Join in via Zoom for the 2021 Cape Fear Regional Conference Beef Carcass Evaluation and Fabrication Tuesday, January 19 at 6:30 p.m. Dr. Dan Hale…
Posts published in “Ag News”
The Agriculture and Forest Landowners meeting will occur Thursday, January 21, from 10-11 am via Zoom. To register, please visit https://go.ncsu.edu/bladenvad. The Bladen County Voluntary Agricultural…
By: William Craig, Consumer Horticulture Agent Typically, most of us think that the winter months are the least busy in the garden. In some ways,…
Pictured, from left, are Bladen Community College Board of Trustees Chair Dennis Troy, Bladen Community College President Dr. Amanda Lee, Cape Fear Farm Credit Board…
Contributed WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that signup for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program began Wednesday,…
The North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission is accepting applications for the 2021 grant cycle. The key objectives for 2021 are; supporting the agricultural industry,…

NCDA&CS warns pet owners to destroy recalled Sportmix brand pet food due to high levels of aflatoxin
RALEIGH –The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is issuing a warning to consumers to not purchase or let their dogs or cats consume…
The Bladen County Farm Service Agency (FSA) recently completed its 2020 County Committee Elections and Robert Joshua Vendrick was re-elected to a three year term…
Elizabethtown, N.C., December 2, 2020 – Bladen County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Chris Tatum reminds farmers and ranchers the deadline to apply…
Contributed RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic Services Lab announces its peak-season testing fee effective Dec. 1 through March 31.…
Application Deadline is December 11 WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2020 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farmers and ranchers that…
RALEIGH – After several years of weather-related setbacks, North Carolina pecan growers are reporting a strong crop. That is welcome news for farmers such as…
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing $1.68 billion in payments to agricultural producers and landowners for the 21.9 million acres…
Final Opportunity for 2018 and 2019 Disaster Recovery Assistance WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced Friday, Oct. 30,…
Contributed RALEIGH – As we head into fall wildfire season in North Carolina, the N.C. Forest Service and the USDA Forest Service urge visitors and…
Contributed RALEIGH – With fall’s arrival, many families will be looking to visit local farms for apple picking, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and other agritourism…
Application period runs Oct. 1 through Oct. 22 RALEIGH – Beginning Oct. 1, farmers markets operators and local food hubs can apply for assistance through…
Expansion of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Begins Sept. 21 WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2020 – President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny…
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2020 – USDA Rural Development has taken a number of immediate actions to help rural residents, businesses and communities affected by the…
Don’t Miss This One-Time Opportunity – First Since 2014 USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farm owners that they have a one-time opportunity to update…
USDA commemorates Labor Day by recognizing the producers who feed the U.S. and the world through their hard work.… https://t.co/kV8HNnpfq Share:
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2020 – USDA Rural Development has taken a number of immediate actions to help rural residents, businesses and communities affected by the…
Learn more about eligible specialty crops, aquaculture, nursery crops, cut flowers and eggs The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will host a webinar on August 19…
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2020 – WASHINGTON, August 7, 2020 –The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a new annual survey of farmers, ranchers and…
WASHINGTON — To assist Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) borrowers experiencing financial hardship from the pandemic and other challenges in production agriculture, USDA’s Farm Service…
NAP provides financial assistance to you for crops that aren’t eligible for crop insurance to protect against lower yields or crops unable to be planted…
Many growers test soils regularly to provide the best quality nutrients for their crops. Citizens now have the opportunity to receive a report on their…
By Steven Brown, State Executive Director in Indiana, USDA Farm Service Agency Farmers and ranchers feed our state, our nation, and in fact, our world.…
USDA is aware that people across the country have received suspicious, unsolicited packages of seed that appear to be coming from China. USDA’s Animal and…
Hunter Green from Abbottsburg is offering fresh corn at the Bladenboro’s Farmers Market on N. Ash Street in Bladenboro. Green is a recent UNCW graduate aspiring…
State Partnership Delivering 900,000 Masks and Infection Control Supplies to Protect Health and Safety of Farmers and Agriculture Worker RALEIGH: The North Carolina Department…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farmers and ranchers that they have until Aug. 3 to nominate eligible candidates to…
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced an initial list of additional commodities that have been added to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program…
RALEIGH – The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced last week the acceptance of more than 1.2 million acres in…
Contributed The North Carolina Complete Count Commission (NC CCC) has partnered with the State Library of North Carolina (SLNC) to offer Q&A Webinars for the…
On June 18, 2020, the 4-H and FFA from counties across the Southeast region congregated on a Zoom call to host the sixth annual Regional…
WASHINGTON, D.C., – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing additional flexibilities for producers to file on acres with failed crops or crops that…
(Elizabethtown, N.C.), July 2, 2020 – Agricultural producers in Bladen County must complete crop acreage reports by the July 15 deadline. Chris Tatum, county executive…
Elizabethtown, N.C., July 1, 2020 – Agricultural producers in North Carolina can now apply for USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) through an online portal,…
Contributed Initiative and Grant Program Provides Financial Support to Ensure Local Green Spaces Continue to Thrive SMITHFIELD, Va., June 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pure Farmland™ believes…
WASHINGTON, June 18, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announces that Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) safety-net signup for 2021 coverage will…
Where: Bladen County Cooperative Extension Office Address: 450 Smith Circle, Elizabethtown, NC Date/Time: By appointment: Call ahead to reserve a spot 15-minute time slot to…
Hey folks! This is William Craig, and I am the Consumer Horticulture Agent for NC Cooperative Extension- Bladen County. Today, I wanted to share some…
In Elizabethtown, the Cape Fear Farmer’s Market is a busy hub for many farmers and crafters. Ms. Betty Tatum announced she and her son would…
By N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services RALEIGH – The first day of summer may be right around the corner, but fresh N.C. peaches…
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for 2020 must…
Contributed Bladenboro Primary School Participated in the Bonnie Plants Farms Cabbage plants contest. Third-graders across North Carolina get cabbage plants from Bonnie Plants Farm. They…
WASHINGTON – USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin accepting nominations for county committee members on Monday, June 15, 2020. Elections will occur in certain…
RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is aware of the recent Ninth Circuit United States Court of Appeals decision regarding…
Contributed Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging equine owners to have their animals vaccinated against Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis and West Nile Virus. “Mosquito-breeding season in…
Contributed USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will broaden the use of the Disaster Set-Aside (DSA) loan provision, normally used in the wake of natural disasters,…
Contributed by the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services RALEIGH — Gardening can provide much needed physical activity and emotional wellbeing to balance the…
Contributed Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA and allow grassroots input and local administration of…
Blueberry farmers battle the weather elements, along with social and economic issues. This year the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues have added to the stress…
RALEIGH, NC, May 26, 2020 – Agricultural producers can now apply for USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which provides direct payments to offset impacts…
RALEIGH — With students out of school and families cooking more meals at home than usual, here are five kid-friendly blueberry recipes from the N.C.…
RALEIGH, NC, May 12, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is now accepting new or modified proposals from state governments…
Payments Have Started for Producers Impacted by Drought, Excess Moisture The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has started making payments through the Wildfire and Hurricane…
WASHINGTON, D.C – Today, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Administrator Chad Rupe requesting the Rural…
Contributed RALEIGH — North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler and N.C. Farm Bureau President Shawn Harding met Wednesday to discuss the importance of agriculture and…
Contributed RALEIGH — The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced Edwin (Eddie) Woodhouse as the new State Executive Director for the USDA Farm Service Agency…
WASHINGTON, April 21, 2020 – Producers signed a record 1.77 million contracts for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss…
By Charlotte Smith BladenOnline.com reached out to Smithfield Foods’ representatives and Bladen County Health Director, Dr. Teresa (Terri) Duncan this week about the status of…
RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic Services lab has scaled back its testing to a few core services, making home…
RALEIGH – North Carolina’s strawberry season kicked off around the same time the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in the state. Now, local strawberry…
Tillis Led Bipartisan Effort Urging the Trump Administration to Protect America’s Domestic Food Supply WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) applauded the U.S.…
RALEIGH, NC, March 26, 2020 – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the acceptance of more than 3.4 million acres in the general Conservation Reserve…
Small farms play a vital role in supporting the competitiveness and sustainability of United States rural and farm economies and in protecting and enhancing its…
Across the country, county and state Farm Bureaus are making safety a priority through the Agricultural Safety Awareness Program. As part of ASAP, March 1-7…
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2020 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced updates to the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and…
By Charlotte Smith Farms must ensure an abundant food supply for consumers to help nourish the population that is expected to grow up to 10…
Contributed RALEIGH — The board of the Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation of North Carolina has set the 2020 boll weevil assessment at 75 cents per…
Emergency Support to Producers in Surrounding Counties/Border State Also Available WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2020 — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated 10 Virginia counties as primary…
By Charlotte Smith On the last Friday in January, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia made up of a three-judge panel heard…
RALEIGH — Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler recently approved an updated quarantine which amended regulations pertaining to the production and sales of sweet potato seed in…
RALEIGH — North Carolina’s hog and pork processing industry continues to be an economic powerhouse, generating more than $10 billion in economic output for the…
A meeting was held for agriculture and forest landowners on Tuesday, January 23rd, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Bladen County Extension Office…
Producers, Beat the Rush – Call Today to Make an Appointment WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 15, 2020 – USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages agricultural producers…
Supporting the agricultural industry, impacting rural communities and stimulating economic development are key objectives for the 2020 NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission (NCTTFC) grant cycle.…

Smithfield Foods Generates Renewable Natural Gas from Wastewater to Power North Carolina Communities
SMITHFIELD, Va., January 8, 2020 — Smithfield Foods, Inc., in partnership with Duke Energy and OptimaBio, LLC, is now producing renewable natural gas (RNG) from the wastewater treatment system at…
Becky Spearman, Bladen County Extension Director and Livestock Extension Agent announced upcoming events for the area. There will be an Agriculture and Forest Landowners Meeting…
A new decade is at the door and the year 2019 is running out of time. Before moving forward to the 2020s, here is a…
By Hannah Davis, WBHS FFA Reporter West Bladen’s FFA chapter received a grant from Cape Fear Farm Credit that allowed the agriculture students to plan,…
RALEIGH – Anyone planning to work with auxin herbicides, such as 2,4-D or dicamba, in North Carolina in 2020 will need to attend annual training,…
The West Bladen High School FFA and Yearbook Clubs worked together to produce a video under the leadership of their teacher, Mr. Autry. Miss Emily…
RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently announced recipients of over $1.3 million in funding from the USDA Specialty Crop Block…
The Bladen County Farm Service Agency (FSA) recently completed its 2019 County Committee Elections and Albert C. Beatty was elected to a three year term…
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 5, 2019 – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture is opening signup for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)…
USDA reminds producers in North Carolina that the nationwide deadline to sign up for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) is Friday, Dec. 6. MFP payments…
Contributed RALEIGH – Harvest of crops across North Carolina has been ongoing for months and weather has generally been favorable for growers, unlike the wet…
RALEIGH – Farms across the state are opening their gates for travelers looking for ways to celebrate the season with unique and fun farm experiences.…
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2019 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy today announced that USDA is investing…
Bladen County farmers may apply for emergency loans for physical and production losses caused by Hurricane Dorian, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced. President Donald…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin mailing ballots on November 4 to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country for the Farm Service…
VANDER – Jenell Young moved away from Cumberland County more than 30 years ago, but after her parents died she still wanted to preserve the…