The NC Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with NCSU’s Organic Grain Project, has received a Golden LEAF grant for farmer education in new marketing opportunities for wheat in NC. In the past few years, Dr. David Marshall with USDA has developed hard wheat varieties that perform well in the southeast. Along with interest in hard wheat, the organic wheat market continues to grown in NC, as well as the local-food movement. The $88,000 grant will support efforts to expand production and marketing of hard wheat, organic wheat, and local wheat in NC. Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) also received grant funds from the Tobacco Trust Fund and Santa Fe Tobacco Company to support organic grain production in NC, focusing specifically on organic hard wheat. CFSA will be working with independent bakers in NC to organize as buyers/processors of NC hard wheat.

We are also grateful for our advisory panel—a great group of Extension personnel, crop consultants, farmers, and non-profits—for their help planning and implementing our research and education programs. We will be meeting on January 15 th at 4 p.m. during the Joint Corn, Small Grain, and Soybean Commodity Meeting at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Raleigh, NC to discuss the year’s upcoming educational events, plan research trials, and begin planning an Organic Crop Conference. If anyone wishes to join us to help in these discussions, please contact Molly Hamilton (email: molly_hamilton@ncsu.edu or call 828-273-1041).