Unsolicited Seeds from China 
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is aware that people across the country have received unsolicited packages of seed from China in recent days. APHIS is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection and State departments of agriculture to prevent the unlawful entry of prohibited seeds and protect U.S. agriculture from invasive pests and noxious weeds.
Anyone who receives an unsolicited package of seeds from China should immediately contact their State plant regulatory official or APHIS State plant health director. Please hold onto the seeds and packaging, including the mailing label, until someone from your State department of agriculture or APHIS contacts you with further instructions.
Do not plant seeds from unknown origins.
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N.C. Masks and Infection Control Supplies
to Protect Health and Safety of Farmers and Agriculture Workers
"Agriculture is vital to our economy and food supply and it is critical that we protect farmworkers and their families from this virus," said Governor Cooper.
NCDHHS is partnering with N.C. Cooperative Extension, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), the N.C. Department of Labor (NCDOL) and the N.C. Agromedicine Institute to expedite a delivery plan and raise awareness about this resource among the farming community.
More information will be coming soon on the availability and distribution of these supplies.
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Online Workshop
Thursday, August 13, 2020 @ 6:30 pm
If you think it's too late to grow some veggies, you're wrong! Fall crops can extend the growing season well into the fall and early winter. Join us as we learn what can be planted and harvested this fall. We'll also look at how you choose what to plant and the pests you can expect to deal with.
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Quench Your Thirst Without the Added Sugar
With the continuing summer heat, it's easy to turn to soft drinks, lemonade, juice boxes, energy drinks and sports drinks to quench our thirst. While these beverages are convenient and tasty, they are also expensive and high in sugar and calories.
The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has significantly increased in the past decade. Teenagers now obtain 10-15 percent of their calories from these beverages. Sugar-sweetened beverages include soda, sports drinks, sweet tea, fruit-flavored drinks such as punch and lemonade, and any other beverage (even coffee) if sugar is added to it. Excess consumption of these beverages is associated with weight gain, poor nutrition, and a higher risk for obesity and diabetes.
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Hardware Disease in Cattle
Hardware disease, also known as traumatic reticuloperitonitis, is really not a disease at all. It is an injury to the reticulum caused by ingestion of such things as small pieces of wire, nails, staples and other small metal objects. The symptoms of hardware disease include depression, a poor appetite, and a reluctance to move. Cattle may have indigestion and exhibit signs of pain when defecating and may stand with an arched back. A "grunt" can often be heard when the cow is forced to walk. If the object penetrates close to the heart and migrates forward, a fatal infection can sometimes occur.
Read more...
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BURKE COUNTY'S 4-H'ers attend NC 4-H Congress
A delegation of Burke County 4-H members attended NC 4-H Congress, which was held virtually this year.
MacKenzie Prichard, Graysyn Pritchard, Jacob Hanlon and Nick Thompson
represented Burke County at NC 4-H Congress. This year's 4-H Congress, held July 20-23, attracted more than 300 youth and adults representing 4-H programs across the state. Conference delegates participated online in general sessions, learned together in workshops, recognized award winners and elected State 4-H Officers for the upcoming year.
HONOR CLUB ENTRY AND BACKGROUND
Mackenzie Pritchard, 17, daughter of Nicki Carpenter and Mark Pritchard, was inducted into the 4-H Honor Club, one of the highest honors a 4-H'er can achieve. New Honor Club members were tapped during a virtual candlelight ceremony Monday night, July 20.
Membership in the Honor Club is based on service to the 4-H program, leadership, moral standards, 4-H activities and project achievement. Less than one-half of 1 percent of North Carolina 4-H'ers are selected for membership each year. Members must be at least 16 years old and have a minimum of three years 4-H experience.
Pritchard is a senior at Draughn High School and a member of Voyage 4-H club. She has been active in the 4-H program for 7 years.
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August Garden Chores
- Strawberries form next year's flower buds in late summer so it is important to fertilize plants with one pound of 10-10-10 per 100 feet of row between August 15 and September 15. It is important to brush excess fertilizer off of leaves to prevent burning.
- Use a curative control such as Dylox or Bayer Advanced 24 Hour Grub Control to treat the lawn for newly hatched grubs starting in mid-August. Grubs start hatching in early August and live just below the surface of the soil until cool weather drives them deep into the ground.
- August is the time to start fall planting of cool season vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and various leafy greens.
- Cool season lawns should be sown in mid-August to become established before cold weather arrives. Cooler nights and days make establishment of the new lawn easier with less water use.
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Online Workshop
Thursday, August 20, 2020 @ 6:30 pm
Most people in Zones 6 and 7 grow cool season grasses. Maintaining them is very different from warm season grasses. We'll look at sowing seed, fertilization, insects and diseases and the timing of these activities.
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USDA Help for Livestock Producers
USDA is providing critical support to our nation's farmers and ranchers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). CFAP provides vital financial assistance to producers that gives them the ability to absorb sales declines and increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eligible livestock include pigs < 120 lbs., hogs > 120 lbs., lambs and yearlings (less than 2 years of age) and cattle.
CFAP payments for cattle are based on:
* the actual sales between January 15, 2020, and April 15, 2020
*the highest owned inventory on a date selected by the producer between April 16, 2020 and May 14, 2020.
Producers need to categorize their cattle as follows for the application process:
Sold Inventory
Calves less than 600 pounds
Calves more than 600 pounds
Cows and bulls list as "all other cattle"
Slaughter cattle fed
Slaughter cattle mature
Call the Burke-McDowell-Caldwell FSA office if you have any questions or to make a phone appointment at (828) 439-9727, ext 2.
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Burke County 4-H Updates
- 4-H Discovery will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 on Facebook Live @ 6:00pm.
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Are You Reading the Nutrition Facts Label?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that almost all packaged foods and beverages have the Nutrition Facts label printed on it, but how often are we taking the time to read these labels and think about what we are actually eating or drinking? Do we understand what the label is even telling us? This article will focus on some key things to look for when reading the Nutrition Facts label and why it might be beneficial for our health. Recently, the FDA has also decided to make some changes to the Nutrition Facts. The upcoming modifications to the Nutrition Facts label will also be listed below. All manufacturers will have to meet the new label requirements by 2021 and several will need to meet the requirements by 2020.
Read More ...
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NC State Extension is committed to positive action to secure equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination and harassment regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, political beliefs, family and marital status, sex, age, veteran status, sexual identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, or disability.
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