To help with recovery, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic Services Division is offering all of its services — soil testing, nematode assay analysis and analysis of plant, waste, solution and media samples — at no cost to growers in the 27 presidential disaster counties. These are helpful services as growers prepare for the upcoming season. 

Fees are being paid by special state funding so essentially fees are waived to the grower through June. 

The soil testing service is ready to provide lime and fertilizer recommendations to help growers establish optimum fertility in fields for the upcoming growing season. Severe erosion and deposition of soils from other aeras occurred during the storm. Some work to physically restore productive fields has been ongoing and it is equally important to determine what fertility needs are prior to establishing a crop. 

The turnaround time, from the sample arriving at the lab to having a report, is two weeks now, so results will be ready quickly. Growers should submit samples in NCDA&CS soil sample boxes along with a fully completed submission form. Information on soil testing is found at ncagr.gov/divisions/agronomic-services/soil-testing/commercial-growers. 

Growers who have crops currently growing should consider plant tissue testing to make sure plant nutrients are sufficient for optimal growth. Now is a good time to sample Fraser firs before bud break. Tissue sampling wheat or small grain sampling is also timely. Plant tissue sampling is more difficult than soil sampling since the correct plant leaf or part must be sampled.

Other resources that growers have access to through the NCDA&CS is the Division of Soil and Water Conservation. Growers who still need assistance with soil management in eroded fields and stream and drainage issues are highly encouraged to seek the local expertise in each county office ncagr.gov/divisions/soil-water-conservation.