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Hemp plan against a bright blue, sun-lit sky

Fiber Hemp’s Promise: From Dirt to Shirt

N.C. PSI Platform Director for Extension Outreach and Engagement David Suchoff highlights the real economic promise that fiber hemp poses for North Carolina’s farmers and textile industry. 
Insights on AI in agriculture: a drone flies toward a cotton field to gather images as researchers work nearby

Harnessing AI to Feed the Future

How public research, tech companies and land-grant universities are pairing big data with biological science to deliver reliable decision support to farmers. 
Student pours seeds into a mechanical device

Youth Programs Ignite Student’s Passion for Plant Biology and Global Food Security

Summer outreach programs and a youth institute inspired a high schooler to explore plant biology and take part in an international agricultural research internship, before enrolling at NC State, where he’s helping address agricultural challenges and world hunger. 
Man in a farm field, speaking into a microphone and gesturing toward a hemp plant

Turning to Fiber Hemp to Revitalize Agriculture and Textiles

Fiber hemp is a promising industry for North Carolina, but collaboration will be key to overcoming system challenges that could stand in the way. The N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative’s David Suchoff and others at NC State are working to build those partnerships. 
Workers in a field harvest sweet potatoes.

Policy and Automation Are Key Solutions to Ag Labor Shortages

A shortage of labor is often cited as the No. 1 agricultural challenge in North Carolina and the United States today. NC State labor specialist Alejandro Gutierrez-Li says the short-term solution is immigration policy, while the long-term solution is automation. 
Plant Sciences Building operations manager Geoff Bock next to the "Moon Tree."

A Moon Tree Planted in Honor of a Moon Visitor

One of NC State’s newest trees, a 6-foot-tall loblolly pine on Centennial Campus, is the descendant of an original 1971 Moon Tree, whose seed flew on Apollo 14. It was planted in honor of NASA astronaut and three-time graduate Christina Koch. 
Person demonstrates monitoring equipment near a farm canal. The farmer is nearby.

New App To Help Farmers Act Against Flooding

A new web-based app is in the works that will help farmers take action to protect crops, livestock and farm machinery when a storm or flooding event is forecasted. 
Seven people pose in a research lab

Accelerating Agtech Solutions

The N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative is a key player in a global technology validation platform designed to accelerate agricultural technology startup companies. 
Reid Barnett examines plants growing in a science lab.

Seed2Grow Spotlight: Ph.D. Student Turning Pollution Into Possibility

NC State Ph.D. student Reid Barnett is developing floating islands made of fabric specially designed to grow plants. The plants capture excess nitrogen and phosphorus that can pollute water, so they can be turned into soil amendments and other valuable products. 
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Upcoming Events

All Events
Oct 20

Tuesday3:00 PM

Translational AI in Agriculture
Oct 23

Friday

N.C. PSI Hackathon
Oct 28

Wednesday3:45 PM

Pitch Session, Seminar, and Networking with The Trade Council of Denmark