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Durham Agriculture and Horticulture
August 2024 Newsletter
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RAFI Infrastructure Grants
RAFI is now accepting applications for the 2024 Infrastructure Grant. Eligible applicants may request up to $10,000 in funding.
Deadline: August 9, 5pm
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FY2025 Ag Economic Development Grant Program
Deadline: August 23rd
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Pesticide Safety School
This in-person 1.5-day school will help prepare you to take the core (private) and / or turf and ornamental pesticides safety exams, Exams are administered by NCDA on day two from 1 - 5pm.
When: August 7 (8:30am - 5pm) and 8 (8:30 - 11:30am)
Where: NCDA - Steve Troxler Agricultural Sciences Center, 4400 Reedy Creek Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
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Poultry Processing Training
Join Durham County Cooperative Extension and Bull City Farm to learn how to process poultry and to use a Mobile Poultry Processing Unit.
When: August 13, 10am - 3pm
Where: Bull City Farm
5315 Isham Chambers Road Rougemont, NC 27572
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Sheep and Goat Health Workshop and Wool Pool
Join N.C. Cooperative Extension for a training on parasites (worms, flies, etc.), vaccines, and drawing blood on small ruminants at this exciting field day. Bring your clean dry fleeces for sale at the wool pool immediately prior to the workshop.
When: August 13, Wool Pool from 5 - 6pm, Workshop from 6:30 - 8:30pm
Where: TBD, just east of King, NC
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Webinar: Maintenance of Common Fall & Winter Crops
Join Cooperative Extension and the Center For Environmental Farming systems for another installment of our Agriculture webinar series. This month, we cover seasonal maintenance of cool weather crops.
When: August 20, 12 - 1pm
Where: Online
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Pesticide Safety Training (V)
V Credit course will be held on Monday, September 23rd, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center. This is a free program but pre-registration is required by September 19th, 2024.
When: September 23, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Where: 1192 U.S. Highway 64 West Business, Pittsboro, NC 27312
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Weed ID and Pasture Management Workshop
X Credit course will be held on Thursday, September 26th, 6:30 – 8:30 PM at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center. The course focus will be on Pasture Weed ID & Management. This is a free program but pre-registration is required by September 16th, 2024.
When: September 26, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Where: 1192 U.S. Highway 64 West Business, Pittsboro, NC 27312
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Fly Control
Horn flies can create both an animal welfare and economic challenge to any cattle operation. These bloodsuckers are not just an unsightly pest for our cattle, but can also affect the average daily gain of nursing calves by 12% (Texas A&M) when their mommas are not treated. It is believed that cattle diverts more of their energy to defending themselves rather than putting as much towards growth.
Producers can utilize the following for controlling flies:
- Ear tags with insecticide, or pour on methods
- Pyrethroid as active ingredient with piperonyl butoxide
- Keeping manure dry or inaccessible for breeding
- Use a screen to keep flies out of indoor barn areas when applicable
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August BQA Tips
- Whenever the label permits, injections should be given subcutaneously.
- However, some products are labeled for intramuscular use only and should be given in the neck (this includes estrus synchronization products).
- Cattle may sometimes flinch when giving intramuscular injections which can cause the needle to bend or break.
- To help prevent cattle from moving make sure they are properly restrained in a squeeze chute.
- It may also help to touch the neck or slightly rub the back of your hand on the neck prior to an intramuscular injection to reduce how much cattle react when giving an intramuscular injection.
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Questions About Your Cattle?
From North Carolina Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) practices to questions about cattle reproduction, we're here to help. Contact Alex Kissinger (akissin@ncsu.edu or (919) 245-2051) with your questions, and keep an eye on this space to hear about upcoming trainings and opportunities.
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Health and Safety for Specialty Crops Mini-Grant Program
The NC Agromedicine Institute continues to have funds to reimburse specialty crop producers for health and safety improvements on their farms (please see attached). Currently maximum out of pocket expenditure for producers is $3500 with maximum reimbursement of 70% or $2450. Participants are eligible to receive free health and safety training of their choice.
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Interested in Transitioning to Organic?
Before crops can be certified organic, farmers must carefully manage their land without using prohibited inputs like synthetic pesticides for 36 months. During this transition period and during the first years after certification, farmers often face many technical and market challenges. The Organic Transition Initiative (OTI) is a $300 million multi-agency USDA effort to support this transition and build and strengthen organic markets.
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Visit NC Farms
The Visit NC Farms App is a statewide mobile marketing tool that connects consumers to local foods and farmers in
their community. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services designed the app to drive
traffic to local farms and local-food providers. The app promotes local agritourism, farmers’ markets, and other agriculture-related businesses.
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Have Questions? We're Here to Help!
From landscapes to livestock, and everything in between, we're excited to work with farmers and green industry professionals to help you find the right research-based solution for your needs. Have a specific question, or just want to know more about a topic? We'd love to hear from you!
Alex Kissinger - Livestock, Forage, and General Agriculture Area Extension Agent
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Was this email forwarded to you?
If you'd like to sign up to receive our newsletter in your inbox every other week, sign up here. Check the Durham Ag BuLLetin box.
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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.
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