September Ties Record for Hottest Ever Recorded

Junior Livestock Shows at the 2012 NC State Fair in the Books
 

The first of the Junior Livestock shows at the NC State fair are in the books, and exhibitors walked away with a total of $89,600 at the sale. The auction featured the grand and reserve-grand champions from the junior steer, barrow, lamb, goat and turkey shows. NC Ag Commissioner Steve Troxler:

“The good news is this will help our young people with college or whatever role they decide to take.”
 

And exhibits were up this year:

"The other good news is our exhibits were up this year in all of our livestock entries and that is a good sign for the future of the livestock industry in NC"
 

To the point that Troxler says they’re going to need another building to house the livestock at the fair in the near future.
 

September Ties Record for Hottest Ever Recorded
 

Last month tied the record for the hottest September ever recorded. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says the average global temperature — 60.2 degrees Fahrenheit — is 1.2 degrees above normal and matches 2005 for hottest September (records go back to 1880). It was also the 331st straight month of temperatures above 20th century average. NOAA Climate monitoring chief Deke Arndt (AHR'nt) says it's not just daytime highs that contribute to rising global temperatures – it's hot nights as well.

“Day time temperatures are what we observe, and a lot of times what we suffer with, but the nighttime temperatures are equal partners. In lots of the world the overnight lows are increasing at a greater rate than the afternoon high.”

Health Officials Flummoxed Over E-coli Death
 

Health officials say a child has died from an E. coli infection contracted at the Cleveland County Fair. Cleveland County Health Director Dorthea Wyatt says answers are hard to come by:

“It’s always hard when no matter how much you search, you can’t find the answers.”

Ten children and five adults who attended the fair have gotten sick with the bacteria.
 

Romney Campaigns to Win Some Farmers’ Hearts

With elections less than a month away – campaigns are going full-steam ahead. Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney promised Iowa farmers last week that he would strengthen the family farm by cutting regulations, increasing trade, lowering energy costs and eliminating the estate tax on high-value family farms transferred after the owner dies. Romney wants to abolish the estate tax – also known as the death tax – while he says President Obama plans to raise the death tax significantly. Romney says farmers paid for the farm once – they shouldn’t have to pay for it again. The next presidential debate is this evening.

SC Surveying Producers for Next Pesticide Amnesty Drop-off Locations

South Carolina Ag Commissioner is asking for producers with pesticides that need to be destroyed through a drop-off coordinated by SCDA to take a look at a survey at their website to determine the next locations. 

“We are initiating our second phase of a pesticide amnesty program next year. We did one three years back and collected 250,000 pounds of pesticides and other producers that needed to be handled safely.”
 

Weathers talked about how to participate in the survey:
 

“This month we will start with a survey to find out where the best place in the state is to set up the collection places. We need people to participate in that survey by logging onto www.agriculture.sc.gov look under hot topics and pesticide amnesty. We want to hear your opinions. “