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College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Farms, Food and You

Issues in agriculture affect not just farmers. They influence our lives every day. Explore these issues with NC State University experts and others with ties to agriculture and food-related industries in North Carolina and beyond.

The Quest for Net Zero

On this episode of the Farms, Food and You podcast, Joe Sagues explains the ins and outs of carbon capture and the potential it holds for farmers, entrepreneurs and society in general.

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Joe Sagues conducts research on using biological systems to sequester carbon. Photo by Becky Kirkland

Previous Episodes

Olivia Mabe with her cow at the State Fair

Show Time at the State Fair

On this episode of Farms, Food and You, junior Olivia Mabe shares what makes a prize-winning cow and why you should take a break from the rides, games and delectable fried treats to check out the exhibition.

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ants crawling in dirt

Get Curious with Urban Entomologists

On this episode of the Farms, Food and You podcast, learn why the creepy crawlies in our cities are important to the ecosystem.

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Garey Fox in BAE shop

A New Leader for CALS

On this episode of Farms, Food and You, preview what’s coming up for CALS this fall and in years to come as Dean Garey Fox lays out his vision.

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two monarch butterflies on a white flower

Pollinator Gardens And You

In honor of National Pollinator Month, we chatted with Danesha Seth Carley, co-author and associate professor in NC State’s Department of Horticultural Science, about how to build pollinator gardens.

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a bee on a purple flower

Keeping the Bees Buzzing

In this episode of Farms, Food and You, learn about honey bee health, the honey bee’s role in agriculture, and NC State’s bee research and outreach programs.

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Farming with Artificial Intelligence

In this episode of Farms, Food and You, we’ll dig deep into artificial intelligence and other technology utilized in agricultural research with Jevon Smith, a research computing manager for the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative.

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a sesame plant in a field

Open Sesame Seeds

Planting a new crop like sesame can be risky for farmers. In this episode of Farms, Food and You, Extension specialist David Suchoff highlights efforts to cover the start-up costs for North Carolina farmers.

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a couple working in a field

Finding Your Niche

On this episode of Farms, Food and You, Doris and Donald Kidd — some of the few producers of elephant garlic in the state — share what it means to be a niche farmer and how the Black Farmers Market helped them expand their scope.

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a community garden growing green plants

Building a Community Garden

Cheralyn Berry, Extension specialist and director of the Briggs Avenue Community Garden in East Durham, shares her perspective on the vital role of community gardens.

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pink poinsettias in a greenhouse

‘Tis the Season for Poinsettias

During the holiday season, tabletops, lobbies and front doors are adorned with the rich red velvety leaves of the unofficial Christmas flower: the poinsettia. This episode of Farms, Food and You discusses the poinsettia’s surprising history and its colorful future.

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A dog and its trainers looking for truffles outside

This Truffle’s No Trifle

Man’s best friend helps unearth a potentially lucrative crop in western North Carolina. NC State Extension’s Katie Learn talks about these rare delicacies and what Extension is doing to help truffle growers.

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An aerial shot of the North Carolina State Fair at night

The North Carolina State Fair, So Happy Together

Once again, it’s time for the North Carolina State Fair. On this Farms, Food and You episode, we’ll hear from North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner and NC State University alumnus Steve Troxler to talk all things State Fair.

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Flooded agricultural fields after Hurricane Matthew

Be Prepared for Hurricane Season

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month, and here in North Carolina, that includes bracing for peak hurricane season. This episode of Farms, Food and You discusses how NC State Extension helps counties prepare and recover from these destructive storms.

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a spotted lanternfly on a plant

Spotting the Spotted Lanternfly

North Carolina vineyards are on the lookout for a particularly unwanted guest—the spotted lanternfly. Learn how to spot and report this pest in this episode of Farms, Food and You.

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Grapes on a conveyor

Muscadine So Fine

People say to believe half of what you see and none of what you hear, but the rumors are true: muscadine grapes are one of the new “it” superfoods. Learn about muscadine grapes from Mark Hoffmann, a small fruits specialist with NC State Extension.

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little seedling sprouting on a metal tray

Plants in Space

Farms, Food and You talks with Professor Marcela Rojas-Pierce to learn about an out-of-this-world experiment involving plant biology and what it means for the future of agriculture practices at home and beyond our atmosphere.

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Bumble bee on a flower

Keep Those Bee Hotels Buzzing

To celebrate World Bee Day, Farms, Food and You sat down with NC State’s Elsa Youngsteadt to learn how we can help foster bee populations with gardens and bee hotels.

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nc state baseball field

The (Turf)grass is Always Greener on the Other Side

If a whiff of fresh-cut grass makes you start humming, “Take me out to the ball game,” then you’re either itching for spring training, passionate about turfgrass management, or both.

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Carolina Gold Rice Rush

In the 1800s, Carolina Gold Rice covered thousands of acres in the Tidewater Region before a series of hurricanes wiped out crop production. Now, it’s making a comeback thanks to ambitious farmers in Pamlico County.

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New, Emerging Crop: Cigar Wrapper Tobacco

Increased consumer demand for cigar products is piquing the interest of North Carolina farmers, many of whom have the infrastructure for growing tobacco from the burley tobacco heyday.

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Close up image of hops flowers

North Carolina ‘Hops’ to it

North Carolinians know that craft beer is booming in the state. More than 350 brewers and brewpubs across North Carolina are all trying their hand at making new, interesting flavors from a base recipe of grain, yeast, water and hops.

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hemp bud with blurry background

Hemp: North Carolina’s Budding Industry

The hemp industry is budding in North Carolina, but it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing. We talk with Extension specialist David Suchoff about what’s been accomplished and what we’ve learned so far.

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beige grass in sun

Climate Change and Agriculture

Greatly affected by storms, droughts, floods, heat and cold, agriculture is vulnerable to climate change. In this episode of Farms, Food and You, experts discuss climate change’s effects on ag, ag’s effects on climate change, and how the industry can help address it.

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One-on-One with NC Farm Bureau’s Shawn Harding

The North Carolina Farm Bureau is the state’s largest farm organization, and as its president, Shawn Harding is one of the state’s most influential leaders in agriculture.

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Why Farmers Need Good Internet

What challenges do North Carolina farmers face in making the best use of new technology when they lack high-speed internet? And what’s being done about it?

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Student and professor holding a beverage product they developed in a grocery store.

Growing NC Food Entrepreneurship

Roughly 80% of crops grown in North Carolina are shipped out of the state to be processed. What’s being done to tap the potential for food entrepreneurs to keep these commodities here?

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Head shot of Will Kornegay in a farm field

Adversity Meets Ingenuity for Food Entrepreneur

Food entrepreneur Will Kornegay used quick thinking and the support of others to turn bad timing with one business into a new venture and a chance to help others who can’t always afford nutritious food.

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Man with mask talks to student outdoors

John Dole: Filling the Rising Need for Ag Grads

Some 59,000 agricultural jobs open each year for college graduates. What’s NC State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences doing to meet the need? Associate Dean John Dole explains.

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Three military veterans in a farm field with two cows

Veterans in NC Agriculture

Ten percent of farmers in the United States have served in the Armed Forces, with nearly 9,000 of them in North Carolina. Four of them share their farming and homesteading experiences.

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NC Agriculture and Food: A Look-Back and Ahead

NC State economist Mike Walden shares his observations on N.C. food and farming over the past four decades and future trends.

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Cattle on Joey Clawson's Watauga County farm outside Boone.

Farmland Challenges in a Fast-Growing State

North Carolina is losing farmland faster than any state other than Texas. What does this mean for the future of agriculture in our state? And what’s being done about it?

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Woman with drones and robots.

Taking Farm Tech to the Next Tier

What will the next wave of agricultural technology hold? Two NC State faculty members talk about the latest in ag innovation and what the future may hold.

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CALS grad Brandon Batten sitting on a tractor

Brandon Batten: Putting Advanced Farm Tech to Work

Brandon Batten uses modern ag tech daily on his Four Oaks farm, and he’s looking ahead to advancements that’ll make his operation increasingly efficient.

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Man standing in an egg factory

Extraordinary Farmer, Extraordinary Eggs

Trey Braswell builds on long-held family values as he forges new paths for Braswell Family Farms, a fourth-generation feed and egg business.

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Hemp flower

What’s New with N.C. Hemp

Hemp has been touted as a crop with some 25,000 uses — from health products to clothing, from biofuels to a construction material known as hempcrete. With modern hemp production heading into its fifth growing season in North Carolina, what does the future hold for the crop?

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Steve Lommel in a university laboratory

One-on-One with N.C. Agricultural Research Service’s Steve Lommel

When it comes to NC State University’s impact on agriculture, the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service’s discoveries lead to the way. Director Steve Lommel provides an update.

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Young men digging and filling a wheelbarrow

Giving Back: Kamal Bell and Sankofa Farms

Kamal Bell isn’t your stereotypical North Carolina farmer, and his Orange County farm isn’t your everyday farm. There, he’s not just farming, he’s also teaching — and doing both in ways aimed at raising the quality of life for people in his nearby hometown of Durham.

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Man with drone flying over farm field

Initiatives to Make N.C. a $100 Billion Powerhouse

Agriculture and agribusiness are a $92.7 billion-a-year industry in North Carolina, and Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is determined to see that value top $100 billion soon. Major initiatives at NC State University are designed to help the state meet and exceed that goal.

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Waste lagoon and hog houses

Waste Solutions: From Farm Waste to Feed, Fertilizer and Energy

NC State University develops and delivers waste solutions that benefit farmers, consumers and the environment. Among those solutions: using plant-based agricultural leftovers as cattle feed and turning hog waste into valuable bioenergy and fertilizer.

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Hand holding vermicompost with worms.

Waste Solutions: Vermicomposting

When it comes to waste management, NC State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences delivers solutions. Learn how Rhonda Sherman helps others use worms to create valuable soil amendments from waste.

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Hand slicing a sweetpotato

Sweet Success With Sweetpotatoes

Sweetpotatoes are North Carolina’s state vegetable, and they’re not just for Thanksgiving anymore. Find out how North Carolina growers have positioned our state as the leader when it comes to the production of this increasingly in-demand crop.

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Man and boy pose with a giant jack-o'-lantern.

Growing Giants

Imagine a pumpkin putting on 20, 40 or even 60 pounds a day. It happens! With the North Carolina State Fair canceled this year and its Great Pumpkin and Watermelon Weigh-Off closed to the public, three North Carolina regulars at the contest open up about the art, the science and the fun of growing giants.

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Rich Bonanno

One-on-One With Rich Bonanno

NC State Extension Director Bonanno discusses the challenges facing North Carolina agriculture and the ways Extension is working to keep the industry at the forefront of the state’s economy.

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Aerial view of corn maze that says "Gross Farms" and "Visit NC Farms"

Agritourism: Heading Out to the Farm

Fall usually brings corn mazes, hayrides, pick-your-own pumpkins and more ways to experience North Carolina farms, but the pandemic adds uncertainty for 2020.

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Man behind a row of turmeric plants on a community farm

Community Gardens: To Plant Is To Believe

Community gardens can give people who don’t have land the chance to grow healthy food while connecting with others. At a garden on a former plantation in North Carolina’s Piedmont, refugees from Myanmar are reconnecting with their agrarian roots.

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Grounds and other produce displayed at a farmers market stand

Local Food, Local Opportunities

Over the past two decades, interest in locally grown food has grown, and the pandemic has brought more attention to this important segment of North Carolina’s agriculture industry. But it’s also brought challenges and opportunities.

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Two men holding a tray of lettuce in front of a shipping container farm lit in purple

The Future of North Carolina Agriculture

Farmers are the backbone of North Carolina’s $92.7 billion agriculture and agribusiness industry. What opportunities do industry leaders see as keys to a successful future? And how are NC State Extension and research helping position them to make the most of those opportunities?

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Hands digging sweet potatoes from the ground, with other workers standing on the horizon

Farmworker Health and Safety

Farmworkers are essential to our lives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, their work hasn’t stopped. Hear about the risks these workers face as they produce our food and about ways NC State Extension, its partners and other state agencies are helping lower those risks.

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A poster in a window at The Pit restaurant features a pointing Uncle Sam with the slogan, "I want you to social distance."

The Dine-In Revival

Stay-at-home guidelines have eased, and many North Carolina restaurants are reopening their dining rooms. In the latest episode of CALS’ Farms, Food and You podcast, guests share insights on COVID-19’s impact on restaurants and what the industry and NC State Extension are doing to keep guests and workers safe.

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Extension agent and farmer in a farm field.

The State of North Carolina Agriculture

North Carolina’s agriculture and agribusiness industry is a powerhouse, generating about one-sixth of the state’s income and jobs. Learn more about a recently released economic snapshot into the industry’s impact, and hear what farmers and others have to say about the state of the industry today.

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Piglets inside a barn

How That Pig Got to the Market

The pork you had for dinner last night? Farmers began working on it a year ago. But much has changed since then. Find out more about slowdowns at processing plants and how they could affect farmers and consumers for months to come.

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$95.9 Billion

Food, fiber and forestry industries contribute over $95.9 billion annually to North Carolina’s economy. That’s 16% of the state’s $592 billion gross state product, according to “Agriculture and Agribusiness: North Carolina’s Number One Industry.”

Source: Prof Emeritus Mike Walden
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What’s happening on the farm?

North Carolina has a rich agricultural history, and the typical family farm is changing all the time. Come with us as we meet some of the folks who are ensuring our food’s future.

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