ROCKINGHAM – As part of the ongoing mission of the Richmond Observer to provide expansive coverage of current events, we offer the following links to allow ease of access to breaking news and/or items of immediate interest garnering attention across the state and/or nation. These particular links relate to items of rural and/or agricultural interests that were in the news in relation to Hurricane Florence and otherwise.
1- Evacuations have been ordered along parts of the coast and people in Florence’s path are scrambling to prepare for the storm. Counties are under hurricane and storm surge watches, and the President has already signed an emergency declaration for the state, which authorizes FEMA to provide federal resources. Wilmington Star-News
Latest information from Emergency Management Outer Banks Sentinel
FEMA officials discuss Florence WRAL
Disaster Preparedness and Recovery NCFB Insurance Group
Picking up after the storm on pasture-based livestock farms CEFS
Hurricane Florence prompts officials to cancel field days Southeast Farm Press
Farm emergency plan template Morning Ag Clips
2- USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue yesterday called on leaders in Congress to pass a bill that would reform the H-2A agricultural guest-worker program. Politico
Perdue calls for help toward a better guest-worker program Agri-Pulse
3- Tobacco farmers in the Southeast are being hit particularly hard by the trade war and don’t have a safety net to fall back on. SFN Today
Trump’s next trade war shot could hit Americans from head to toe Bloomberg
4- Federal officials are talking about making changes to, or ending, the red wolf protection program near the state’s coast. Carolina Public Press
5- Cell-based meat brands have joined forces and agreed to abandon the term “clean meat” in favor of “cell-based meat,” and they’ve formed an association. Food Navigator
6- Millennials who can afford to pay more and want healthier choices are prompting convenience stores to increase their healthy food and drink options. Morning Ag Clips
7- The N.C. Forest Service has received federal grant money to protect urban ash trees from the emerald ash borer. In the Field
8- A farmer talks about all the ways joining and using Twitter has changed her farm business. Farm Futures
9- American Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agriculture has released new tools related to careers in ag. American Farm Bureau
Editor’s note: It is the policy of the Richmond Observer to print news release material in its original format, as it was received, with minimal, if any, editorial adjustments.
