Top Agriculture News

The 2025 N.C. Mountain State Fair concluded this past weekend under clear skies and warm temperatures, providing a picture-perfect backdrop for the annual event. Fair Manager Sean McKeon announced Monday that 161,059 people attended this year’s fair — an increase of 9.3%, or 11,709 visitors, over last year’s total. “There are a lot of ways […]

The North Carolina State Fair announced in a press release Monday that its popular “Farm Family of the Day” program will return for 2025 to recognize the hard work and dedication of farm families across the state. Now in its fifth year, the program highlights the contributions of families involved in North Carolina’s $111.1 billion […]

Whether summer cookout, fall football tailgate party or holiday feast, smoked meats provide a delicious menu option — you know, smoked ribs, brisket, pork shoulder or butt for pulled pork sandwiches, chicken, fish or other fare. And if you are someone who puts a meat smoker to good use, USDA food safety expert Meredith Carothers […]

China has purchased a record amount of soybeans this marketing year, but none from the US. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says it’s a problem the White House must address. “I think we’re finding a tougher position, and I think we have a president that’s reluctant to challenge China in the same way he did in […]

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) and Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) are versatile shrubs native to North Carolina. I have seen many of the red varieties, while black varieties have never shown up in my path. They are similar however, with obviously, the main difference, the color of the berries. In addition, the red has a more upright and slender shape preferring moist soil, while the black are more tolerant of various soil conditions. The berries of the black varieties usually drop in summer while the berries of the red varieties last until winter. Otherwise the two types are much alike. The flowers, of course, come in the spring and with the help of pollinators, make these small berries.

President Donald Trump has approved federal disaster aid for six states and tribes following storms and floods this spring and summer. The disaster declarations, announced Thursday, will provide federal funding to Kansas, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, as well as tribes in Montana and South Dakota. In most cases, it took Trump over a month to approve the aid requests, continuing a trend of longer waits for disaster relief. An Associated Press analysis shows delays in approving federal disaster aid have grown over time. The White House says Trump is providing a more thorough review of requests.

This Friday, the USDA is releasing one of its more anticipated crop production reports. So, why does farm country look forward to this crop production report more than others? Lance Honig is Chair of USDA’s Agricultural Statistics Board. “September is when we first introduced the objective yield survey for corn and soybeans for the season, […]

Oil prices are holding fairly steady, thanks to producer/consumer balancing act. Patrick DeHaan with GasBuddy dot com says OPEC met this past weekend and announced plans to increase oil production in October by roughly 180,000 barrels per day. But DeHaan pointed out the global economy is doing a good job absorbing the extra oil. “OECD […]

This is the SFN Market Report with Brooks Schaffer of Palmetto Grain. Reach him at [email protected] or 843-540-4540. We continue to trade through the doldrums in the grain and oilseed markets. The trade volume in corn on Tuesday this week was the lowest since December 2023. We are coming to the end of the growing […]

We’re about a week away from the official end of summer, and we’re already starting to see the fall temperatures come across the Carolinas. I’ve got state assistant climatologist Corey Davis here. Corey, I’ve noticed a lot of dry conditions here lately. We just had a little bit of rain here in the Raleigh area […]