In Defense of North Carolina’s Poultry Farmers and the System That Sustains ThemA Response to Inside Climate NewsA recent Inside Climate News feature on Craig Watts, a former Perdue contract grower, paints a sweeping indictment of contract poultry farming as a predatory, exploitative industry rigged against the very farmers it employs. The story is sympathetic,…

Friends, What a privilege it was to spend an evening in Warsaw this week for our Celebrating NC’s Ag Leadership event at the Country Squire.Events like this one are a reminder of something we don’t take for granted: the people who show up for North Carolina agriculture aren’t just doing a job. They’re doing it…

Friends, Agriculture is North Carolina’s largest industry, but for many, its full impact across our state can still be difficult to see in one place. From county-level production to statewide economic contribution, the scale and reach of agriculture often extend far beyond what’s immediately visible. A new tool from our sister organization, the NC Ag Partnership…

Friends, In observance of Easter this Sunday, I’ll keep today’s message short and sweet. Easter season has long been my favorite time of year, with Holy Week building to the most meaningful Sunday of the year. I remember dressing for church in a matching dress with my younger sister, putting flowers from my mom’s garden on…

Friends, Each week when I sit down to write the Ag Dispatch, there’s usually one headline or conversation that rises to the top. This week was a little bit tougher for me because, instead of one clear story, I kept coming back to the same realization: farmers are being pulled in a dozen very impactful directions…

Friends, Happy National Agriculture Week! Today is actually the end of the week of celebrations, but I hope all of our North Carolina producers know how much we appreciate the work they do every day. When our community talks about food security being national security, we understand the responsibility that places on you and your families, and…