N.C. PSI News

Apr 27, 2021

John Dole: Filling A Growing Need for Agriculture Graduates

In this episode of Farms, Food and You, Associate Dean John Dole explains what CALS is doing to meet that rising need for college graduates in agriculture. 

Apr 20, 2021

Building an Entryway to Knowledge

As a third-generation alumnus of NC State, Jim Whitehurst was a part of the Wolfpack community since he can remember. Together with his family and the employees of Coastal AgroBusiness, Inc., Whitehurst decided to name a space at the NC State University Plant Sciences Building. 

Apr 13, 2021

Partner Profile: North Carolina Dairy Producers Association

Ranking 28th in the country for milk production, the majority of N.C. dairy farms are family-owned and operated. The volunteer-run North Carolina Dairy Producers Association (NCDPA) helps give dairy producers an organizing body to discuss industry issues, promote the NC dairy industry, and support dairy-related research projects. To extend their encouragement of innovation in the dairy industry, the NCDPA became an early financial supporter of the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI). 

Apr 13, 2021

Partner Profile: The North Carolina Composting Council

The North Carolina Composting Council (NCCC) is dedicated to creating healthy soils. Compost—or decomposed organic material—has immense benefits for soil that include strengthening plants’ immune systems, increasing the amount of water soil can hold, and stimulating plant growth. The NCCC teamed up with the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI) as a founding funder to encourage new research, applications, and awareness about composting in agriculture. 

Apr 13, 2021

Partner Profile: North Carolina Peach Growers’ Society

Juicy, sweet, tree-ripened peaches are a summer treat at roadside fruit stands and farmers markets in North Carolina. Growers produce 70 different varieties on 1,100 acres across the state, with 90% of those being sold directly to consumers. The North Carolina Peach Growers’ Society advocates for peach growers and educates the public about how best to grow and enjoy peaches. A long-time supporter of NC State, the society was among the first groups to support the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI). 

Apr 13, 2021

Partner Profile: Weed Society of North Carolina

All growers—from home gardeners to large agricultural producers—depend on weed science to effectively manage vegetation and produce crops. Weeds compete with plants for sunlight, soil nutrients and water, impacting the growth and health of agricultural crops. The Weed Science Society of North Carolina brings together top minds from the many companies and universities in the state that specialize in weed science, and why they were a founding funder of the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI). 

Apr 13, 2021

Partner Profile: North Carolina Muscadine Grape Association

North Carolina is home to one of the oldest cultivated muscadine grape vines in the country. Now, many varieties of muscadine grapes thrive on nearly 2,000 acres all over the state. For more than 45 years, the North Carolina Muscadine Grape Association has promoted research to discover and develop new varieties as well as methods of production and processing and disease control. That's why they became an early funder of the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI). 

Mar 18, 2021

Partner Profile: North Carolina Agricultural Consultants Association

Profitable, efficient and environmentally sound farms require flexibility, ingenuity and forward-thinking management. That’s the focus of the North Carolina Agricultural Consultants Association and one of the key reasons they were among the first funders to sign on with the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI). 

Mar 4, 2021

Partner Profile: North Carolina Irrigation Society

Effective water management and irrigation are essential to productive, sustainable and profitable farms. The North Carolina Irrigation Society promotes sound irrigation management principles and provides its members with education and special training associated with modern agricultural irrigation equipment and practices. As part of their mission to promote education, they became a founding funder of the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative. 

Feb 16, 2021

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.