From the tractor
by Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler

July is a busy time of year in agriculture. Even with some early season delays in production due to a cool spring, farmers markets are full of activity and fresh North Carolina produce, meats and cheeses.

This month we will celebrate that abundance, plus the rich variety of North Carolina commodities with Got to Be NC Agriculture Month. I hope to attend several special events at state-operated markets to bring even more attention to the great job farmers do raising the food we all enjoy.

Special events highlighting peaches, blackberries, blueberries and watermelons are on tap for July, but shoppers will find so many more crops in season at the markets. You can expect to find plenty of peppers, okra, cabbage, zucchini, corn, snap beans, squash, cantaloupes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and ornamental plants.

I hope many of you already shop at your local farmers markets, but if you do not, please consider shopping with your local farmers. You are helping support the local economy but better yet, you are getting the freshest commodities available. And that freshness just tastes so good.

In conjunction with Got to Be NC Agriculture Month, you will likely also be seeing the debut of our newest marketing slogan: “Grown. Raised. Caught. Made.” to our advertising and promotional efforts.

I am excited to launch this new campaign. I think consumers will connect with this message because it really encompasses the whole of agriculture in North Carolina.

Finally, I wanted to thank everyone who came out for this year’s Got to Be NC Festival in Raleigh. This event continues to grow and improve every year, and this year was no exception. Thanks in part to nearly perfect weather, we had the biggest attendance we have had to date.

Everywhere I went on the grounds, I saw people having a good time, which is the mark of a successful of event. Go ahead and mark your calendars now for May 15-17, 2015.