Check out our website for information that you might have missed:
https://stokes.ces.ncsu.edu/

August 3, 2026

Livestock Disaster Lunch 'N Learn Recordings

NC State Extension hosted a three-week drought Management Webinar series. If you missed one, you can view the recordings on the NC State Disaster Page at https://ncdisaster.ces.ncsu.edu/drought-resources/drought-management-webinar-series/. 

• Session 1: Understanding USDA Disaster Relief Programs for Farmers

  • Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) - provides 60% above-normal transportation costs for hay for <1,000 loaded miles - the first 25 miles for commercial livestock producers and requires receipts at $3.75 per mile

  • Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) - provides payments for grazing losses. Can either be paid per acre or by the number of head (whichever is less) at 60%; five months maximum payment; calves must have been weaned before April 1 to count toward payment

  • 1099 will be sent for either/both programs

  • Call Farm Service Agency to schedule an appointment to apply for both/either

• Session 2: Management & Budgeting: Reducing Livestock Feed Demand

  • Rank which livestock to move first (cull)

  • Marketing livestock at different times than normal

  • Feed demand

  • Pasture preservation

• Session 3: Developing a Feed Supply Plan

  • Alternative feeds
  • Finding hay (NCHayFinder.com)
  • Feeding management
  • Long-term drought resilience

To-Do List for Dealing with the Drought

1. Drought Survey

2. Drought Assistance

3. Test Your Hay

4. NC Hay Finder

5. Cull

6. Scout for Poisonous Weeds

7. Visit NC Disaster Info. Regularly

https://stokes.ces.ncsu.edu/news/need-hay-pastures-suffering-from-the-drought/

Mexico/Arizona Border Opening for Cattle

Beginning August 24, 2026, USDA will open the Douglas, AZ port of entry to cattle trade, contingent on Mexico's adherence to the Joint Action Plan.

Every animal entering the United States through these ports will undergo a full USDA inspection to ensure it is free of any signs of New World screwworm (NWS).

The closest active case to the Douglas, AZ, port is ~325 miles detected on July 22, 2026. After evaluating the success of the initial reopening and potential impacts or risk assessment changes, APHIS will then consider reopening the Santa Teresa, NM, and Columbus, NM, ports to live cattle, bison, and horses.

Read the full press release here: USDA Announces Phased Reopening of Southern Ports for Livestock Trade | USDA

We don't know what the future holds, but this should increase cattle numbers on feed in the U.S. and may cause calf prices to decrease. Plan accordingly. 

Spotted Lanternfly

The spotted lanternfly has been identified in Stokes County. The first case in North Carolina was identified in Forsyth County in 2022, and honestly, I am surprised that it has taken four years to be found here. At this time, we aren't sure if it's an "invasion" or just "hitch-hikers" that came from other areas on a vehicle. It's not a huge concern for our pastures/forages, but these invasive pests can do a lot of damage to small fruits, nursery crops, young trees, etc. so we should do our part to trap them, kill them when spotted, and remove tree of heaven (their favorite habitat). Learn more at https://forsyth.ces.ncsu.edu/news/spotted-lanternfly-in-forsyth-county/.  

PLEASE report any sightings in Stokes County (along with a photo) by visiting www.ncagr.gov/SLF. 

Wool Pool Prices

The New River Valley Sheep Producers are planning to hold a Wool Pool on August 11th & 12th at Bottomley’s Warehouse located on Route 21 @ 10278 Elk Creek Pkwy, Elk Creek, VA 24326 from 8 to 5. There is a $0.10 per pound handling fee for all wool. In addition, volunteers are needed to help with record keeping, weighing, and baling, and lunch will be provided to workers. In addition, you may qualify for a payment from the Farm Service Agency. Visit https://stokes.ces.ncsu.edu/news/2026-wool-pool/ for more information. 

The mill is paying the following:

• Merino Wool $1.80/lb

• White-face $0.50/lb

• Black-face $0.50/lb.

• Short or berried wool is $0.20/lb.

Stokes County Fair

The 2026 Stokes County Fair book is now online http://stokescountyfair.org/online-fair-book/. Paper copies are also available at all the libraries, and the Extension Center. Livestock entries may be made through the showman.app now through September 1. 

Shows are open to Junior Exhibitors ages 21 and under who reside in Stokes or a surrounding county. Each exhibitor may show a maximum of two breeding animals and two market animals (except swine, which only has market and is still limited to two). Exhibitors must enter showmanship for each species they wish to exhibit in. 

Horse Owner Workshop

Horse Owner Workshop held on Saturday, September 5, 2026 from 10 am to 3 pm, lunch included. Guest speaker, Jessie Parson from Parson Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork will start the day off with equine anatomy and saddle fitting (western and english). After lunch, Lauren Langley, County Extension Director and Livestock Extension Agent and Marti Price, Area Specialized Extension Agent will present on body condition scoring, weighing horses (scales and tape), and evaluating hay. All topics presented during the workshop will be demonstrations with horses, hay, saddles, etc. The workshop will take place at the James River Equipment Arena (covered arena) located at the Randolph County Agricultural Center in Asheboro, NC.

Learn more and register at https://randolph.ces.ncsu.edu/news/horse-owner-workshop/. 

Forage Tips for August

• Hay is hard to find right now. FSA has some Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) funding to help cover hauling costs between 25 and 1,000 miles. Inventory your hay storage. If more hay needs to be purchased, purchase hay before “hay feeding season” starts to ensure you have an ample supply. Reach out if you need help estimating your hay needs.

• Test hay and silage for forage quality (especially if it's been fertilized with manure - nitrates could be high) (we have a core sampler here that you may borrow for testing)

• Stop grazing those cool-season forage (Fescue, orchardgrass, etc. ) paddocks that will be stockpiled for grazing in November or December.

  • Graze your Johnsongrass, Crabgrass, or even feed hay in a dry lot.

  • Clean up any pastures of weeds, seedheads, etc. before stock-piling. 

• Soil test forage pastures every 3 years (before Thanksgiving when the price ^$5)

• Order seeds for fall re-seeding if you haven't already

• Crops to plant in late August include turnips, rape, crimson clover 

REMINDERS

Cattle Referendum

Did you know that every time you remit your dollars to the National Beef Checkoff and NC Cattle Assessment, you help build capacity for local meat? These funds support programs that help local beef producers succeed, including education, tools, and promotion.
Reaching NC Beef Consumers Through MeatSuite:  MeatSuite.com 

Supporting Local Education and Training 

Photos and Videos: Producer Portal.

Cuts and Recipes: beefitswhatsfordinner.com.

Supported by your NC Cattle Industry Assessment:

Grants, Scholarships, and Educational Support: NCCA offers funding opportunities to support producers, including grants and sponsorships for workshops and trainings like Beef Quality Assurance programming, as well as academic scholarships. The $1/head NC Cattle Assessment also supports promotion, education, youth, research, and leg

Use this form to remit your dollars and continue supporting these efforts. 

NC State Fair Farm Family of the Day

The N.C. State Fair will recognize 11 farm families during the fair this year, Oct. 15-25 through the Farm Family of the Day program, sponsored by Tractor Supply Company. Nominations and applications are being accepted now through August 21. 

Families will be chosen by both nomination and application forms. Applications can be found online at https://www.ncagr.gov/2026-farm-family-day-application-form/open or nomination forms can be found online at https://www.ncagr.gov/2026-farm-family-day-nomination-form/open. 

Livestock Conservancy Microgrants
The Livestock Conservancy’s Microgrants are meant to support people already doing good work with their breeds and not typically to get a start in rare breeds. The deadline to apply is August 15. To learn more please click here.

Slow Moving Vehicle Signs

Have you seen the bright orange triangles with a red border on the back of a tractor, a piece of farm equipment, or another slow-moving vehicle? This is the Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) sign. It indicates that the vehicle in front of you is traveling at a slow rate of speed and/or could be a wide load. It is illegal to use these signs as driveway markers, mailbox post markers, etc. Read more at

https://stokes.ces.ncsu.edu/news/slow-moving-vehicle-signs/

N.C. State Fair New Competitions

The N.C. State Fair has several new competitions. Two that may be of interest to you are:

• Country Ham Competition
• Poultry Show: Egg grading

Information on how to enter a competition can be found on the State Fair’s website, ncstatefair.org. Under the “Competitions” tab, you will find everything there is to know about categories, rules and deadlines. The deadline for entering most competitions is Sept. 15. Read the General Entries Premium Book and Livestock Entries Premium Book for detailed descriptions of events and regulations. 

Agent Thoughts/NC Farm Stress

I feel a little like "Chicken Little"; "the sky is falling". Between the new world screwworm, drought/ lack of hay (see alternative feed sources), longhorn tick and flies, and the heat, livestock farming can be a little depressing right now. Cull your livestock sooner rather than later. 

NC Agromedicine Institute provides several free services through the NC Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (NCFRSAN) for individuals and families in agriculture and support roles. The NC Farm Stress Helpline is available 24/7 at 844-325-3276 for mental health, financial, legal, farm safety and health, and more.  Your farm could receive free first aid kits, an AED, or more. In addition, they may have financial assistance for farmers who are caregivers for a loved one. 

Meat Quality: from Pasture to Plate

This intensive workshop on Wednesday, August 26, from 8-5 at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Randolph County Center, 1880 US Hwy 64E, Asheboro. It's full day of classroom instruction led by Dr. Jennifer Martin from Colorado State University and some of the field's top experts in nutrition, meat quality, and marketing. Learn how farm management and nutrition decision directly impact product quality. This workshop focuses on pork and lamb, but may be beneficial to other species. 

This NC Choices’ training is part of the Meat Summit's national effort to strengthen local meat systems through focused supply chain conferences and summits. 

New World Screwworm

Continue to monitor www.screwworm.gov to learn more about the screwworm, see the infected areas, and more.

Another good source of information is https://cvm.ncsu.edu/news/new-world-screwworm-in-the-u-s-what-it-means-for-north-carolina/. 

If you suspect an outbreak of the New World Screwworm on your farm, your local veterinarian is your fastest resource. Again, it's critical to have an established relationship with a veterinarian, prior to actually needing one!  If you can't reach your local veterinarian, North Carolina farmers can call NCDA&CS Veterinary Division at (919) 707-3250. 

You can join the NCDA&CS email list here: Sign up to receive animal disease emails.

NC Hay Finder

With the current drought conditions throughout the state, now is a good time to list any hay resources for sale on the free NCHayfinder website.   

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about NCHayfinder.com

Virginia Wool Pool

The New River Valley Sheep Producers are planning to hold a Wool Pool on August 11th & 12th at Bottomley’s Warehouse located on Route 21 @ 10278 Elk Creek Pkwy, Elk Creek, VA 24326 from 8 to 5. There is a $0.10 per pound handling fee for all wool. In addition, volunteers are needed to help with record keeping, weighing, and baling, and lunch will be provided to workers. The payment price for the wool has not been determined. In addition, you may qualify for a payment from the Farm Service Agency. Visit https://stokes.ces.ncsu.edu/news/2026-wool-pool/ for more information. 

Livestock Rescue Training

• September 12 - Scenario Saturday: Applying Your Large Animal Rescue Skills, Northwoods Stable, Winston-Salem; This course focuses on applying large animal rescue techniques and skills. LAR scenarios may include, but are not limited to the following: ropes, knots and mechanical advantage concepts; lifting; dragging; extracting from enclosed areas; and applying LAR equipment & tools.

Annual Forage and Livestock Webinar Series

August 19, 3-4 pm EST
Soil carbon and nitrogen in forage and grazing lands across North Carolina.Speaker: Dr. Alan Franzluebbers: USDA-ARS (registration link).

September 17, 3-4 pm EST
Strategies for weed management in tall fescue pastures.Speaker: Dr. Navdeep Godara, Crop & Soil Sciences, NC State University (registration link)

October 1, 3-4 pm EST
Considerations for establishing an optimal breeding and calving season in North Carolina.Speaker: Dr. Felipe Silva, Animal Sciences, NC State University (registration link)

Livestock Shows

Visit a list of upcoming dates and some important information for livestock shows. 

Forward This Email to a Friend

Calendar of Livestock Events

TODAY Create your listing with https://www.nchayfinder.com

Aug 7-8 NC Jr. Beef Round-up, Fletcher

Aug 11-12 New River Valley Wool Pool, Elk Creek, VA, 8-5

Aug. 14-15 Yadkin-Davie 4-H Livestock Show, Yadkinville

Aug. 15-Sept. 15 Enter livestock in the NC State Fair

Aug. 19 Soil Carbon and Nitrogen in Forage and Grazing Lands Zoom, 3-4 PM

Aug. 24 Patrick Co. Feeder Calf Tel-O-Auction

Aug.(25) 26 Pasture to Plate: Meat Quality, Asheboro, NC

Aug. 29 Fall Field Day, NC Angus Association, NCSU E. Carroll Joyner Beef Education Unit, Raleigh

Sept. 1 Stokes County Fair Livestock Entries due

Sept. 1 Carolina Classic Fair Livestock Entries due

Sept. 5 Horse Owner Workshop, Asheboro, 10-3

Sept. 6-12 Mountain State Fair 

Sept. 7 Office Closed for Labor Day

Sept. 10 Stokes County Cattlemen's Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 12 Scenario Saturday: Applying Your Large Animal Rescue Skills, 8 AM-4 PM, Northwoods Stable, Winston-Salem

Sept. 15 Final day to enter NC State Fair Livestock Shows

Sept. 15-19 Stokes County Fair

Sept. 17 Strategies for Weed Management in Tall Fescue Pastures Zoom, 3-4 PM

Sept. 29 AgVentures Grant Overview (Save the Date), 7 p.m., Virtual

Oct. 1 Considerations for Establishing an Optimal Breeding and Calving Season in NC Zoom, 3-4 PM

Oct. 2-11 Carolina Classic Fair

Oct. 8 AgVentures Grant Overview (Save the Date), 12 p.m., Virtual (attend only one)

Oct. 8 Stokes County Cattlemen's Meeting, 6:30 p.m. (Tentative due to Carolina Classic Fair)

Oct. 15-25 NC State Fair

Nov. 9 AgVentures Grant Overview (Save the Date), 6:30 p.m., Virtual (attend only one)

Nov. 12 Stokes County Cattlemen's Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 Stokes County Cattlemen's Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

**Disclaimer: The use of brand names and/or any mention or listing of specific commercial products or services herein is solely for educational purposes and does not imply endorsement by NC State University or our partners, nor discrimination against similar brands, products or services not mentioned.

Individuals who use chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current regulations and conforms to the  product label.

N.C. Cooperative Extension promotes equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination and harassment based upon one’s race; color; religion (including belief and non-belief); sex, including but not limited to pregnancy, childbirth or other related medical condition, parenting and sexual harassment; sexual orientation; actual or perceived gender identity; age; national origin; disability; veteran status; genetic information; or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, NC State University will honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities. Please direct accommodation requests to: Matt Lenhardt, matt_lenhardt@ncsu.edu or 336-593-8179. Requests can be served more effectively if notice is provided at least {10} days before the event.”


Click here to unsubscribe

NOTE: This link will unsubscribe you from ALL emails from N.C. Cooperative Extension, Stokes County Center. To unsubscribe from one email list (ie, livestock) contact April Bowman, at awbowman@ncsu.edu, or 336-593-8179.