Press Releases

State Veterinarian Mike Martin announced today that the suspension of North Carolina poultry shows and public sales will be lifted as of Wednesday, June 1. All exhibitions, farm tours, shows, sales, flea markets, auction markets, swaps and meets pertaining to poultry and feathered fowl in North Carolina can resume.  On Thursday, May 12, the last High Path Avian Influenza control area was terminated, since there have been no additional positive cases of HPAI in North Carolina since April 11.

Residents and visitors looking for farms that offer outdoor experiences and local food will have plenty of options as many farms across the state offer special summer events for guests.  Visitors will find festivals, pick-your-own berries and flowers, farm tours and camps, picnics, workshops, farmers markets and Father’s Day events. Following is a selection of experiences offered at North Carolina farms through early summer. 

The Got to Be NC program, in partnership with its musical ambassador and local singer-songwriter Paige King Johnson, is creating a voice competition called NC Ag Star to help promote agriculture with young people. The competition is open to anyone 13 to 22 years old. The winner will receive a prize package including a professional songwriting session, a song recorded and produced by a top Nashville studio producer and training from industry professionals. 

The artwork of 13 elementary school students will be featured in the 2022-2023 North Carolina Farm to School calendar. This is the 11th year for the calendar, which features daily agricultural facts and highlights the N.C. Farm to School program and agriculture’s role in food production.

As spring fire season enters its third month, the USDA Forest Service and N.C. Forest Service are reminding the public to keep drones away from wildfires. Flying drones or unmanned aircraft systems, near wildfire activity is not only extremely dangerous, but illegal.“Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of forest service pilots and ground crews and interferes with firefighting efforts,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “It’s important to remember that if you fly, we can’t.”

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will soon start treating for spongy moth infestations in several areas across the state. Treatments will start as early as June 1 and run through June 16. Spongy moth is the entomological community’s agreed upon name for the insect formerly referred to as the gypsy moth.The areas to be treated include Alleghany, Camden, Caswell, Currituck, Dare, Rockingham, Surry, Vance and Watauga counties.

Twenty-eight North Carolina students have been named recipients of 2022 N.C. State Fair Youth Livestock Scholarships, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced.The scholarships are designed for high school seniors and students currently enrolled in an institute of higher education who have participated in the junior livestock or market turkey shows at the N.C. State Fair.

 

The Got to Be NC Festival marks its eagerly awaited return to the fairgrounds May 20-22 following a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Antique tractors, a barbecue buffet fundraiser on May 21, North Carolina food products, rides, games, livestock, kids’ activities, music and entertainment will welcome guests back.

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 North Carolina lasts from spring until the first frost and horses are at risk if not properly vaccinated,” Troxler said. “EEE is fatal 90 percent of the time in horses and WNV has a fatality rate of 30 percent. But, both diseases are preventable by vaccination.”Last year, there were three recorded cases of EEE and two cases of WNV.