News

Aug 12, 2010

CEFS launches 10% Campaign and releases guide on local foods

In May, more than 600 people gathered at the Breeze Farm in Orange County’s Hurdle Mills to celebrate and enjoy local food prepared by area chefs. The Farm to Fork Picnic is one of ways the Center for Environmental Farming Systems — co-sponsor of the event with Slow Food Triangle and Breeze Farm — is… 

Aug 12, 2010

Commodity leaders, growers train in food-safety crisis communications

North Carolina commodity association leaders and growers are better prepared to communicate in the event of a fresh produce safety crisis, thanks to a training initiative sponsored by N.C. MarketReady and the Fresh Produce Safety Task Force. The Fresh Produce Safety Task Force, which includes faculty from the Kannapolis-based N.C. MarketReady team, developed a train-the-trainer… 

Aug 12, 2010

Helping veterinarians match medical excellence with business excellence

Where can veterinarians go when they need help in realizing their practices’ full business potential? The answer is Synergy Veterinary Consulting, a company founded two years ago in Tampa, Fla., by Jeff Barnes, a 1999 graduate of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Barnes, who holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural and extension education,… 

Aug 12, 2010

‘Scientists in the Classroom’ brings science to elementary school

Third-graders at West Smithfield Elementary School were all abuzz recently over the opportunity to take their classroom outdoors to study plants, insects and soils. And N.C. Cooperative Extension agent Amie Newsome dressed in a bee costume was the center of attention, as she shared information about insects with the eager students. Newsome and four other… 

Aug 12, 2010

Agriculture teacher Jodi Riedel named N.C. Environmental Educator of the Year

Jodi Riedel, a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences alumna and Wakefield High School agriculture and horticulture teacher, has received North Carolina’s highest honor for environmental education, the Environmental Educator of the Year Award bestowed by the N.C. Wildlife Federation. Riedel will be honored at the 47th annual Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards banquet at a… 

Aug 12, 2010

‘All in the golden afternoon’ at the 2010 Arb Gala

It’s not unusual for guests at the JC Raulston Arboretum’s annual Gala in the Garden to feel they’ve been transported to an enchanted world of botanical beauty. But this year, N.C. State’s nationally renowned gardens gave the gala visitors an adventure in the kaleidoscopically colorful world created by Lewis Carroll in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland… 

Aug 12, 2010

A Family Affair: How a young couple’s bequests create a legacy of giving for their children

It’s never too early to plan for the future, says Rachel Monteverdi. At 41, she already has amassed a lifetime of experience in public service, and she wants that legacy to thrive long after she’s gone. Monteverdi, a Cooperative Extension agent in Warren County, and her husband, Dr. Bob Monteverdi, recently created their will, establishing… 

Aug 12, 2010

Peanut Growers, Hudsons make substantial gifts to 4-H Museum and History Center

The North Carolina 4-H Museum and History Center moved a step closer this spring to becoming reality, thanks to two very special gifts. The North Carolina Peanut Growers Association Inc. gave $100,000 to name the front hall of the museum, housed in the famous “House that Peanuts Built,” which was constructed in 1939 by Rudolph… 

Aug 12, 2010

Teachers work to make research real for students

Two Kannapolis teachers hoping to connect their students with real-world science at its best are spending their summer break at the N.C. Research Campus. Since the spring, they've been picking blackberries and raspberries at the Piedmont Research Station in Salisbury, assisting with a national study on watermelon health benefits, and learning in state-of-the-art labs with a horticultural science researcher. 

Aug 12, 2010

Why can’t economists agree?

Everyone is looking for answers to today’s economic situation. Policy makers often turn to economists for advice on what to do, but economists don’t always give the same answer. N.C. State University economist Mike Walden explains why.