AGRICULTURAL REVIEW Page 1 Volume - No. 8 August 2007 From the NCDA&CS protecting tractor Farmers urged to test all rare plants with dye forage; abnormally high marking program nitrate levels found Exceptionally high levels of is critical they test these types The spring-green and red- placed on the list for endangered nitrates in various types of for- of feed to protect their invest- dish Venus fl ytrap plant, which or threatened species, it is noted ages are being found in sam- ment,” Troxler said. “In 2002, eats small insects and ples submitted to the state food the year of the last severe endlessly fascinates and drug laboratory, meaning drought in the state, we saw many school kids and that farmers and other live- a spike in animal deaths from adults, is getting a help- stock producers should have high nitrate levels in feeds. We ing hand from scientists Steve Troxler forage crops tested to keep don’t want a repeat of that.” interested in protect- Commissioner their livestock safe, said Ag- Many baled and fresh-cut ing the plants for future Every so often I like to riculture Commissioner Steve forage crops such as corn, generations to enjoy. use this column to high- Troxler. grain, grasses and sorghum The Venus fl ytrap, light the work of divisions The lab has come across harvested during last sum- with its claw-like car- of the N.C. Department of abnormally high results in mer’s drought have high ni- nivorous appendages, Agriculture and Consumer more than a sixth of submitted trate levels, which poses the grows naturally in the Services. With the recent samples, with results being up greatest risk for ruminants world only in North recall of fi sh from Viet- A volunteer shows a young plant that had been to four times higher than what such as cows, sheep and goats. Carolina and parts of uprooted by recent poachers. This Venus fl ytrap nam, I thought it would be is normally considered danger- Although not as sensitive, South Carolina. The was replanted. a good time to talk about ous. These levels can make the horses can also be affected. area is essentially food safety and the role the as a plant of “special concern,” feed fatal for farm animals. The issue is becoming more within about a 90-mile radius of department plays in check- said Laura Gadd, a botanist for “Farmers have a lot in- critical as drought conditions Wilmington. ing our food products. the N.C. Department of Agri- vested in their livestock and it Food safety is a top pri- While the plant has yet to be (See Venus, pg. 3) (See High nitrates, pg. 12) ority of the department and one that I see becoming a bigger issue for consumers. N.C. ranks ninth in agricultural exports Unfortunately, it is some- accounting for 38 percent of thing we sometimes tend to State breaks into out of the top 10. success in our global market- U.S. exports, and ranks third in take for granted until a large top 10 for fi rst time USDA estimates the value ing strategy,” said Agriculture poultry exports, behind Arkan- recall makes the news. North Carolina is now the of North Carolina’s exports Commissioner Stever Troxler. sas and Georgia. The Tar Heel We are fortunate to have ninth-largest state in terms of at more than $2 billion. Over- “Our international marketing state is also the fi fth-largest one of the safest food sup- agricultural export value, ac- all, U.S. agricultural exports specialists have been working exporter of peanuts, sixth-larg- plies in the world, but no cording to a recent report by reached a record $68.7 billion hard to fi nd new markets for est exporter of live animals and one will tell you any sys- the U.S. Department of Agri- in fi scal 2006, up $6.2 billion our farmers, and their efforts meat products and the seventh- tem is perfect. There are culture. North Carolina previ- from the previous record in are paying off.” largest exporter of cottonseed lots of opportunities in the ously ranked 12th on the list. 2005. North Carolina is the lead- food chain for food to come North Dakota was bumped “I am proud that we have had ing tobacco-exporting state, (See Exports, pg. 12) in contact with potentially sickening bacteria – includ- Horse Events ing our own kitchens. Many countries have dif- Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex, State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, (919) 733-4845. ferent rules involving food Aug. 11 & 12 .......Appaloosa Show. Contact Mike Hanville, (336) 921-2123. production, and it is safe to Aug. 24-26 .......... Central Piedmont All Arabian. Contact Dan Regan, (704) 362-0185. say the United States’ rules Aug. 24-26 .......... NCHJA “C” Indoors. Contact Becca Mispel, (919) 556-7321. are among the most strin- Sept. 1 & 2 .......... NCDCTA Dressage Show. Contact Roy Whitlock, (910) 638-8467. gent. In the case of the fi sh, Sept. 3 ................. Dressage Breed Show. Contact Janine Malone, (919) 269-7307. they were recalled after the Sept. 8 & 9 .......... NCAHA Summer Extravaganza. Contact Rory Meacham, (919) 544-2817. our department discovered Sept. 8 & 9 .......... Carolina Fall Driving Show. Contact Dede Bushneck, (919) 815-4723. residue from an antibiotic Sept. 15 & 16 ...... Appaloosa Show. Contact Mitch Petway, (919) 467-3377. not approved for use in farm-raised fi sh. Western N.C. Agricultural Center, Fletcher, (828) 687-1414. Aug. 4 & 5........... Dressage in the Blue Ridge. Contact Kay Whitlock, (910) 692-8467. In mid-August, we will Aug. 9 ..................Arden Horse Auction. Contact Gayna Woody, (828) 775-9708. be hosting representatives Aug. 15-18 .......... Mountain Classic -- Hunter/Jumper. Contact Jenifer Kolarik, (828) 230-7033. from our congressional Aug. 18 ................WNC Open Horse Show Circuit. Contact Doyle Enloe, (828) 697-8785. delegation for an annual Aug. 23 ................Arden Horse Show. Contact Gayna Woody, (828) 775-9708. AgFirst conference. Dur- Sept. 7-16 ............ N.C. Mountain State Fair. Contact Matt Buchanan, (828) 687-1414. ing this meeting we will discuss a variety of agricul- Sen. Bob Martin Eastern Agricultural Center, Williamston, (252) 792-5111. tural issues of concern to Aug. 3-5 .............. WC Miniature Horse World Championship. Contact Rose, (540) 890-0856. our state. Food safety will Aug. 10-12 .......... VA Reining Horse Summer Slide. Contact Glen Askins, (804) 829-2420. be one of the issues we will Aug. 17-19 .......... NE Dist. 4-H Horsemanship School & Show. Contact Vanessa Spiron, (252) 902-1712. be talking about because it Aug. 25 & 26....... Made in the Shade Dressage Horse Show. Contact Sue Smithson, (910) 693-1769. Aug. 31 & Sept. 1 Fall Barrel Blast. Contact Walter Tharrington, (252) 977-6217. is also an issue of national Sept. 14-16 .......... Team Josey Barrel Racing & Horsemanship Clinic. Contact Josey Ranch, (903) 935-5358. importance. Sept. 15 ............... Eastern N.C. Saddle Club Horse Show. Contact Jamie Beacham, (252) 459-8177. Our Food and Drug Pro- (See Food safety, page 2) *Shows subject to change. Call before attending. More horse events listed in Bucolic Briefs. Page 2 AGRICULTURAL REVIEW August 2007 51,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $1,525.35 or 3 cents per copy. Bucolic briefs DIVISIONS The Northeast Ag Expo will be held Aug. 2 and 3 at Roberts Brothers Inc. in Shawboro. The event includes crop training on Aug. 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for extension agents, ag consultants, certifi ed Agronomic ........... Dr. Colleen Hudak-Wise Brian Long ...................................Editor Emergency Programs .........Sharron Stewart crop advisers and agribusiness representatives involved in troubleshooting corn production problems. In Andrea E. Ashby .................Mng. Editor Food Distribution .........................Gary Gay addition, a fi eld day focusing on corn production will be held Aug. 3 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Farmers Terri Allen ..................Advertising Mgr. Food & Drug ............................Joe Reardon interested in attending should contact their local extension offi ce. Professional credits are available. Lisa Morgan ................ Circulation Mgr. Human Resources ...................Ben Harward *** Jen Nixon ......................... Assoc. Editor Marketing ....................................Tom Slade The 13th Annual Franklin County Horse Farm Tour will be held Aug. 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Meat & Poultry Inspection .Dr. Steve Wells tour includes three farm visits with educational programs at each stop. For more contact Martha Mobley, N.C. State Fair ........................Wesley Wyatt AGRICULTURAL REVIEW (ISSN extension agent, at (919) 496-3344 or go to http://franklin.ces.ncsu.edu. Plant Industry ............................ Gene Cross 07445466) is published monthly by the *** Property & Construction ......Kent Yelverton N.C. Department of Agriculture and A workshop on Legal Liability and Handling Food Safely will be held Aug. 7 from 5:30-8:45 p.m. at Consumer Services, 2 W. Edenton St., Public Affairs .............................Brian Long Research Stations ..............................Vacant the Ashe County Cooperative Extension Center in Jefferson. The program includes presentations on good Raleigh, NC 27601. Second-class post- agricultural practices, legal issues in direct marketing and why producers need to be concerned about food age paid at Raleigh, N.C. Standards .........................Stephen Benjamin Statistics .......................... Herb Vanderberry safety and liability. Dinner will be served. To register or for more information, contact Annette Dunlap, (919) POSTMASTER: Send address changes 515-5969, or Carolyn Shepherd, (336) 219-2650. and classifi ed advertising to Structural Pest & Pesticides .... Jim Burnette AGRICULTURAL REVIEW, 1001 Mail Veterinary ......................Dr. David Marshall *** Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699- Anyone interested in growing or marketing asparagus is invited to an Asparagus Twilight Meeting Aug. 1001. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Garnett Carr Farm, 982 Flem Clayton Road, Roxboro.