Recent Posts

Gary Bullen

Gary Bullen, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and the Program for Value-Added and Alternative Agriculture, supports new enterprise evaluation, business skills development and direct marketing initiatives at N.C. State University. Most recently, Gary has developed a set of Business Development Files to assist growers interested in starting or expanding an agricultural business. Please contact your Cooperative Extension agent to begin the step-by-step process in evaluating your agricultural business endeavor.

Dr. Michael Walden

Dr. Michael Walden, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, provides numerous helpful resources, including the N.C. Economic Outlook Series, You Decide, a biweekly newsletter, and Economic Perspective, a daily radio show. His NC State University faculty page includes information on state and county agribusiness values. Check it out here.

Poultry Industry

The poultry industry is a leading contributor to North Carolina’s agricultural economy. Broilers rank as the top commodity for the state with an annual production value of $2.2 billion. Wilkes County leads the state with more than 91 million broilers on farms. Learn more at www.ncpoultry.org.

Sweet Potatoes

North Carolina is the number one producer of sweet potatoes in the United States. High in nutrition, the sweet potato is grown in 53 of the state's 100 counties, predominantly in the coastal plain region of North Carolina. More than $104 million, or 702 million pounds, of sweet potatoes are sold each year. For more information, visit http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com.

Sixth Annual Franklin County Farm Food & Craft Tour & LOCAL FOOD FESTIVAL

May 16 and 17, 2009, 11 a.m. through evening. On Saturday and Sunday, May 16 & 17, 2009, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., the public is invited to tour eight Franklin County farms in addition to attending the LOCAL FOOD Festival in the evening of May 16. A farm-related photography contest, youth fishing clinic and 5K Walk/Run will also be held on the weekend. For details on all the weekend events, visit www.FranklinCountyFarmFresh.com or call Martha Mobley, Agricultural Extension Agent, at 919-496-3344. http://franklin.ces.ncsu.edu and www.FranklinCountyFarmFresh.co

Value-Added Program Featured

Our programs are featured in the winter issue of Perspectives Magazine.

The Produce Lady Airs on Almanac Gardener

Watch The Produce Lady on UNC-TV’S Almanac Gardener this spring. N.C. Cooperative Extension agent and local foods expert, Brenda Sutton, will appear on upcoming shows. The Produce Lady is made possible by a grant from the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.

Message from the Director

Value-Added Team Relocates to North Carolina Research Campus at Kannapolis; Receives Recent Grants