We Still Grow NC

At NC State Extension, we never stopped growing North Carolina, and we never will.

NC State Extension improves lives and grows North Carolina. While the pandemic has presented extraordinary challenges, we never stopped delivering on our promise.

Our experts are connecting with North Carolinians in new and innovative ways. From Murphy to Manteo, in all 100 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee, we’re utilizing tools and technology to transport Extension into homes, businesses and communities.

“Extension meets people where they are, wherever they are.”
~ Rich Bonanno, Director, NC State Extension

Extension's Pandemic Response

Click to watch NC State Extension's 2020 COVID-19 pandemic response video.

Help In Times Of Crisis

Keeping farmworkers safe. Supporting overwhelmed parents and teachers. Helping restaurants reopen safely. When COVID-19 hit, NC State Extension was there for local communities. Watch our video to see how.

SUCCESS STORIES See All Stories

N.C. Cooperative Extension employees unload face masks from the trunk of a van during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Serving All During the Pandemic

For NC State Extension, providing services to all 100 counties requires tireless efforts even in the best of times. The accomplishments of Extension personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic have been nothing short of amazing.

A restaurant employee wearing a face shield uses a digital thermometer to take the temperature of a guest when entering the restaurant.

Count On Me NC

NC State Extension is helping resuscitate North Carolina’s $21 billion restaurant industry through a partnership program designed to help food service staff safely return to work and follow best practices amid the pandemic.

Enriching Our Youth
Improving Our Health
Feeding Our Future

An NC State Extension 4-H agent holding a baby chick while talking with two young students.

Learning About Creatures Great and Small Through 4-H

Not even a pandemic could curb 4-H's commitment to help youth learn by doing. From virtual science lessons and viral videos to livestock shows and showmanship competitions, Extension's 4-H team are creating special moments and helping tens of thousands of students across North Carolina to satisfy state science requirements.

Two women assist with loading grocery bags into the back of a pickup truck as part of N.C. Cooperative Extension's Wake County Center food drive during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keeping Food on Tables During a Pandemic

The closing of schools statewide was a major blow to many disadvantaged parents. Through strong partnerships and dedicated staff, local Extension centers helped fill the gap and address crucial child and family nutrition issues.

A farmworker wearing a face mask holds up a face mask package.

Distributing Nearly 1 Million Face Coverings to Farmworkers

North Carolina agriculture depends on over 70,000 farmworkers to harvest crops each year. Leveraging a vast network of partners, Extension assisted in distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) to farmworkers, including almost 1 million masks, while providing COVID-19 education and tools.

“We become a trusted source of information because we care about others’ problems and help them find solutions."

~ Travis Birdsell, Director, N.C. Cooperative Extension - Ashe County Center

A Hispanic farmworker stands in a farm field with arms crossed while wearing a face covering during an NC State Extension Farmworker Health and Safety Education Program training in Edgecombe County, North Carolina.

Protecting Farmworkers: The Pandemic Dilemma

As the public was being told to social distance last spring, tens of thousands of farmworkers were working, often in close quarters, to produce and pack our food. NC State Extension has played a vital role in helping agribusinesses keep workers safe while empowering farmworkers to protect each other.

A female employee wearing a face mask and gloves sorts sweet potatoes on a conveyor belt in a food packaging facility.

Food Safety Expertise Reaches Far and Nationwide

NC State Extension food safety scientists took their expertise to a new level during the pandemic, developing educational resources that were adopted by dozens of institutions in over 40 states.

A drone hovers over farm research plots as part of NC State Extension's Virtual Small Grains Field Day in 2020.

Virtual Events Transformed Field Days

When the pandemic threatened to put the brakes on invaluable Extension events across the state, Extension staff adapted and went virtual, keeping farmers connected and even engaging new audiences.

A female 4-H'er stands with her dairy steer and North Carolina Cooperative Extension 4-H Agent Holly Jordan during the 2020 WNC Livestock Expo.

Serving Youth and Families Through Challenging Times

NC State Extension 4-H camps and clubs provide thousands of youth with opportunities to socialize, engage in hands-on educational activities and learn practical skills spanning agriculture, STEM, responsible and informed citizenship and career development.

$2.1 Billion

Extension's annual economic impact to North Carolina

Discover Our Impact

Extension COVID-19 Resources

Find research-backed information from Extension experts to help families, businesses and communities navigate the pandemic.

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Handouts and Tools

Download impact handouts and other resources that can be used to help promote Extension's efforts across the state.

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Protect the Pack

Discover how NC State is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and what you can do to help.

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We Grow NC