Public News Service

Farmers can combine renewable energy, such as solar panels, with crops on their property, a process known as agrivoltaics, to maximize the revenues from their farmland. (Adobe Stock)

Solar leases help NC farm owners up revenues, keep homestead

By Daniel Walton for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for North Carolina News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pu…

The USDA is finalizing a series of rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act as part of President Biden's Executive Order on Promoting Competition in America's economy.

USDA rule could level playing field for livestock producers

Backers of a new federal rule said it will increase fairness for livestock and poultry producers, in North Carolina and across the country. The U.S…

North Carolina has more than 46,000 farms, and Black farmers run around 1,500 of them. (Adobe Stock)

'Farm and Faith' partnerships combat food injustices, racial land loss in NC

The Rural Advancement Foundation International is taking action against food injustices impacting farmers of color and rural communities through its F…

Forty workers at an agricultural packing shed at Battleboro Produce in North Carolina are now part of a union. (courtesy of Farm Labor Organizing Committee)

NC union agreement ushers in benefits for immigrant ag workers

Immigrant workers at an agricultural packing shed in Battleboro, North Carolina are celebrating a union agreement which will bring them new benefits…

The Farm Credit System is cumulatively the largest lender to the agricultural sector, making about 45% of all agricultural loans, with $350 billion in assets. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Increasing accountability, sustainability in Farm Credit System

A new report is calling for greater accountability in the system providing funding to farmers in underserved communities. The research takes a dive …

As a part of a new USDA rule, poultry companies are now required, when finalizing a new contract, to disclose to prospective growers the income range, broken down by quintiles, of current growers in a prospective grower's region. (Tony Campbell/Adobe Stock)

USDA rule to benefit North Carolina farmers, strengthen competition

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's new "Transparency in Poultry Growing Contracts and Tournaments" rule is granting North Carolina farmers more …

Around 10% of workers in the United States are employed with H-2A visas, according to The National Agriculture Law Center. (Adobe Stock)

North Carolina farmworkers and growers call for better working conditions

Migrant farmworkers and small family farmers in North Carolina got together to form an alliance to advocate for sustainable agricultural supply chains…

In 1920, Black people made up 14% of all farmers. It is estimated Black farmers lost around $326 billion worth of land within the 20th century. BIPOC farmers now make up less than 5% of all U.S. farmers. (Heather Craig/Adobe Stock)

Advocates bring attention to racism rooted in farming across NC

Advocates are drawing attention to systemic racism in farming across North Carolina and the nation. The National Farm Worker Ministry is hosting its …

About 5.7 million acres of North Carolina or 17% of the state is made up of wetlands, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. (Adobe Stock)

Sportsmen's Group Voices Concern Over SCOTUS Wetlands Ruling

Conservation and sportsmen's groups are voicing concerns that wetlands areas are now in jeopardy of being drained and developed or otherwise eliminate…

Produce Purpose has two goals in mind - to offer meaningful employment to individuals with special needs and to bring healthy, nutritional food to college campuses. (Adobe Stock)

Hydroponic Farm Boosts Healthy Eating, Special-Needs Jobs at NC University

William Peace University is teaming up with Produce Purpose, a nonprofit organization, to install a hydroponic farming operation on campus. The new …

Farmers in North Carolina lose crops worth roughly $79 million as a result of equipment breakdowns. (Alexey Zarodov/Adobe Stock)

Tractor ‘Right to Repair’ Could Save NC Farmers $103 Million a Year

North Carolina farmers are calling on lawmakers to address manufacturer-imposed repair limitations on tractors, and minimize disruptions on their …

The majority of North Carolina farmworkers are not covered by workers' compensation. (Adobe Stock)

FLOC Fights for Better Farm Worker Conditions Against Tobacco Company

The Farm Labor Organizing Committee is working to better the harsh conditions faced by North Carolina farm workers. During the British American …

Farmland makes up about 8.3 million acres in North Carolina, and agriculture employs one in six people in the state. (Andrii Yalanskyi/Adobe Stock)

NC Farmers Count On Congress for Support to Fight Climate Change

North Carolina farmers are monitoring a bill that's been revived in Congress, aimed at improving farm sustainability and reducing the agriculture …

Stedman farmer Demi Tucker has been growing mushrooms on her family's land for the past few years. (Demi Tucker)

NC's Black Farmers Can't Find Affordable Land

With the cost of farmland up by more than 8% percent in North Carolina, the state's Black farmers are struggling to purchase additional acreage or …

Black farmland ownership, which peaked in 1910 at 16 to 19 million acres, has shrunk to less than 3 million acres, according to FarmAid. (Adobe Stock)

Post-COVID, Black Farmers Face Mounting Obstacles to Land Ownership

The growing value of agricultural commodities is attracting deep-pocketed financial investors - like Bill Gates - and pushing land ownership out of re…

Median operating margins among rural hospitals were higher in expansion than non-expansion states in 2019, according to KFF. (Adobe Stock)

NC Medicaid Expansion Agreement Could Bolster Rural Hospitals

North Carolina lawmakers recently reached a bipartisan agreement that paves the way for an additional 600,000 residents to gain access to health cover…

North Carolina is one of the largest users of a type of temporary agricultural visa with between 14,000 and 17,000 H-2A visa workers annually, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. (Adobe Stock)

Unionized Farmworkers Reach Pact with Hundreds of NC Farms

Unionized farmworkers recently signed a collective-bargaining agreement with the North Carolina Growers Association. The new agreement protects the …

Wildlife crossings help reduce habitat fragmentation and increase landscape connectivity. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Call for More "Climate-Informed" Wildlife Crossings

Advocates in North Carolina and nationally are calling on decision makers to expand the use of climate-informed wildlife crossings. Given the vast …

A schematic of a planned shopping district by F7 International Development, whose CEO was recently awarded the

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NC Business Owners Recognized for Their Social Impact

An increasing number of North Carolina businesses are shifting toward social impact and sustainable business practices. James Montague, president …

Black farmers made up 14% of U.S. farmers in 1920, but having been denied equal access to land, financing and other resources, that number dwindled to 1.4% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

NC's Black Farmers Face Uphill Battle

Two Democratic senators have introduced legislation in Washington they hope will become part of the 2023 Farm Bill. Debate is set to begin in the …

The 2018-2023 Farm Bill is projected to cost around $428 billion, according to the estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. (Adobe Stock)

Communities, Farmers Want Say in Farm Bill Priorities

The upcoming reauthorization of the Farm Bill should be developed from community needs, not corporate interests, Advocacy groups in North Carolina …

Taro plant leaves growing on a North Carolina Farm. (Utopian Seed Project)

As North Carolina Warms, One Farm Turns to a Tropical Crop: Taro

By Lina Tran for Grist.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for North Carolina News Service reporting for the Grist-Public News Service Collaboration …

FLOC was founded in 1968 to defend the rights and basic human dignity of farm workers regardless of immigration status. (Heather Craig / Adobe Stock)

FLOC Convention Resolves to Make Common Cause with Small Farmers

Leaders of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee want to change the narrative about agriculture in America. FLOC members who gathered in Toledo, Ohio…

Michelle and Brielle Wright have seen firsthand the impact of climate change on their 11-acre farm in North Carolina. (The Farmer's B.A.G.)

In NC, Black Family Farms Grapple with Climate Change

Two sisters running a small vegetable farm in Bladen County said they are struggling to keep their business profitable in a changing climate…

More than 5,700 farms produce poultry and eggs in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina Poultry Federation. (Adobe Stock)

USDA to Tighten Protections for Contract Farmers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is finalizing rules aimed at increasing protections for contract farmers who grow the nation's poultry and cattle …

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nationwide production value of broiler chickens, eggs, and turkeys in 2020 was $35.5 billion, down 11% from 2019. (Adobe Stock)

Pressure Builds on Costco to Commit to Better Poultry Practices

Watchdog groups say chickens used by Costco are bred to grow so quickly, many of them cannot stand under their own weight, and recent lawsuits …

Agricultural producers of color own over 73 million acres of farmland and rent or lease more than 21 million acres of farmland, according to a 2022 report from the Congressional Research Service. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Push to Reform Food Sector Through BIPOC, Immigrant-Owned Cooperatives

As more farm and food cooperatives pop up across North Carolina, advocates say they are creating a new model for food distribution and landownership …

RAFI-USA launched the Fresh Bucks consumer incentive program in 2015, in partnership with the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. The Double Bucks incentive program began in 2019. (Adobe Stock)

NC Farmers’ Markets Double Buying Power for Food-Insecure Households

People in North Carolina who need to stretch every dollar spent on food can get double the value of fresh produce and other goods through government a…

Staff prepare to vaccinate North Carolina residents at a pop-up clinic run by the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO. (Christiana Wagner/FLOC)

Mobile COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Gears Up for Influx of NC Migrant Workers

An all-volunteer vaccine clinic run by a farmworkers' union says it's expecting an increase in demand from seasonal migrant workers who want to be vac…

Rising food costs have prompted a closer look at strengthening local and regional supply chain infrastructure for small farms across North Carolina. (Adobe Stock)

As Costs Rise, Opportunities Dwindle for NC Small Farmers

Advocates for small farms and ranches in North Carolina say the businesses are ready to bring local, affordable meats and produce to residents…

Farmworkers suffer from higher blood pressure compared with the general public, putting them at increased risk for heart disease and diabetes; yet many face challenges accessing health care. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Rural NC Farmworker Clinics Rely on APRNs

Volunteer Advanced Practice Registered Nurses serve North Carolina's most vulnerable communities, yet many say the state's supervising physician …

Kendrick Ransome ha estado cultivando en Pinetops, Carolina del Norte, desde 2018 en tierras que su familia ha pose�do durante generaciones (Kendrick Ransome).

Esfuerzos para impulsar suministros locales en la Llanura Costera Superior

Un nuevo proyecto de mapeo en línea está ayudando a conectar a los productores locales con los mercados regionales en la llanura superior co…

Kendrick Ransome has been farming in Pinetops, N.C., since 2018 on land his family has owned for generations.(Lee Everette)

Efforts to Boost Local Food-Supply Chain in Upper Coastal Plain

A new online mapping project is helping connect local growers to regional markets in the state's Upper Coastal Plain. Planning and Development …

North Carolina ranks sixth in the nation for the number of migrant farmworkers employed on agricultural farms. (Adobe Stock)

NC Faith Leaders to Meet with Reynolds Tobacco on Farmworkers’ Rights

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Faith leaders are urging tobacco companies to support migrant workers employed by their contract farms. A group of clergy will meet …

The United States currently has 2,000 operational biogas systems linked to farms, landfills, wastewater treatment facilities and food waste, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Align RNG Settlement Spotlights Biogas Plant Regulation

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- After the first settlement of its kind in North Carolina capping limits on emissions from a biogas plant in Sampson County…

Nearly all students have experienced some challenges to their mental health and well-being during the pandemic and many have lost access to school-based services and supports, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)

In Rural NC, Push for Mental-Health Resources as Kids Head Back to School

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Across the state, teachers and staff expect more kids will need mental-health resources as they return to in-person school…

Health Departments in North Carolina increasingly rely on nurse practitioners and other non-physician health professionals to provide health-care services. (Adobe Stock)

NC Health Depts. "Burdened" by Doctor Supervision Contracts

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Local health departments that rely heavily on Advanced Practice Registered Nurses say the costly contract requirement that they be …

At least 102 state legislators are backing a North Carolina bill that would allow Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to practice independently, without physician oversight. (Adobe Stock)

Support Grows for NC Advanced Practice Nurses Operating Independently

RALEIGH, N.C. - As many Advanced Practice Registered Nurses inch closer to retirement, they're unsure who will fill their shoes. They point to North …

During Hurricane Florence, flooding from the heavy rain forced hundreds of people to call for emergency rescues in the area around New Bern, at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent rivers. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Underserved, Underwater: Mapping a Future for Coastal NC

COASTAL REVIEW ONLINE MEDIA COLLABORATION This is the second installment in a continuing series on making the North Carolina coast more resilient to …

Members of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee filed a class-action lawsuit against a North Carolina farm labor contractor over stolen wages.(FLOC)

"Stolen" Back Wages Paid to NC Farmworkers in Class-Action Lawsuit

RALEIGH, N.C. - Several major North Carolina growers have agreed to compensate a group of seasonal farmworkers for stolen wages and other expenses in …

Feces and urine from hogs on industrial farms are stored in large pools called lagoons. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Climate Change Could Bring More Ag Pollution in NC

TRENTON, N.C. -- State officials are investigating why one million gallons of hog waste spilled into an eastern North Carolina waterway last month…

Abbott Park, a mobile home park in Lumberton, N.C. Researchers examining the health effects of rising temperatures in counties like Robeson are looking at how higher temperatures can affect residents and exacerbate social vulnerabilities. (Julia Wall/JWALL@NEWSOBSERVER.COM)

Heat Illness Hits Rural NC; Climate Change Means More Risk

Print version by Adam Wagner Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan Reporting for The Raleigh News & Observer - North Carolina News Service collaborati…

Fewer than 1 in 10 North Carolina families receive any type of subsidized childcare from their employer, according to the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Affordable Childcare Crisis Could Cost NC Billions

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Fewer than 1 in 3 parents of young children has access to quality, affordable childcare during the pandemic, according to a new …

In September, the highest rates of emergency-room visits related to drug overdose occurred in North Carolina's most rural counties, including Caldwell, Richmond and Robeson. (Adobe Stock)

Two Epidemics: Rural NC Fights Substance Abuse, COVID-19

MARION, N.C. -- Rural North Carolina is battling two health epidemics - substance abuse and COVID-19 - as treatment centers navigate shutdowns and …

Jos Indalecio, a tractor operator, sits in his living quarters at a Johnston County farmworker camp on Aug. 27. The camp does not have air conditioning, which is considered a luxury by many farmworkers in North Carolina. (Travis Long, TLONG@NEWSOBSERVER.COM)

NC Farmworkers Likely to Face Another Long, Hot Summer

Print version by Adam Wagner and Aaron Sánchez-Guerra Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan Reporting for The Raleigh News & Observer - North Ca…

The North Carolina Department for Health and Human Services says its goal is to decrease the percentage of children living in food insecure homes from 20.9% to 17.5% by 2025. (Adobe Stock)

NC Food Orgs Work to Share Local Produce for Holiday Season

DURHAM, N.C. - Thanksgiving gatherings may be smaller this year, but North Carolinians need access to food more than ever, as the pandemic's economic …

Farmworker Jose Luis Cipriana compares an old and new water pouch design. The pouches hold water bottles in an effort to give farmworkers a chance to stay hydrated during their work day. (Travis Long/tlong@newsobserver.com)

Heat Illness Stalks NC Farmworkers; More Forecast