Chatham County

Livestock & Forages Newsletter

- May 20th, 2026 -

Here's what's waiting for you in this newsletter

• Poultry Processing Workshop (Harnett County) 

• Forage Specialist Insight on Drought 

• Hay Directory

• USDA Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP)

• Fall Pesticide Safety Schools Schedule 

• Goat Artificial Insemination Short Course

• Dairy - Frozen Dessert Business

• Annual Forage & Livestock Webinar Series

• NC Beef System Field Day

• Small Farms Field Day - NC A & T

• Goat Fitting Clinic 

Poultry Processing Workshop 

Thursday, May 28th

Harnett County 

Join us on Thursday, May 28, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until approximately 2:30 p.m. at R&B Farms in Angier for a free poultry processing demonstration.

Participants will learn about on-site poultry processing from Richard Goforth, Area Specialized Agent, Poultry, and will also tour the indoor processing and packaging area with Shannon Adcock, FCS Agent with Harnett County Extension. The program will include both classroom instruction and hands-on processing demonstrations.

Lunch will be provided for those who RSVP in advance. Participants are welcome to observe only or participate in the hands-on portion.

Location: R&B Farms, 510 Kirk Adams Rd, Angier, NC 27501

For more information, contact Richard Goforth at richard_goforth@ncsu.edu.

A word from our Forage Specialist

Dr. Matt Poore

For now pasture-based livestock producers need to be careful not to overgraze pastures, and start thinking about an emergency feeding program.  If there is a significant amount of grass in pastures, livestock can be rotated through, but should be moved before the pasture gets grazed down short.  When all  pastures are 3-4 inches livestock should be confined in a sacrifice pasture and fed hay until substantial rain has fallen.  

The hay crop is likely to be short, so farmers are weighing their options.  Stands of wheat and other small grains have substantial biomass, but if it does not rain soon will have very limited grain.  This forage could be cut for hay as a salvage practice. If you do cut small grains (or any hay for that matter) you should get a nitrate test before feeding.  The NCDA&CS Forage lab will run a nitrate analysis for free and will provide quick feedback when they find a potentially toxic level in a sample.

Selective culling is a practice that can help farmers reduce their feed demand which will be critical to making it through a drought.  Selling unproductive or old livestock now and keeping the highly productive females with a long future ahead of them will help a farmer get through the drought and improve their herd at the same time.

Hay Directory Update

Local Directory (Chatham County)

Statewide Directory (NC Hay Finder) 

We know many folks may be shorter on hay this year, so I wanted to share our current hay directory again. If you are currently listed and would like to be temporarily removed from the directory this year, please let me know.

Another resource I wanted to share is the “NC Hay Finder.” It is a free tool to list hay for sale or search for available hay. If you are looking for hay, simply enter your ZIP code and the site will display listings starting with those closest to you.

If you would like to post hay for sale, click “Post a Listing” and create an account. Please keep in mind that it may take a few days for listings to appear after submission, as all postings are reviewed and approved to help prevent spam.

USDA Livestock Forage

Disaster Program

The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock and who are also producers of grazed forage crop acreage of native and improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or acreage planted specifically for grazing.  Grazing losses must occur on land physically located in a county experiencing a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the county.

Be aware that benefits from this program will require some evidence of your animal numbers during the dates specified. This could be a calving record, working records, or a running inventory list.

Contact your Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to see if your eligibile and the process for enrolling in that program. 

Pittsboro Service Center
Farm Service Agency Office
1192 US 64 West Business
Pittsboro, NC 27312

(919) 542-2244

Fall 2026 Pesticide Safety School Dates

Exams are administered at the in-person Pesticide Safety Schools by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) on day two from 1:00-5:00 p.m. The exam session is available to all Pesticide Safety School registrants. A few days before the school dates, registrants will receive an email with the exam registration link and a special code to register for the exam(s).  Exam fees are separate and must be paid to the NCDA&CS Pesticide Inspector at the exam location using exact cash or a check or money order payable to the NCDA&CS. For exam-related questions, please contact the NCDA&CS at 984-236-4594 or visit their webpage.

• DURHAM, NC - AUGUST 11-12 >> N.C. Cooperative Extension - Durham County Center, 721 Foster Street, Durham, NC 27701
• MONROE, NC – AUGUST 25-26 >> N.C. Cooperative Extension - Union County Center, 3230‐D Presson Road, Hall A, Monroe, NC 28112
• GREENSBORO, NC – SEPTEMBER 9-10 >> N.C. Cooperative Extension - Guilford County Center, 3309 Burlington Road, Greensboro, NC 27405
• WILMINGTON, NC - SEPTEMBER 15-16 >> N.C. Cooperative Extension - New Hanover County Center, 6206 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403
• FAYETTEVILLE, NC - OCTOBER 7-8 >> N.C. Cooperative Extension - Cumberland County Center, 301 East Mountain Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28306
• MILLS RIVER, NC - OCTOBER 21-22 >> Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center, 455 Research Drive, Mills River, NC 28759
• ROCKY MOUNT, NC - OCTOBER 27-28 >> East Carolina Agricultural & Education Center, 1175 Kingsboro Road, Rocky Mount, NC 27801
• NEWTON, NC - NOVEMBER 4-5 >> N.C. Cooperative Extension - Catawba County Center, 1175 S. Brady Avenue, Newton, NC 28658
• RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 9-10 >> N.C. Cooperative Extension - Wake County Center, 4001-E Carya Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610
• BOLIVIA, NC – NOVEMBER 17-18 >> N.C. Cooperative Extension - Brunswick County Center, 25 Referendum Drive, Bolivia, NC 28422
• SMITHFIELD, NC – DECEMBER 15-16 >> N.C. Cooperative Extension - Johnston County Center, 2736 NC Highway, 210 Smithfield, NC 27577

UMO-NC State Goat Artificial Insemination Short Course

Course Description:

This 3-day short course is designed to provide participants with both theoretical background and significant opportunity for hands-on practice needed to facilitate the adoption of artificial insemination into their goat breeding programs. With the use of improved transcervical AI breeding techniques for goats, pregnancy rates comparable to those routinely achieved for AI in cattle are now possible. This short course will consist of an initial series of lectures on Wednesday morning coupled with four hands-on practice sessions (Wednesday pm, Thursday am & pm, and Friday am). Lecture topics will include anatomy & physiology of the female reproductive tract, estrous & ovulation synchronization, AI breeding techniques (standard and improved), and the use of frozen semen for AI.

Who Would Benefit:

Livestock agents, Producers, Veterinarians, Veterinary Technicians, International Agriculture Workers, Animal Science and Veterinary Science Students

Continuing Education Credit for Veterinarians:

This course is approved by the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board for 15 hours of continuing education credit.

Registration Fees Include:

Morning and afternoon refreshment breaks, boxed lunches for Wednesday and Thursday, manual and parking passes for personal vehicles for all course venues. All supplies for working with the animals and AI practice will be provided. Barn boots and coveralls will also be provided for use during the short course.

Course Dates and Times:

Wednesday, August 12, 2026 (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)

Thursday, August 13, 2026 (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)

Friday, August 14, 2026 (8:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon)

Where:

Lecture Session- North Carolina State University E. Carroll Joyner Beef Education Unit 4505 Mid Pines Rd Raleigh, North Carolina 27603 USA

Laboratory Sessions- North Carolina State University Small Ruminant Educational Unit 2200 Trenton Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27607 USA

DAIRY

Learn How to Build

Frozen Dessert Business 

Interested in building or growing your own frozen dessert business? Don’t miss this hands-on, one-of-a-kind experience!

Join us at the Carpigiani American Headquarters in High Point, NC for a day filled with:

• Live demonstrations of Carpigiani equipment
• Insights on how to build and scale a frozen dessert business
• Networking with industry experts, peers, and educators
• A special viewing of the Perfect Sundays finale

Before attending: Be sure to watch the first 5 episodes of Perfect Sundays so you can enjoy the finale with us!

Cost: FREE to attend
SDBII grant recipients may be eligible for travel scholarships

Register here: https://go.ncsu.edu/perfectsundays

Questions about travel scholarships? Email: sdbiigrants@utk.edu

Annual Forage & Livestock Webinar Series Schedule

We are excited to share the schedule for the 2026 Annual Forage & Livestock Webinar Series. The registration is free and the webinars run from 3-4 pm EST, July to October, 2026.

The goal of this series is to provide information and practical tools to support and strengthen the pasture-based livestock industry in North Carolina and across the region. Each session features insights shared directly by experts in the field.

TOPICS AND REGISTRATION LINKS

Farm stewardship through succession and transition: Opportunities, tools, and strategies. Speaker: Dr. Noah Ranells, NC FarmLlink, N.C. Cooperative Extension.

(July 7, 2026; 3-4 pm EST)

👉 Webinar registration.

Soil carbon and nitrogen in forage and grazing lands across North Carolina. Speaker: Dr. Alan Franzluebbers, USDA-ARS.

(August 19, 2026; 3-4 pm EST) .

👉 Webinar registration.

Strategies for weed management in tall fescue pastures. Speaker: Dr. Navdeep Godara, Crop and Soil Sciences, NC State University.

(September 17, 2026; 3-4 pm EST)

👉 Webinar registration.

Considerations for establishing an optimal breeding and calving season in North Carolina. Speaker: Dr. Felipe Silva, Animal Sciences, NC State University.

(October 1, 2026; 3-4 pm EST)

👉 Webinar registration.

NC Beef System Field Day

Join us for the 2026 NC Beef System Field Day! We’re heading to the mountains for a full day of innovation, hands-on demonstrations, and expert insights designed to help your farm thrive.

Event Details

• When: June 6, 2026 | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Where: Mountain Research Station
• Address: 265 Test Farm Rd, Waynesville, NC 28786
• Cost: FREE (Lunch is on us!)

What’s on the Agenda?

We’ve packed the day with the latest in agricultural tech and management strategies:

• Nutritional Efficiency: Learn how to maximize your herd's performance while managing costs.
• Forage & Drones: See how drone technology is changing the game for pasture management.
• Virtual Fencing: Explore the future of grazing without the wire.
• Equipment in Action: Live hay equipment demonstrations and a full trade show featuring industry leaders.

How to Join

Registration is completely free, but it helps us get the lunch count right!

Secure your spot here: http://go.ncsu.edu/beeffieldday2026

Don’t miss this opportunity to network with fellow producers and see the latest beef industry tech in action.

See you in Waynesville!

Small Farms Field Day

June 11, 2026 from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Small Farms Field Day brings together farmers, researchers, and educators for a day of practical demonstrations and knowledge-sharing at N.C. A&T. From sustainable horticulture and hoop house livestock management to seed giveaways and critical first aid training, the event highlighted solutions tailored to the real challenges facing small farmers.

Discover the innovations, insights, and takeaways shaping the future of small farming in North Carolina.

Goat Fitting Clinic

Wednesday, June 3 from 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Asheboro, NC

Come out and learn all about fitting your meat goat for the show ring!

Come out and join us for an exciting clinic all about meat goat fitting presented by Brent Jennings and Hayden Riddick.

We will start the evening at 5:30 pm with a pizza dinner followed by the following clinic topics:

-Basic Overview of Feeding

-Daily Care

-Clipping Techniques

-Fitting Techniques

Youth are encouraged to bring a goat and practice hands on during the clinic.

This event is free to attend!

Questions?

Contact Lauren Langley at lauren_langley@ncsu.edu

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Click the button below to fill out a quick anonymous survey to let me know what types of programs you would be interested in!

Helpful Links  

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NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

N.C. Cooperative Extension, Chatham County, 1192 US 64 West Business Suite 400, Pittsboro, NC 27312, United States
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