Top Agriculture News

The farmland market appears to be slowing as the calendar gets closer to the end of 2024. Tim Cobb of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers says things had been steady for most of the year. “We’ve seen steady – at least at the beginning of the year – to a bit […]

HOT SPRINGS, N.C. (AP) — Elections officials, poll workers and voters in western North Carolina have been adapting in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s destruction. The storm destroyed roads, bridges and homes, and left communities without power and water. Despite the widespread destruction, election workers have rallied to set up polling sites and help voters cast ballots during the early voting period in the crucial presidential battleground. Turnout during last week’s first day of early in-person voting set a record, and more than 1.3 million people have cast ballots since then. Many election workers and voters in a hard-hit Democratic-leaning county and others in a Republican-leaning one expressed a gritty determination to make sure voters’ voices are heard.

Over half of the 70 ag economists surveyed in Farm Journal’s Monthly Survey of Ag Economists believe the U.S. agriculture economy is in a recession. Seventy-five percent of the other economists believe the ag economy is on the brink of a recession, up from the 56 percent who responded that way in the previous month’s […]

The Southeast has moved from rescue to now, starting that long job of recovery and rebuilding post-Hurricane Helene. One of the industries closely tied to agriculture that took a direct hit was North Carolina’s craft brewing industry. Lisa Parker is executive director of the NC Craft Brewing Guild, and says a quarter of the Tar […]

State and local fairs are first and foremost agricultural, and at the NC State Fair, they’re taking that message to kids and adults alike with what they call the Field of Dreams. It’s an actual micro farm where visitors can become farmers, if just for a few minutes. Carl Tart is the exhibit manager. “We […]

More than 70,000 students wearing blue corduroy jackets are in Indianapolis this week for the 97th National FFA Convention and Expo. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and it almost feels like a family reunion.” That’s says Amara Jackson from Michigan, who is serving out her final week as National FFA President. This […]

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A sheriff’s office statement and data from the state show that the North Carolina county that is home to Asheville overcounted deaths caused by Helene by as many as 30. The information in the statement on Tuesday significantly reduces the death toll from the historic storm. Buncombe County officials had previously reported 72 deaths and are now deferring to a state tally of 42 deaths for the county. The county’s number dates back to an Oct. 3 news release and briefing by Sheriff Quentin Miller. But state officials, relying on reviews by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh, have consistently reported a number lower than that for the county.

We are now getting some data on how Helene and other disasters have affected South Carolina agriculture. Tell us about it, Commissioner. Agriculture Here are the initial damage projections using data and calculations from Clemson Extension: Loss Category Drought & Other Debbie Helene Total Crop & Livestock $31,335,370 $133,220,315 $65,358,490 $229,914,175 Infrastructure (including Fencing) $0 […]

Traceability is an important topic in the livestock industry. Dr. Patrick Webb, assistant chief veterinarian for the National Pork Board, says real-time traceability is vital to keeping the pork industry safe from a disease outbreak. “For the herd veterinarian, having good traceability to understand how the animals are moving through the production system and the […]

Every four years the N.C. State Fair celebrates Century Farm and Bicentennial Farm Families at a reunion. This year saw the largest number of attendees gather in the program’s history. If you are coming to the State Fair, you can also help Western NC on Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day. I hope we can set […]