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2019 NCACAA State Meeting
"People, Purpose, and Passion: The Fairway to Excellence"
June 17-19, 2019
Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club
1005 Midland Road
Southern Pines, NC 28387
The 2019 North Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference will be held June 17-19 at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines, NC. The South Central District has put together a great meeting with pre-conference activities beginning on June 17. Annual leave must be taken for early bird activities. The NCACAA State Board will be held Monday evening. The conference will officially begin with Tuesday’s opening luncheon followed by professional development sessions and the annual business meeting. An optional tour of Sandhills Research Station will be available Tuesday morning. The Awards Banquet will be held Tuesday evening to recognize numerous award winners from across the state. Wednesday will begin with professional development tours for members, life members, spouses, and youth followed by a cookout at beautiful Aberdeen Lake Park with cornhole and games on Wednesday evening. **Communication Awards will be presented at the opening luncheon on Tuesday. All award winners are asked to be present at the opening luncheon to receive their awards.**
Lodging RatesLodging has been secured for June 17-19 at the following rates at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club:
$60/night for double occupancy plus 7% tax and 3% resort fee
$120/night for single occupancy plus 7% tax and 3% resort fee
Blocks of rooms are available until May 17. Reservations made after May 17 will be filled on a space available basis.
Rates will be honored for any early arrivals on Sunday, May 16, based on availability.
Seventy-four priority rooms are available at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club on a first come first serve basis with overflow rooms at Mid Pines Inn and Golf Club (across the street).
Use the conference code “Ag Agent Conference” to get these room rates.
Individuals should call the Lodge directly at (800) 747-7272 to make reservations.
Early Bird Activities ~ Monday, June 17
1) Zipline Adventure
Location: Zipquest, 533 Carvers Falls Rd. Fayetteville, NC 28311
Cost: $55 per person - Treetop Excursion: Shorter zipline course with 5 tree-to-tree ziplines, 1 suspension bridge, and 2 spiral staircases. (App. 1.5 hours)
$85 per person – Waterfall Expedition: 8 tree-to-tree ziplines, 3 suspension bridges, 3 spiral staircases, and a spectacular view of Carver’s Falls. (App. 3 hours)
** 8 or more gets $5/10 discount **
Restrictions ~ ages 8-19 and weight 70-250 lbs.
No maximum registration limit!!
2) Sporting Clays Outing
Location: DeWitt's Sporting Clays, 443 Jimmy Carriker Road, Ellerbe, NC 28338
Cost: $24 for 50 clay targets
$48 for 100 clay targets
3) Golf Tournament
Time: Check in at noon with tee times beginning at 12:30 p.m. (Lunch on your own)
Location: Pine Needles Golf Club, 1005 Midland Road, Southern Pines, NC 28387
Cost: $100 per player (Includes cart and greens fee.)
Captain’s choice tournament style play.
Pine Needles Golf Club is the first in the nation to be awarded four U.S. Women’s Open Championships.
Named the #4 golf course in the state by Golfweek.
The course was designed by the legendary Donald Ross in 1927, and meticulously restored by Kyle Franz in 2017.
Optional Pre-Conference Educational Tour ~ Tuesday, June 18
Sandhill Research Station, 2148 Windblow Road, Jackson Springs, NC 27281
Tuesday, June 18, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Participants must register to attend.
Transportation provided from Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club for first 12 passengers (Others can meet at the Research Station).
For more information contact Taylor Williams at taylor_williams@ncsu.edu or 910-947-3188.
Professional Development Sessions ~ Tuesday, June 18
Please register for one breakout for each session. **Local Foods session combines both sessions so only register once.**
Session I
Dewormer Stewardship: Dr. Emily Cope, Animal Science Specialist, N.C. A&T State University
Parasite control programs directly affect animal health and productivity. Misuse of anthelmintics has resulted in ineffective products and increased parasite resistance. Session will focus on implementing a multistep approach through pasture management, animal selection, and strategic deworming for parasite control programs.
Invasive Weed Control Programs in NC: Dr. Bridget Lassiter, Weed Specialist, Plant Industry Division, NCDA&CS
Attendees will learn about distribution, identification, and control methods of State & Federal Noxious Weeds in NC. Topics covered include the Witchweed Eradication Program and other agricultural weeds of importance such as Cogongrass, Tropical Soda Apple, Tropical Spiderwort, and Orobanche.
Weather and Agriculture: Rebecca Ward, Extension Climatologist, State Climate of North Carolina
Climatologists from the State Climate Office of North Carolina (SCONC) will share information about resources and ongoing projects that support agricultural agents and activities. These include educational materials and offerings, improvements to weather and climate data access, tools to support decision making, and a project focused on improving drought communication and transparency. Interactive feedback is welcomed.
Producing Winning Posters: Shawn Banks, Carteret County Extension Director
Learn the basics of creating a winning poster including selecting a topic, organizing the content to make the poster visually appealing and easy to follow, and what to include in the abstract.
Session I & II
Local Ag Big Picture: The Nexus of Food, Farmers, and Economy: Dr. Janine Parker, Agribusiness and Marketing Specialist, N.C. A&T State University
This session will focus on the local foods system and how all the different components work within the system to create economic growth. This is a good session for agents who are looking for how some of what they focus on can fit into the system, and how the economics of the region drive the success of the local foods system.
Session II
Industrial Hemp Budgets and Contracts: Derek Washburn, Ag & Resource Economics Program Associate, N.C. State University; Andrew Branan, Ag & Resource Economics Assistant Professor, N.C. State University
Interest in growing industrial hemp as an alternative crop is growing at a rapid pace. Markets will continue to develop and prices may continue to change. This session will focus on developing budgets and provide guidance related to contracts with potential buyers.
Certified Crop Advisor Program: Dr. Michelle McGinnis, Field Services, NCDA&CS
Hear an overview about the CCA program, tips on how to become certified, and how agents of all program areas can provide continuing education credits related to nutrient management, soil and water management, integrated pest management, crop management, and professional development when conducting existing county programs.
IPM of Fruit and Vegetables: Ryan Adams, NCSU IPM Extension Associate
This session will focus on the keystone concepts of IPM in fruit and vegetable production. This will include combinations of cultural, biological, genetic, and chemical pest control methods to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage while minimizing economic, environmental, and human health risks.
Pork Industry Updates: Andy Curliss, Chief Executive Officer, N.C. Pork Council
Get an outlook on current events, legislative updates, and general permit guidelines related to the pork industry.
Professional Improvement Tours ~ Wednesday, June 19
Tour Option 1 (9:00AM-4:00PM) ~ Livestock Tour
This tour is very casual; we suggest you wear comfortable closed toe walking shoes. Jeans or casual pants are also suggested because we will be touring/participating in farm activities. We encourage you to ride the bus with us since we will have group discussions between stops about the livestock industry in the Sandhills.
Tour Leader: Tiffanee Conrad
Stephanie Carter started this 115 goat dairy with Saanen, Alpine, and Nubian breeds. They make 9 flavors of feta cheese and have future plans to make yogurt and build a store. It is a family operation which also includes grass fed beef, chickens, peaches, blueberries, blackberries, figs, and elderberries.
Chris Dewitt owns this hunting and game bird operation. He raises quail, ducks, and chukars. He offers a clay shooting operation as well as weekend hunts.
John McInnis sells show meat goat boer goats to youth all across the nation. He has approximately 300 does and sells kids off the farm, at live auctions, and on online auctions. He checks for pregnancy with ultrasound and blood testing.
Ryan Oluf has a flock of ostriches that he has raised. He hatches new chicks from incubators that he built himself. He trains them with a tennis ball distraction method and hosts an annual Easter Egg hunt for the community.
Tour Option 2 (9:00AM-3:30PM) ~ Horticulture Tour
This tour is very casual; we suggest you wear comfortable closed toe walking shoes. Jeans or casual pants are also suggested because we will be touring/participating in farm activities. We encourage you to ride the bus with us since we will have group discussions between stops about the horticulture industry in the Sandhills.
Tour Leader: Paige Burns
The SAIC is a food hub and light processing facility owned by Richmond County and managed by Cooperative Extension. The mission is to provide additional markets for farmers in the region through wholesale and value-added opportunities. The facility also features a Demonstration Farm, which provides hands on learning opportunities for new farmers, youth, or farmers interested in learning new production practices or new crops.
Matt Whitaker owns Green Haven, which produces hydroponic lettuce as well as garden plants such as mums, bedding plants, and landscape plants. His lettuce can be found in many grocery stores across the state.
Old Carthage Farm is a family farm that was brought back into production by the “current generation”. On the recommendation of Ag agent Taylor Williams, they decided to grow organically, and have blueberries, blackberries, and more recently, strawberries. They are certified organic.
Anne Marie Thornton and her husband, Dr. David Thornton, bought an established fruit farm and orchard near Cameron. They have added to the acreage at a separate location, and started an award-winning hard cider operation.
Tour Option 3 (9:00AM-3:15PM) ~ Alternative Agriculture Tour
This tour is very casual; we suggest you wear comfortable closed toe walking shoes. Jeans or casual pants are also suggested because we will be touring/participating in farm activities. We encourage you to ride the bus with us since we will have group discussions between stops about the agriculture industry in the Sandhills.
Tour Leader: Brad Thompson
Since 2001, Cross Creek Seed has produced and sold tobacco seed to US and international markets. It provides seed coating services for all types of seed and even small batches. The company was started by tobacco farmer Eddie Baker, who began growing seed for Northrup King in the 1980s, and became interested in plant breeding.
Gross Farms is a family owned farm that has diversified to include tobacco, produce, value added products, hemp, and a well-known agritourism stop in the fall.
Patterson Farm is a family operation that produces tobacco, greenhouse tomatoes, and beginning in 2016, hemp. Ryan Patterson has started his own business, Broadway hemp, which processes CBD products, utilizing both hemp and resveratrol from muscadine.
Youth Activities ~ Tuesday, June 18
Youth Activities will start at approximately 12:30pm right after lunch at the Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club. Youth will travel to the Moore County Extension Center and will participate in salsa and pickle making workshops. Each participant will get to take home a jar of homemade salsa and a jar of dill pickle sandwich chips. After the workshop, we will visit a local splash pad and return back to the Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club around 5:00pm for parent pickup. A pizza/pool party will start around 6:30pm for all youth at the Golfview Room.
12:00-12:45pm - Opening Lunch at the Resort. (Youth and parents that wish to attend the youth activity will go through the line first).
12:45pm - Depart for Moore County Cooperative Extension, 707 Pinehurst Ave, Carthage. (15 passenger van, but there is plenty of parking if parents want to drive).
1:00-4:45pm - Pickle and Salsa Workshop ~ Participants will get to take their pickles and salsa home!! (Children under 10 MUST be accompanied by an adult).
4:45pm - Depart Extension Office and return to resort to prepare for the pizza and pool party.
6:30pm - Youth Pizza/Pool Party (Golfview Room)
Wednesday, June 19
Youth are encouraged to attend the tours with their parents. Here are a few fun things that families can do if they don't want to go on the tours.
Jim's Gems and Gold - Gem and Gold Mining
Sandhills Bowling Center - Bowling
Sandhills Cinema 10 - Movies
9th of September - Paint your own pottery
Splash Pad - Water park
Please contact Jamie Warner if special accommodations need to be made at jdwarner@ncsu.edu or 910-576-6011.
Spouse / Life Member Activities ~ Tuesday, June 18
Sandhills Horticultural Gardens
The 32-acre gardens offer a variety of landscaped areas that allow visitors to learn about different types of landscape design and a variety of usual and unusual plants. The gardens are part of the Sandhills Community College Landscape Gardening Program.
The essence of downtown Southern Pines is embodied in its unique array of shops. This streetscape includes historic buildings that-over the years-have housed an assortment of businesses providing life's necessities and pleasures in colorful and friendly style. Downtown's present vitality is linked to its historic boom in the 1920's, when it first grew rapidly as a center of commerce and resort living. Participants can enjoy sightseeing, shopping at unique stores, or simply taking a break at a local coffee shop. To learn more about the area, check out the Southern Pines Destination Guide.
Please contact Stacey Jones if special accommodations need to be made at srjones5@ncsu.edu or 704-920-3310.
Cookout / Cornhole / Games ~ Wednesday, June 19
This is sure to be one of the most memorable and entertaining events of the week, so don’t miss it!
Open to all registered meeting attendees.
Enjoy food, fun, and games from 5-8:00pm at Aberdeen Lake Park, 301 Lake Park Crossing, Aberdeen, NC 28315
Cookout will include a meal of hamburgers, hot dogs and the fixin’s.
There will be cornhole and “minute-to-win-it” games for all ages and activity levels (If you are unfamiliar with these click here!).
The park also features a playground, walking trail and access to the lake for fishing.
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