The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council has classified the whole state as at least abnormally dry and a moderate drought has spread in the eastern part of the state, according to the latest advisory released Thursday.  

A trio of high-ranking state and federal agriculture officials is warning that if farmers affected by Hurricane Helene don’t get help soon, next year could be a bleak one for both producers and consumers. 

The application period for county governments and conservation nonprofit groups to apply for farmland preservation grants from the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund opened Oct. 14.

The Haywood County Apple Harvest Festival will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, in downtown Waynesville.

Hailed as one of the “10 Best Fall Harvest Festivals in the Nation,” the annual festival is a celebration of the autumn harvest and Haywood County’s agricultural heritage, attracting upwards of 20,000 attendees throughout the day. 

North Carolina’s commissioner of agriculture is responsible for leading an agency that plays a vital role in one of the state’s most important economic sectors. With a record-setting $111 billion impact in 2023, the Tarheel state leads the nation in the production of eggs, poultry, sweet potatoes and tobacco and ranks second in Christmas trees, trout and turkey.

Hurricane Helene caused great devastation throughout much of Western North Carolina and farm fields were not spared. There are reports of impacts to fields in all landscape positions. This situation calls for a vigilant approach to soil and crop management that includes assessment on a field-by-field basis. 

Macon County commissioners are considering the adoption of a farmland protection ordinance that would not only orchestrate cooperation between county government and farmers in the region but also allow for more grant funding opportunities for the county. 

Western Carolina University will present the 2024 Mountain Heritage Awards during the Mountain Heritage Day festival Saturday, Sept. 28, on the Ingles Blue Ridge Stage around midday.  

North Carolina is free from extreme drought in the latest advisory issued by the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) on Thursday.

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging equine owners to have their animals vaccinated against Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis and West Nile Virus.