower I know is sharply focused on these days.

• Our three new agronomists are:
  • Bright Ofori in Region 2, serving Beaufort, Dare, Halifax, Hyde, Martin, Pamlico, Tyrell and Washington counties.Jeb Smith in Region 3, serving Carteret, Craven, Edgecombe, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Pitt and Wilson counties
  • And, Spencer Thomas in Region 6, serving Franklin, Harnett, Johnson, Lee, Nash, Wake and Wayne counties.   

• Bright has earned his PhD in Crop and Soil Environmental Science from Virginia Tech and holds a bachelor’s degree in Zoology from the University of Ghana and master’s degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Padova, Italy.

• He is originally from Ghana and his interest in agriculture and soils grew from helping his grandmother grow corn and vegetables as a kid.

• Jeb earned his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Sciences with a concentration in Crop Science and Animal Science from N.C. State University.

• He is part of a multigenerational farm family that raises crops and livestock and he draws from that experience to help farmers meet today’s challenges.

• Spencer earned his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.   

• He brings hands-on experience with nursery production, greenhouse maintenance and irrigation systems through his work with Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville and research work with Bayer.

• We are still working to fill a position in Region 10 in Western N.C. and hope to be fully staffed soon.

• The agronomists can cover a lot of different crops, including field crops along with fruit and vegetable production, horticulture and nursery, turf grass, sod and seed production.

• They can also assist with nutrient requirements involving animal waste systems and municipal and commercial waste systems.

• Farmers needing assistance can find contact information for all our regional agronomists online through the Agronomic Services Division page, by scrolling to the bottom and clicking on the Field Services block.
  
• I encourage farmers to use these services, particularly if you see signs of problems in your crop.
  
• Our agronomists can help with just about any crop problems, but rain.
  
• While we have seen some rains recently, we continue to need rain badly across the state.
  
• We’ve seen an intensification of drought conditions. As of July 5, 21 counties are listed as abnormally dry, 69 counties are now considered in moderate drought and 10 counties are now listed as being in severe drought.
  
• So, please keep praying that we see some relief from these high temperatures and lack of rain.