Duplin Farming Matters - 2023

2023 Duplin’s guide to Ag Life

Agricultural Aviation with prices soaring sky high, aerial application brings a cost effective solution

Novakowski: a champion for agriculture education

AgFest: Celebrating agriculture, career opportunities

Simmons: From mail carrier to thriving farmer

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NC- Rose Hill, Wallace GA- Forest Park SC- W. Columbia, Greenville,Hemingway LA- Arcadia

Welcome to the seventh edition of Farming Matters! Join us as we share innovative accomplishments, ag resources, and tell you about the wonderful things happening in Duplin County’s agricultural landscape.

This year, North Carolina’s agriculture hit a new milestone with a record high economic impact of $103.2 billion, making 2023 the frst time that agriculture surpasses the $100 billion mark. This is a $10.3 billion increase from last year.

In a statement, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said he was proud “we’ve reached that goal and surpassed last year’s economic impact by more than 11 percent. Reaching this milestone is a big accomplishment for everyone in agriculture and agribusiness and proves how much we can accomplish when we are all pulling together.”

Agriculture is North Carolina’s number one industry, employing about one ffth of the state’s workforce.

Locally, Duplin County remains the state’s number one in total farm cash receipts with $1,338,828, ranking number one in livestock cash receipts with $1,195,623 and number four in crops cash receipts with $132,673, according to the 2022 NC Agricultural Statistics report.

We hope you enjoy this edition of Farming Matters as we highlight Duplin’s farmers, agribusinesses, local entrepreneurs, and innovative ag educators paving the way for the future generations of Duplin County farmers.

We are proud to support our local farm families and feel very blessed to have such a strong, diverse and tight knit community in Duplin County.

PUBLISHER

Jim Sills

EDITOR

Ena Sellers

CONTRIBUTORS

Lauren Branch

Rachel Ezzell

Curt Simpson

DESIGN | PRODUCTION

Ena Sellers

ADVERTISING

Norma Miller

Farming Matters is a publication of the Duplin Times and APG Media of Eastern NC. Contents may not be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. For advertising information, call 910-296-0239.

| 2023 Farming Matters

ONE THE COVER

An aircraft sits on a feld that will be sprayed using precision technology

Photo by Moore’s Aerial Applicators.

Rooted in tradition, grown with love

with Rachel Ezzell

Food is at the center of so many memories, experiences, and gatherings. The smell of a dish can transport us back to our childhood, and the faded handwritten scribbles on a piece of paper can remind us of loved ones.

I not only love food but have an appreciation for all the people involved in getting the food from farms to our tables. I grew up riding along in the buddy seat of my daddy’s tractor and running barefoot through our vineyards. Growing up on a farm was a huge part of my childhood, and I’m blessed that it’s still a part of my daily life. I’m a farmer’s daughter, and my husband and I are now the eighth generation on my family’s farm.

I interned with N.C. Cooperative Extension in Bladen County after college, and it opened my eyes to the various opportunities the organization provides. It showed me a career path that could enable me to combine my love for agriculture, education, and nutrition while staying in southeastern North Carolina.

I work with Extension as a Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) agent in Duplin County. If you’re not familiar with Extension, its mission is to extend research-based knowledge to all North Carolinians, helping them transform science into everyday solutions that improve their lives and grow our state. Within our offce, we have staff who focus on horticulture, youth development, livestock, and more. Specifcally within FCS, our mission is to improve the

well-being of the family through programs that educate, infuence public policy, and help families put research-based knowledge to work in their lives.

Each day as an FCS Agent looks a little different, and that’s one aspect I love about my job. You might fnd me teaching about food, nutrition, and cooking at an afterschool program, a local faith community, or school; judging a youth cooking competition; leading a strength training program; or even flming a television segment in a neighboring county.

While I primarily lead program-

ming about health and nutrition, many of the factors that impact someone’s decisions about their health and nutrition include fnances, time management, relationships, habits, and more. Our goal is to provide education and help create environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice.

When considering what to write for this column, it was challenging to choose only one topic within nutrition to spotlight. So while I hope you’ll consider attending a class, joining our newsletter list, or checking out our website, I thought I would share the seven simple steps to

eating the “Med Way.” These tips are from Med Instead of Meds, a program and resources developed by NC State Extension in collaboration with the NC Division of Health. It focuses on a Mediterranean style of eating and has been associated with promoting health and reducing the risk of many chronic diseases including some forms of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

steps to eating the ‘Med Way’

2.

Swap your fats.

Replace solid fats like butter with olive oil or canola oil. This recommendation is not based on choosing lower calories but because we want to reduce the amount of saturated fat in our foods. Saturated fat is linked to coronary heart disease and cancer. Butter is 52% saturated fat while only 16% of the fat in olive oil is saturated fat.

1.

Change your protein. Replace some of the meat in your diet with plant proteins like beans, nuts, and seeds. Incorporate fsh and seafood.

Eat more vegetables.

Get at least three servings of vegetables per day. Choose a variety of colors & eat more dark leafy greens.

4.

Eat at least two servings of fruits per day

.

In our house we have a tiered cart in the kitchen where anyone can grab a banana, apple, or clementine whenever they’d like. I use the lower levels to store sweet potatoes and onions. Having fruits and vegetables easily accessible can help make the healthy choice the easy choice.

6.

Choose whole grain options.

Whole grain options provide more nutrients and fber than enriched options. Words like “Wheat” and “Multigrain” are often used on packaging, but they don’t necessarily indicate if an item is made from whole grains. Look at the ingredient list to tell if the grains are truly “whole.”

5.

Snack on nuts and seeds.

Avoid candied, honey-roasted, and heavily salted nuts. In the grocery store, sometimes it’s easier to fnd unsalted options in the baking aisle.

7.

Limit your sugar intake.

Added sugars can often be found in drinks but can even be disguised in items like pasta sauce. Check your nutrition facts label to see how much sugar is added to a product. As a reference, 4 grams of sugar is about one teaspoon of sugar.

Agricultural Aviation technology

When timing and cost are of essence

By Curt Simpson | Photos by Moore’s Aerial Applicators

It was a rainy, windy three-day Memorial Day weekend as a Nor’easter storm brought nasty spring weather to eastern North Carolina. The clouds were fnally starting to clear up on Monday morning, and that meant ag pilot Mike Rivenbark’s cell phone was busy.

“Everybody else was disappointed with the weather for Memorial Day weekend, but I loved it because I knew we wouldn’t be flying for a couple of days,” Rivenbark said with a laugh. He enjoyed the brief time off from work, but with a break in the weather “my phone hasn’t stopped ringing all morning.”

Rivenbark is the owner/operator of Moore’s Aerial Applicators in

Clinton, and his phone is ringing more and more these days from farmers in the region who use his services. The growing season is obviously his busiest season. After growing up in Pender County and spending most of his life on boats, Rivenbark began flying planes in 2007. He’s been working as an “ag pilot,” as they are called, since 2010. His career in agricultural aviation began as he worked with a company that Henry Moore started in the 1960s.

A farmer driving a tractor through a crop of wheat will destroy 3-7 bushels per acre. With aerial application, there is no loss of crop.

Rivenbark worked with Moore for a while, then flew and learned even more about the business and technology in Nebraska. Eventually, he and his family came back home to North Carolina and bought Moore’s Aerial Applicators from Henry Moore in 2017.

Residents who have lived in Duplin County for a while have probably seen his planes, and others like them, flying low and fast over fields, especially in the spring and summer. It’s a growing business that is in the business of keeping crops growing, and more productive.

Many people don’t understand exactly what’s going on, but

Rivenbark is an eager educator.

He can quickly list the reasons that farmers are using his services, and why more should consider aerial application as part of their best farming practices.

First off, the antiquated term “crop duster” no longer applies. It isn’t dry dust that the planes are spraying. It’s either fertilizers, pesticides or other beneficial liquids that are mixed with surfactants – basically a fancy name for soap – to make sure the product goes where it is supposed to, and doesn’t drift where it isn’t.

“Fertilizer is expensive, so you don’t want to use it in places where it’s not supposed to go,” he said.

In fact, ag pilots are using complicated Global Positioning Systems, or GPS, to determine exactly where certain amounts of fertilizers, pesticides and the like are supposed to be sprayed. First, an evaluation is made of each field by an agronomist, looking for hot spots that need more or less of each application. Then that information is downloaded into a GPS program that the pilots use to spray the field, putting just the right amount of chemicals into the places they are needed, and not wasting chemicals in the places

that they aren’t needed.

This leads to a more consistent and productive crop, and less runoff and waste.

Still, on occasion, someone will watch a pilot fy over and not understand what’s going on, and that’s why he’s such an eager educator.

Fertilizer is expensive, so you don’t want to use it in places where it’s not supposed to go.

Mike Rivenbark

He told the story of a woman who recorded a video of one of his planes spraying a squash field next to her yard. She posted the video to social media, and blamed him for some bushes that had died in her yard.

He called her up immediately, and explained what he was spraying and how none of what he had sprayed could have killed her bushes. As it turns out, she had planted the bushes during a drought, and didn’t water them enough. Besides that, he said there was no way that anything he’d sprayed could have killed the bushes within a matter of minutes.

She took the video down, but he asked her permission to post it himself because he thought it was a good educational opportunity.

It’s an education process with the public, especially those who may be newer to the area.

There are approximately 1,560 aerial application companies in the United States, with 3,400 pilots. 2,000 pilots are hired to work for the companies, and about 1,400 are owner-operators like Rivenbark, industry officials say.

A 2019 survey conducted by the National Agriculture Aviation Association found that 127 million acres of farmland are treated each year by aerial application.

Rivenbark says he has to educate farmers that his services are worth the expense, too..

From the air, he can treat far more acreage in less time than

a farmer can treat it from the ground. That is time the farmer could spend doing other work.

“I can spray 100 acres of corn in less than an hour,” he said. A farmer doing it from the ground will spend at least 2-3 times that amount of time doing the same thing.

“Variable rate applications” technology allows for precise amounts of fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides to be applied to the correct parts of a field, and adjustments can be made based on the speed of the flyover. Planes may fly at 140 mph in one direction, and coming back the plane may be flying at 160 mph. The technology can adjust for the difference.

With no heavy tractor tires running over the land and crops, there’s no soil compaction or erosion to worry about. Not to mention the fact that tractors can do a lot of damage to a pretty crop of wheat or corn.

A farmer driving a tractor through a crop of wheat will destroy 3-7 bushels per acre, he said. With aerial application, there is no loss of crop.

The proof is in the yield. Years ago, a farmer could generally get

30-50 bushels of corn from an acre of land. Now that number is closer to 200 bushels, and in the midwest, it’s even higher.

Rivenbark’s company is aware that unmanned drone aircraft are also getting into the aerial application business, but he’s choosing not to go that route just yet.

He said the capacity of a drone craft can’t compete with his manned aircraft, since he can carry a much larger load of 500 gallons. A drone that can only carry a fraction of that amount would have to reload constantly. Still, he

I can spray 100 acres of corn in less than an hour.

Tom Teachey

Acres of farmland are treated each year by aerial application

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said, in smaller jobs, a drone may be appropriate.

“I think they have a place in agriculture,” he said, “but I just don’t see them replacing the volume that I can do.”

The business isn’t without its challenges, though. The growing population of our region is leading to more housing developments, power lines, solar farms and, the newest growing threat, unmanned drones being flown by amateurs.

A 40-60 pound drone flown by a hobbyist can do a lot of damage to a plane, and possibly even risk the life of a pilot, if it strikes the plane.

“You think about what it would be like if you’re driving down the road at 160 mph and you were to hit a car battery,” he said. “That is not a good thing.”

That’s where training and education come in again. Pilots have to be aware of the risks, and learn to work around them the best that they can.

Up until 2022, Rivenbark did all of his own flying and spraying, but now he has brought on a new pilot that is learning the ropes. He has three planes, and as the business grows, he may continue to expand.

“I see this as the wave of the future,” he said. “We just have to be better stewards of everything.”

You think about what it would be like if you’re driving down the road at 160 mph and you were to hit a car battery. That is not a good thing.

Mike Rivenbark

Celebrating agriculture, career opportunities

More than 1,800 high school FFA and 4-H members representing 81 schools from across North Carolina recently visited the University of Mount Olive to celebrate AgFest. The yearly event celebrates agriculture, community and highlights academic opportunities in the industry.

Students had the opportunity to visit nearly 100 different educational booths representing all sectors of agriculture. They also had a chance to test their bull riding skills, got a shot at log rolling, tried a zero-turn lawnmower course and enjoyed a concert featuring country music artist Drake White, with opening acts Paige King Johnson, Chandler James, and 2022 National FFA Talent Show Competition winners.

Photos by University of Mount Olive

AGRICULTURE IN

142,837 ACRES HARVESTED

56,399 LAND IN IRRIGATED FARMS

2,919,398 HOGS & PIGS SALES

TOP 5 COUNTIES IN FARM CASH RECEIPTS

AVERAGE SIZE OF FARMS

296 21% CROPS CASH RECEIPTS

132,673

Source USDA NC Agricultural Statistics 2022

$353,000 DIRECT TO CONSUMER SALES

UP FROM 2007

192% FRUIT, NUT & BERRY FARMS

Tanya Novakowski: a champion for agriculture education

By American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture

Editor’s Note: Tanya Novakowski, a Rose Hill-Magnolia Elementary School teacher, and Farm Bureau Foundation Fellow is working with Grow with Google and the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture to develop career-focused digital lessons to introduce rural students across the country to fundamental agricultural concepts.

Tanya Novakowski grew up in rural Pennsylvania in a family of eight. Her dad was an engineer in the aerospace industry and her mom raised the kids and helped maintain the family’s large garden.

She and her siblings helped out picking corn, breaking beans, canning vegetables, and making

sauerkraut. But for Tanya, gardening seemed like a chore — and certainly not something that could be a career.

Teaching, though, was something Tanya wanted to pursue from an early age. “I was surrounded by teachers in my neighborhood,” she says. School was the heart of the rural community, where everyone knew and looked out for each other. To become a teacher, Tanya  imagined herself going to college in the city and leaving country life behind. She earned her B.A. in elementary education at University of North Carolina Wilmington, then sought employment in the region.

“My first interview was in Rose

Tanya Novakowski

Hill [NC],” she recalls. “It was behind a turkey hatchery. I thought, ‘I can’t teach here. It’s too much like home in Pennsylvania.’” Despite her reservations, she decided to give Rose Hill a shot. That was 23 years ago.

“Now, I love it here,” says Tanya, a sixth-grade math and science teacher at Rose Hill-Magnolia Elementary School. The school provides Title 1 services to students from low-income families, including those of transient and migrant workers. “Most of our students’ families work in agriculture, either at one of the processing plants or on the farms,” Tanya says. “Agriculture is everything here.”

Growing up in the 1980s, Tanya didn’t have agricultural classes in school. She realized what was missing in her own childhood was someone to teach her about the wonder and opportunities the rural community holds — and

We’ve got to fnd that interest, that spark, that’s going to encourage students to want to be successful.

how agriculture is a multifaceted industry with well-paying jobs to suit many different skill sets. She committed to engaging her students in agricultural education combined with digital learning.

Tanya’s journey to teaching AgTech began in 2018. Inspired by her father, Tanya was accepted into Nuggets On Mars, a K-8 teacher STEM-Ag professional development program. She was drawn in by the idea that her students would be the generation to explore Mars–but first, they’d need to figure out how to grow food in space. This experience opened her eyes to the importance of agriculture in everything we do, “from the fields to the board room” and even in space. She wanted her students to see and appreciate the richness — and the opportunity — in the environment around them.

Since then, Tanya has become a champion for agriculture education. “We’ve come down to Earth to bring in more handson agriculture,” she says. Tanya has helped bring in more than $100,000 in funding for classroom AgTech projects, including raising chickens and collecting eggs, caring for honeybees and gathering honey, growing and harvesting fruits and vegetables for home cooking, and installing solar energy to power agriculture projects.

She combines digital learning with hands-on agriculture lessons through virtual field trips to show students different places and possibilities for AgTech careers. She is teaching them skills that will help them navigate the world and be competitive in the job market.

“We’ve got to find that interest, that spark, that’s going to encourage students to want to be successful,” Tanya says. “Once students find out what they’re passionate about and teachers

figure out what motivates students, then they’re going to want to come to school, to learn, and to be successful.” In 2022, Tanya was named North Carolina Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year.

As a Farm Bureau Foundation Fellow, Tanya is working with Grow with Google to develop a place-based curriculum that incorporates agriculture, technology, and digital skills into a lesson on Google’s Applied Digital Skills platform.

“It’s a whole new world, and we need to teach kids to be problem-solvers,” Tanya shares. “The pandemic taught us, if we run out of food, what are we going to do?

If we don’t protect the pollinators, we won’t have food. AgTech education gives students the tools to adapt.”

Tanya looks forward to helping the next generation discover their passion for agriculture and gain the AgTech skills needed to solve the world’s challenges.

It’s a whole new world, and we need to teach kids to be problem-solvers. The pandemic taught us, if we run out of food, what are we going to do?

If we don’t protect the pollinators, we won’t have food.

AgTech education gives students the tools to adapt.

Tanya Novakowski

Forging into new territory

By Rhonda Jessup, University of Mount Olive

Several hundred head of genetically pure, authentic Japanese Wagyu cows and bulls are forging on tender blades of Bermuda grass still damp from the late spring frost. Ranch hands are busily checking fences, feeding animals, and cutting hay. Beyond the fence line and into the woods is the sound of Berkshire hogs wallowing lazily in the mud, fresh from the weekend rains.

It may look like a scene from the Yellowstone television series, but the over 1,300 acres of property known as Wilders Farm is located just two miles west of Interstate 40 in the rural Sampson County community of Turkey, NC. Owners Reid and Jaclyn Smith bought the property from the Jeffrey Matthews estate as a means of expanding their pandemic pastime.

“During the height of the COVID -19 pandemic, the Smiths purchased about 30 Wagyu cattle to pass the time and ease the boredom on their Johnston County farm,” said Danielle Lantz, Wilders Brand and Operations Manager. That newfound hobby, turned into the start of a proftable venture when the Smiths, who have a strong background in construction and real estate, purchased the Matthews farm.

Former owner, the late Jeffrey Matthews, had a passion for quarter horses and longhorn cattle. Therefore, the many outlying buildings, barns, and fenced-in pastures were well equipped for transitioning to Wagyu cattle.

With only a handful of registered

Danielle Lantz

Wagyu farmers in North Carolina, the Smiths are forging into relatively new territory. As their website proclaims, “We might be the new kid on the block, but we’re no rookies to farming. Our crew is proud to come from families that have been in farming for generations.  We have

a deep appreciation for the hard working men and women who make our agriculture community what it is today.”

Embracing the community in which they live and work, the Smiths recently extended an invitation to several members of the University of Mount Olive School of Agriculture and Biological Sciences for a farm tour. During the tour, attendees saw the farm’s ten full-time staff members managing the day-today operations on the farm. “We employee several other part time staff for calving season, breeding season, and retail market days,” said Jake Newbold, Director of Agriculture.

Chair of Agricultural Sciences Heather Glennon said she learned a great deal about feeding and equipment options during the tour. “It was interesting to learn that the Wilders Wagyu are grass-fed and grain-fnished animals, and that the farm is the source of all dietary needs including hay and silage supplements,” she said.

Assistant Professor of Animal Science Dr. William Farmer was es-

We might be the new kid on the block, but we’re no rookies to farming. Our crew is proud to come from families that have been in farming for generations.  We have a deep appreciation for the hard working men and women who make our agriculture community what it is today.

The farm utilizes commercial Angus cows as surrogates. This is enabling them to increase their herd at a more rapid and stable rate of production.

pecially interested in learning about the farm’s AI (artifcial insemination) and embryo transfer programs.

“We learned that the farm utilizes commercial Angus cows as surrogates,” Farmer said. “This is enabling them to increase their herd at a more rapid and stable rate of production.”

“It is one of our main goals to become a major distributor of authentic Japanese Wagyu genetics for the East Coast in addition to our e-commerce meat sales,” Newbold stated.

The Smiths are planning their frst cattle sale for early November 2023. They have every expectation that their initial crop of purebred Wagyu will bring a premium price. Known for its’ incredible tenderness, unique marbling, and unmatched favor, Wilders Wagyu beef is certainly bringing top dollar online and in farmers’ markets across the state

A 26-ounce Wagyu porterhouse steak sells for $155 while a 2-3 inch thick cut tomahawk steak carries a whopping $241 price tag. “Once you have tasted it, you will know why,” says Newbold. “Our products speak for themselves,” adds Lantz. “We can’t keep up with demand.”

Beyond Wagyu, the Wilders label is front and center on the Smith’s Berkshire pasture-raised pork products as well. They sell everything from sausage to pork chops.

“We really enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to visit and tour the Wilders operation,” said Dr. Sandy Maddox, Dean of the School of Agriculture and Biological Sciences. “It is well managed and they have a clear vision as to where they want to be in the future. We are excited about forging this new partnership with Wilders Wagyu. They are open to allowing our classes to come and tour the operation and in selecting students to participate in their operation through internships. They are also interested in working with our faculty on AI and other areas of production. This should be

a productive partnership for both the University and Wilders.”

“We are so happy that we could host UMO, we certainly do not know everything that there is to know about Wagyu, but what we do know is that none of us can do it alone,” said Lantz. “As much as the Smiths love the breed, they are also in it for the community of breeders and farmers – for the reward of doing it together. Which is why the Smith’s brand does business the WILD way: with a will to win, intentional adaptability, living compassionately, and disciplined execution. You will see that WILD stamp on everything, from livestock branding to packaging, to the logos on our jacket. Because our owners Reid and Jaclyn Smith back their products with family values. It’s more than just their brand; it’s their way of life.”

We learned that the farm utilizes commercial Angus cows as surrogates. This is enabling them to increase their herd at a more rapid and stable rate of production.

Dr. William Farmer

Reid and Jaclyn Smith

From mail carrier to thriving farmer

By Lauren Branch | Contributed Photos

Watching his grandfathers Allee Ray and Tony Simmons is what sparked his fascination. Both of his grandfathers enjoyed farming at their homes in Sampson County. Allee Ray was a sharecropper. “He was the green thumb of the family,” said Simmons adding that his other grandpa was into livestock.

“I always knew I wanted to get into the business world, but I didn’t know I wanted to get into the ag scene,” said Simmons. He used to work for Murphy Farms and Smithfield Foods as the internal mail carrier for the eastern region. It was then that he found a mentor in Wendell Murphy, owner of Murphy Farms at the time. He felt inspired by their conversations.

“What drew me to the industry in his conversation was him saying that even though a person comes from humble beginnings, you can be successful in farming,” said Simmons. “It’s going to take a lot of hard work, but the reward would be that you would get back whatever you put into it.”

Simmons shared that he faced many naysayers who doubted he could accomplish his dream, but that didn’t deter him. He kept working hard, asking questions and taking in everything he learned. In 2012 Master Blend Family Farms was established using his land and his father-in-law James McGowan’s property.

Today, Simmons is a nationally-known farmer who has made a reputation for himself.

Ron Simmons

Master Blends opened its first food truck during the pandemic. Simmons shared that the

foodtruck was used to giveaway samples outside small businesses that used his products and help drive traffic in during the hardship of the pandemic. He added that he didn’t know it would grow the way it has, and he is in the process of opening a second foodtruck.

Master Blends now has a standalone brick-and-mortar shop on the farm, where customers can buy cuts of meat, fresh vegetables, and sometimes special items like quilts made by people in the community.

Among the accolades the thriving farmer has received is the prestigious North Carolina Small Farmer of the Year from North Carolina A&T University in 2018, the same year he received Duplin County’s Golden Star Award, which is given to an individual who shows significant contributions to the county, and in 2021 was featured in Kingsford Charcoal’s National Campaign Preserve the Pit.

Simmons teaches classes at the North Carolina Small Business

Ron Simmons was just a boy when he got his first taste of farming.

... even though a person comes from humble beginnings you can be successful in farming. It’s going to take a lot of hard work but the reward would be that you would get back whatever you put into it.”

Center Network. He also attends festivals and events to promote his brand and share his knowledge.

One of his favorite achievements is his partnerships with international brands Kubota Tractor Corporation and Kingsford Charcoal. He shared that his relationship with Kingsford Charcoal meant a lot to him because it took him back to his childhood and reminded him of his grandpa Alley Rae, who

loved to feed the community and cook in his little grill.

“He would always cook hotdogs, hamburgers, and chicken on that little Weber grill, and even though it was a small grill and you could only cook a small amount at a time, somehow he was always able to cook enough to feed a lot of people...” Simmons reminisced.

“It was very unique to be able to collaborate with Kingsford to

make that happen, and it took me back to my childhood.”

Simmons shared that despite all the differences in society “the one thing we have in common is food! That’s why I do my part to prepare food or do festivals and events to see all cultures and races come together and share that common theme of eating together, even if we can’t agree on anything else.”

Cultivating the next generation of farmers

By Ena Sellers | Contributed Photos

Headquartered in Rose Hill, the House of Raeford Farms plays an integral role in the tightly knit communities that make up the fabric of Duplin County.

Over the years they have made a reputation for themselves for their involvement in their communities and supporting initiatives that elevate education and provide students with resources and knowledge in the field of agriculture. House of Raeford shared that they support the Duplin County Board of Education’s initiative to provide personalized career pathways and connecting curriculum and communities through the schools’ Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math, and Agriculture (STEAMA) program.

Last spring, their team visited Wallace Elementary School. Students got a chance to learn about the breeding operation, from hatchery, feed mill, and laboratory to processing plants. Students also learned about the company, their facilities and career oppor -

tunities to consider when they graduate.

“They learned about our commitment to sustainability including the health and safety of

IN FARM CASH RECEIPTS FOR BROILERS

Duplin ranks #1

our employees, the welfare of our animals, the safety of our food products, protection of our natural resources, and giving back to the communities where we have operations,” said House of Raeford.

During the visit, Dr. Katie Shamoun, associate corporate veterinarian, met with teachers and students who where learning about the lifecycle of a broiler chicken. During her visit, students learned about the importance of food production and about the role of a veterinarian who works with chickens.

Dr. Shamoun and Dave Witter, Corporate Communications and Sustainability manager, gave similar presentations at Kenansville Elementary.

“These are the first steps we are taking in Duplin County to educate students in the

concept that everything you are and everything you grow is born out of seed, time, and harvest,” said Tom Teachey, House of Raeford’s Outreach director who leads the agricultural education partnership with Wallace Elementary known as Generation Next and a

cooperative program with Rose Hill-Magnolia Elementary.

“Through these alliances we hope to cultivate our next generation of farmers, agricultural employees, and stewards of the land,” he added.

These are the frst steps we are taking in Duplin County to educate students in the concept that everything you are and everything you grow is born out of seed, time, and harvest.

Tom Teachey

Preparing students with innovative, hands-on knowledge

By James Sprunt Community College

Located in the heart of Duplin County, James Sprunt Community College is known for its active role equipping students for success with innovative and hands-on knowledge.

Students can pursue an Associate Degree in Agriculture Education or an Associate in Agribusiness Technology with classes such as animal science, agricultural chemicals, plant science, soil science, ago-metrics, agricultural economics, agricultural marketing, farm business management, agronomy, animal health management, and agronomy.

Students are introduced to classroom theory and management as well as soil, plant, and animal science. They learn using animal models, an onsite research and demonstration vineyard, and through internships with local employers. Local agriculture employers are supportive of the agriculture program because of the need to have technical agriculture skills as well as management and professional training to succeed.

Opportunities such as workbased learning are offered to provide students with active participation in their chosen field of study to determine what branch of agriculture they are the best fit for.

Lead instructor Star Jackson is known for her passion in her field of study. Former student Katelyn Price shared that Jackson is her

“My instructors, particularly Mrs. Star Jackson and Mrs. Samantha Outlaw, have been amazing. I have learned so much from

them during my time at James Sprunt.”

“The classes have helped me obtain general information and the practical courses of action I can apply with the cows I raise,” said former student Mallory Herring.

Jackson reciprocates the feelings of respect and admiration for her students as she selected them to represent the agriculture program at JSCC.

Erin Price took the Agribusiness route of study and later added Animal Science classes. Price plans to work on her family’s turkey farm of seven grow-out houses.

“I love working with animals and being outside.” Price is currently looking into other Agribusiness and Animal Science job opportunities. Her time at JSCC has

My time at JSCC has been special to me. It has allowed me to further my agricultural knowledge and connect with so many new people in this feld.

Mallory Herring favorite thing about her JSCC experience.

Pictured from left to right are Star Jackson, Livestock and Poultry Technology Instructor; Mallory Herring, Applied Animal Science Technology Student; and Erin “Katelyn” Price, May 2023 Graduate in Agribusiness Technology and Applied Animal Science Technology.

helped her feel more equipped for the workforce. “My time at JSCC has been special to me. It has allowed me to further my agricultural knowledge and connect with so many new people in this field.”

Mallory Herring has chosen the Animal Science course of study, attributing her upbringing on a turkey farm inspiring her passion to ‘feed the world.’

Herring thinks fondly of JSCC and the instruction she has received as an on-campus student

“James Sprunt offers hands-on opportunities for the students. The practical experience JSCC provides is what initially drove me to JSCC. I heard all good things about this program and wanted to be a part of it.”

Herring plans to continue raising cattle and poultry and eventually work for the United

States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

JSCC prides itself on the ability of students to get connected to jobs in their industry of study. Jackson shares she is proud of Katelyn Price’s employment on her family farm and Mallory Herring’s success in starting her own farm.

JSCC also is pleased to con -

nect students with opportunities to advance their education with four-year university articulation agreements with schools such as North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University (NC A&T) and the University of Mount Olive (UMO).

For more information, contact Emily Smith at ebsmith@jamessprunt.edu or 910-275-6170.

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