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 the past few days.
1- North Carolina Farm Bureau President Larry Wooten shares a message as the storm reached the state. NCFB-YouTube
Hurricane Florence resources for farmers Morning Ag Clips
Opinion: Andy Curliss: The threat of this storm AgWeb
Hurricanes and the ag damage they create SFN Today
Hurricane Florence: Thursday live updates from the North Carolina coast Raleigh News & Observer
North Carolina growers speed harvest in advance of Florence The Packer
Staying connected in storm WRAL
2- It’s farm bill crunch time, and negotiators worked a long day yesterday to try to resolve their differences. Politico
Farm bill holds hope for hemp farmers Morning Ag Clips
3- Americans for Free Trade has joined forces with Farmers for Free Trade in the ongoing effort to highlight the benefits of international trade to the economy and oppose tariffs. Southeast Farm Press
4- American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall talks ag labor reform in the latest Zipline, and says that although farmers currently have the best chance for labor reform they’ve seen in many years, time is running out for Congress to act. American Farm Bureau
5- Our savvy sweet potato growers and Benson-based the American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute are using several marketing and promotion tools to increase sweet potato consumption around the world. The Packer
6- Finding a hot meal at your favorite places after the storm could be complicated, too, as North Carolina-based restaurants with a heavy presence in the state could be impacted. Specialty Food
7- As more farmers invest in UAVs, or drones, operators are getting up to speed on the best ways to use them. Indiana Prairie Farmer
8- With pollinators disappearing, researchers at West Virginia University have developed pollinator robots that can help. TechXPlore
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.