Support Farmers. Support the 2018 Farm Act.
First Furrow – A North Carolina Agriculture Blog
by First Furrow Staff
3y ago
Stick with us here. Most people probably understand the wisdom, or can at least appreciate the purpose, of maintaining your home. Over time your home gets cluttered, things break, and some of those deep, dark corners you never visit have to be dealt with. It’s not always a fun job, but doing it can make your home a more enjoyable place to live. North Carolina’s statutes, just like a home, require ongoing maintenance. So it’s necessary, on occasion, for the Legislature to take a look at our statutes and clean up some of the confusing, unhelpful, and out-of-date provisions. That’s where the annu ..read more
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Highlighting How We Grow NC
First Furrow – A North Carolina Agriculture Blog
by First Furrow Staff
3y ago
Written by Dr. Richard H. Linton, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University. We recently welcomed the families and friends of nearly 650 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) students to campus for graduation ceremonies. These undergraduate, graduate and Agricultural Institute students will go on to pursue all sorts of careers — scientist, farmer, industry leader, doctor, elected official – joining thousands of other CALS alumni working to transform challenges into opportunities. It’s through events like graduation that we are reminded o ..read more
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The Farm to Fork Disconnect
First Furrow – A North Carolina Agriculture Blog
by First Furrow Staff
3y ago
The following commentary is by North Carolina Farm Bureau President Larry Wooten. Last week I had the opportunity to attend Thrive NC in downtown Raleigh. The event had some great food prepared by truly exceptional chefs, live music, a praiseworthy service project, and a summit to discuss food insecurity and childhood nutrition. As the leader of the state’s largest general agriculture non-profit and a farmer myself, I left that summit with a nagging question: where is the disconnect? Let me explain. Today’s farmers are growing the most affordable, abundant, and nutritious food in human histor ..read more
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A Closer Look at Taxes: 5 Questions with AFBF’s Pat Wolff
First Furrow – A North Carolina Agriculture Blog
by First Furrow Staff
3y ago
April is here, and with it comes warmer weather, spring break vacations, . . . and taxes. Yes, we hate to bring it up but Tax Day is just around the corner — April 17th to be exact — so we thought we’d look a little closer at some of the finer points of the tax reform law that Congress passed a few months ago. We’ve fired a handful of questions to Pat Wolff, Senior Director of Congressional Relations for American Farm Bureau Federation, and she’s given us the inside scoop on what’s new with taxes and what’s on the horizon. Question #1: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is a comprehensive law, making c ..read more
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Stepping Up for Agriculture
First Furrow – A North Carolina Agriculture Blog
by First Furrow Staff
3y ago
The following commentary is by North Carolina Farm Bureau President Larry Wooten, first published in the Spring 2018 issue of NC Field and Family. Farm Bureau takes a stand on important issues For more than 80 years, our Farm Bureau brand has served as a trusted voice on issues impacting the agriculture community. We must remain vigilant concerning the issues and challenges ahead of us in 2018. Legislatively, we have a strong working relationship with the North Carolina General Assembly and the Governor’s office. We might not always agree on every issue, but I can tell you, they always want t ..read more
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Atlantic Coast Pipeline Takes Another Step Forward in North Carolina
First Furrow – A North Carolina Agriculture Blog
by First Furrow Staff
3y ago
On January 26th, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality issued one of the final critical permits needed to begin construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP). Responding to the news, North Carolina Farm Bureau President Larry Wooten said, “North Carolina Farm Bureau and our state’s farmers applaud and thank Governor [Roy] Cooper and his administration for approving the permits that will allow the Atlantic Coast Pipeline to move forward. We believe, and our farmers across the state believe, that natural gas in rural North Carolina is important for advancing our number one i ..read more
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The Newest Chapter in the Ongoing Saga of the 2015 WOTUS Rule
First Furrow – A North Carolina Agriculture Blog
by First Furrow Staff
3y ago
It’s no secret that farmers nationwide oppose the Obama Administration’s 2015 Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) Rule. As we’ve written here before, the 2015 Rule would significantly expand the area where the federal government has the authority to regulate water. Why? Because under the 2015 Rule many tracts of land would become newly regulated “waters,” even land that is only wet for a couple of hours after it rains. If implemented, farmers would have to apply for costly federal government permits to engage in even the most basic farming practices on these lands. And there is no guarantee that those ..read more
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ICYMI: Trump Promotes Rural Development Initiative in Speech to Farm Bureau Members
First Furrow – A North Carolina Agriculture Blog
by First Furrow Staff
3y ago
Via American Farm Bureau Federation On January 8 President Donald Trump unveiled a major initiative designed to strengthen a rural economy that has lagged urban areas in recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2008. Trump signed two executive orders that fund and streamline the expansion of rural broadband access after an address to 7,400 farmers and ranchers gathered at American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2018 Annual Convention. In addition to economic development, Trump touched on issues of particular importance to agriculturists such as regulations, labor and trade. He praised farmers for t ..read more
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Principles For Progress
First Furrow – A North Carolina Agriculture Blog
by First Furrow Staff
3y ago
The following commentary is by North Carolina Farm Bureau President Larry Wooten, first published in the Winter 2017-18 issue of NC Field and Family. Mergers showcase the need for competitive choice Progress has been a guiding principle of farming since before North Carolina’s first Commissioner of Agriculture Leonidas L. Polk established Progressive Farmer magazine in 1887, after serving in office. With each new season of the year, it seems there is also a huge new merger or acquisition being announced in the name of progress. With the dizzying pace of consolidation in agribusiness, it seems ..read more
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NCFB’s 82nd Annual Convention
First Furrow – A North Carolina Agriculture Blog
by First Furrow Staff
3y ago
In a few days, North Carolina Farm Bureau members and voting delegates will travel to Greensboro, NC for the organization’s 82nd Annual Convention. The event is a celebration of the year’s work: growing the membership, advocating for farmers and rural families, telling the story of North Carolina agriculture, and investing in the future of our state. But the convention is also the culmination of the year’s policy development process — a process that, for more than 80 years, has exemplified the true grassroots spirit of Farm Bureau. We’ve discussed Policy Review Day in the past, and have t ..read more
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