The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Division is looking for small or large backyard or independent poultry flocks to test for avian influenza throughout the state. A minimum of 10 birds per flock would be tested by oral swabs four times each year at no cost to the owner. This program is designed to maintain surveillance for bird flu in North Carolina. If interested, contact Dr. Sarah Mason or Jimmy Collie at (919) 733-7601 to learn more.

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The first statewide Agritourism Networking Association Conference will be held Jan. 19 at the Caraway Conference Center north of Asheboro. The meeting is open to interested agritourism farmers, winery and vineyard owners and members of the Agritourism Networking Association.
The one-day conference will feature speakers from across the state focusing on topics such as zoning, liability insurance, hospitality, marketing, agricultural development and the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund.
Registration is $20 for ANA members and $30 for non-members. Registration forms are available online at www.ncagr.com/agritourism/ and are due Jan. 10.
For more, contact Martha Glass at martha.glass@ncagr.gov or call (919) 733-7887.

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A stockdog training clinic with Jack Knox will be held Jan. 13-15 in Semora (Person County). All breeds and experience levels are welcome. Cost is $200 for the hands-on instructional clinic. For more, contact Rebecca Shouse, at (336) 234-0389 or e-mail at shouse@mebtel.net or go to http://goosedogs.com/irena.

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A “Saving the Family Farm II” estate-planning conference with updates on estate planning for the family farm will be held Jan. 17 at the N.C. Cooperative Extension Center in Louisburg. For more, contact Martha Mobley, Franklin County extension agent, (919) 496-3344 or e-mail martha_mobley@ncsu.edu.

The 31st Annual Union County Performance Tested Bull Sale will be held at noon Jan. 20 at Edwards Double E Sales Arena in Marshville. The sale offers 70 forage-tested bulls and a large selection of commercial and registered cows and heifers, including Angus, Simmental, Red Angus, Limousin, Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle. For more on the sale, including specifics on the bulls, go to www.ces.ncsu.edu/union/bulltest/, or contact Jerry Simpson, Union County extension agent, at (704) 283-3738.

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The 2007 N.C. Turfgrass Conference and Show will be held Jan. 22-25 at the North Raleigh Hilton in Raleigh. The conference features workshops and sessions on a number of turf management issues including disease management, irrigation, aquatic weeds, insect control and water conservation. Attendees can earn credits for maintaining their North Carolina pesticide license. Cost for the full conference is $150 for Turfgrass Council of North Carolina members, or $200 for non-members. Partial packages are also available for anyone interested in certain programs. For more or to register, call (919) 380-9446 or e-mail to info@ncturfgrass.org.

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The N.C. Peach Growers Society will hold its annual meeting Jan. 23 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Days Inn at Southern Pines. The program features presentations on production practices, insect and disease management and more. Cost is $20. For more or to register, contact Kevin Hardison, NCDA&CS marketing specialist, at (919) 733-7887.

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The Southeastern Horseshoers on Education will hold its annual awards banquet Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Troutmans Restaurant on U.S. 601 near N.C. 49 in Concord. For more, contact Marcus Pierce, (704) 753-4576 or e-mail at Dpierce926@aol.com.

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The N.C. Meat Goat Association will hold its annual meeting Feb. 3 at 9 a.m. at the Johnston County Livestock Arena in Smithfield. The meeting will include a number of workshops including one on American Boer Goat Association Standards. A young wether sale will be held in the afternoon. Cost is $15 for adults, free for kids under 19. Lunch is provided. For more, contact Todd McLeod at (336) 241-2245 or (336) 626-6670.

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The 19th Annual N.C. Aquaculture Development Conference will be held Feb. 7-10 at the Sheraton Atlantic Beach Oceanfront Hotel in Atlantic Beach. The conference features self-guided tours of two aquaculture operations and workshops and updates on a variety of aquaculture topics. An optional short course on aquaculture recirculation technology by Dr. Tom Losordo and Dennis Delong of N.C. State University will be held Feb. 7 and 8. Cost for the conference is $95 before Jan. 31 or $125 after that date. The cost of short course and conference is $250. For more or to register, go to www.ncaquaculture.com or call (866) 462-2838.

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A workshop on legal liability and safe food handling practices will be held Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the N.C. Cooperative Extension Center in Winston-Salem. Program topics include “Good Agricultural Practices for Raw Produce Handling,” “Getting the Right Liability Insurance Coverage” and “Avoiding Liability Lawsuits.” Cost is $15 and includes lunch. For more, contact Annette Dunlap at (919) 515-5969 or annette_dunlap@ncsu.edu.

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A workshop on selling to food service and retail establishments will be held at 9 a.m. Feb. 28 at the Charlie Rose Agri-Expo Center in Fayetteville. This workshop is geared for farmers and extension staff from Virginia and North and South Carolina. Cost is $12 for government employees or $25 for others. For more, contact Annette Dunlap at (919) 515-5969 or annette_dunlap@ncsu.edu.

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The Northern Piedmont Specialty Crops Schools will be held March 2 at the Person County Cooperative Extension Center in Roxboro. The school will focus on growing and marketing specialty crops, and will include guest presentations by specialty farmers and a presentation on drip irrigation. Cost is $25 and includes lunch. Pre-registration is required. For more, contact Carl Cantaluppi at (919) 603-1350 or e-mail at carl_cantaluppi@ncsu.edu.

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The N.C. Beekeepers Association will host a joint meeting with the South Carolina Beekeepers Association March 2 and 3 at the Union County Agri-Services Center in Monroe. The focus of the meeting is the small hive beetle, and features guest speakers, workshops and a trade show. For more or to register, contact Charles Heatherly at (919) 859-6995, e-mail at heath7@bellsouth.net or go to www.ncbeekeepers.org/meeting.

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Marlin Bohling, farm director for Curtis Media Group and the company’s Southern Farm Network, has been awarded the 2006 “Oscar in Agriculture” award by the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. The award, sponsored by New Holland Corporation, recognizes reporting excellence, thoroughness and attention to audience interested in the field of farm and agricultural journalism. Bohling’s winning entry was a radio program featuring segments of an agriculture trivia game he played with local high school students. “My goal with this program was to provide a humorous way of educating non-farm listeners while illustrating the need for more agricultural education in urban settings,” Bohling said. The Southern Farm Network serves radio affiliates in North and South Carolina providing updated news, weather and commodities information targeted specifically to the needs of today’s modern farmer as well as those companies that service the farm sector.

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The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services encourages livestock producers to register their farms with the NCFarmID program. NCFarmID is a voluntary program to register farms for a national number as a way to protect livestock in the event of a disease outbreak. For more, contact NCDA&CS at (919)-715-2951 or go to www.NCFarmID.com.