> N.C. Pecan Growers Association's meeting, workshop and orchard tour planned for Feb. 18

> Seventh annual Ag Forum will focus on economic trends, farm safety Feb. 2 at State Fairgrounds

> Virus affecting horses found at N.C. stable

> NCDA&CS offers risk management workshops across the state

> Grain Sorghum gaining favor in eastern North Carolina

> Timely, Reliable Information for Southeast Agriculture

USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program  General Sign-Up  
 

Acting Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS) Michael Scuse announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup, beginning on March 12 and ending on April 6. CRP has a 25-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation's natural resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United States.
"It is USDA's goal to ensure that we use CRP to address our most critical resource issues," said Scuse. "CRP is an important program for protecting our most environmentally sensitive lands from erosion and sedimentation, and for ensuring the sustainability of our groundwater, lakes, rivers, ponds and streams. As always, we expect strong competition to enroll acres into CRP, and we urge interested producers to maximize their environmental benefits and to make cost-effective offers."

Sandra Cain

For Better Living

Why Do We Need Iron?
 
Whether you're lifting weights, training for a marathon or just trying to stay fit, iron is one nutrient that needs to be in balance for peak performance. Iron deficiency anemia is relatively common among all teenage girls and women. It's even more common among female athletes, especially runners and ballet dancers.
 
Iron is a mineral that is found in every cell in the body. It’s an important part of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to all the cells. Our cells use oxygen to make energy from the food we eat. Iron is also needed to keep the immune system healthy and help brain cells work normally.
 
Iron literally gives the body energy by helping carry oxygen from the lungs to muscles during exercise. When iron stores become low, the flow of oxygen to the muscles slows down. As a result, carbohydrates and fats are not burned as efficiently and performance suffers.
 
What happens if we don’t get enough iron? Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world. Severe iron deficiency can lead to one type of anemia. Iron deficiency can be caused by several factors including: not getting enough iron in the diet, not absorbing iron properly and losing blood from injury or illness. Without adequate iron, red blood cells cannot carry enough oxygen to other cells in the body.
 
The recommended daily intakes of iron range from men, ages 19+ at 8 mg/day to pregnant women at 27 mg/day. Signs of an iron deficiency include fatigue, infections, muscle weakness and lack of the ability to concentrate.
 
Both animal and plant foods contain iron, but our bodies absorb the iron from meats better than from plants. To increase the amount of iron that is absorbed from plant foods, eat them with foods high in vitamin C or with meat, poultry, or fish. Foods high in vitamin C include oranges, strawberries and peppers.
 
Some people need iron supplements. These people may include pregnant women and people with an iron deficiency. People who do not get enough iron from food may choose to take a multivitamin/mineral supplement that contains iron. Be sure to keep supplements out of the reach of children because an overdose of iron can be fatal. It's best to take iron supplements only under the advice of a physician or dietitian. Too much iron can be as detrimental to your health and performance as too little.
 
A better choice is to make sure your iron reserves never dwindle by eating a variety of iron-rich foods. Eat foods high in iron: red meat, fish, chicken, liver, eggs, dried fruits such as apricots, prunes, and raisins, lentils and beans and green, leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli or cereal with iron in it (iron-fortified).
 
Sources: University of Florida; Colorado Cooperative Extension
 
 CAJUN BEEF TENDERLOIN
 
1 beef tenderloin (3 pounds)
4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon paprika
2 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoon white pepper
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
1 to 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground mustard
 
Tie tenderloin at 2 inch intervals with kitchen string. Combine the seasonings. Rub over beef.
 
If grilling, prepare the grill for indirect heat. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill.
 
Grill tenderloin, covered, over indirect medium meat for 50 - 60 minutes, turning occasionally, or until meat reaches desired doneness. For medium-rare, 145 degrees; medium - 160; well-done - 170. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
 
To roast the tenderloin, bake on a rack in a shallow roasting pan at 425 degrees for 45 - 60 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness. Yield: 12 servings.

Sorghum, Corn and Soybean Meeting
 
A meeting will be held Monday, January 30th at 12 noon at the Powell-Melvin Agricultural Service Center for Sorghum, Corn and Soybean growers.
 
The program includes Dr. Ron Heiniger, NCSU Extension Corn Specialist and Dr. Jim Dunphy, NCSU Extension Soybean specialist.
 
Persons planning to attend are ask to contact the Bladen County Cooperative Extension office at 910-862-4591 by 5 PM Thursday, January 26th, 2012.
 
Lunch will be provided at the meeting.

Tree Farming Networking Session Coming To Bladen
 
Tree farmers and land owners are invited to the Cape Fear Region Forestry Network forest landowner program at the Bladen County Extension office Wednesday, December 14 from 2 PM to 5 PM.
 
Speakers include Roger Hart, NC Forest Service, speaking on Fire Weather, Burn Plans and Preparation.
 
Allen Plaster, Comprehensive Forestry Services, Inc.will be talking about Options for Burning and How to get it Done.
 
Ted Feitshans, NC State University Extension Associate Professor, will speak on The Liabilities of Burning for Landowners.
 
Contact Becky Spearman at 862-4591 to register for the Bladen County session.

NOW IS THE TIME TO APPLY FOR USDA CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

Raleigh, NC. (Nov. 18,2011) – The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced funding will soon be available for conservation programs in North Carolina. These federal programs, authorized under the 2008 Farm Bill, provide financial and technical assistance to farmers and forest land owners to protect soil, water and other natural resources. Now is the time for farmers and forest land owners to work with their local USDA Service Center to establish eligibility and apply for conservation programs so that their applications can be considered when funds become available.

Farm Bill conservation program assistance will be made available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), all administered by NRCS. Farmers can submit applications for programs anytime throughout the year. However, NRCS will begin the application ranking process for eligible applications starting February 3, 2012 for possible funding consideration. Applications are ranked based on greatest environmental benefit. For an application to be considered complete for ranking, the following criteria apply: 1. All land and producer eligibility requirements must have been met. 2. A conservation plan identifying conservation practices to be included for proposed funding must be finalized for the enrolled land. “Applications that are not complete by the first application ranking period will be deferred to the next ranking period, which is anticipated to occur on March 30 and June 1, 2012,” said JB Martin, NRCS State Conservationist for North Carolina. “We strongly encourage farmers to work with their local NRCS field office early to be sure that they don’t miss any opportunities.”

“Helping People Help the Land”

The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Three national initiatives are also now available in North Carolina through EQIP, including: EQIP Organic Initiative, EQIP Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative and EQIP On-Farm Energy Initiative. Under each national EQIP initiative applicants can apply for numerous conservation practices that benefit natural resources. Applicants for these initiatives must meet all land and producer eligibility requirements. Applicants who apply for the EQIP initiatives can also apply for conservation practices under the general EQIP program.

One regional initiative, the Longleaf Pine Initiative (LLIP), will be offered to non-industrial, private forest landowners to implement forest management plans on their land that help protect, enhance and sustain Longleaf Pine habitats. Landowners interested in LLPI should have applications submitted as funding for this initiative will be available soon through WHIP.

The 2008 Farm Bill provides additional incentives for farmers, who are beginning, have limited resources, or who are socially disadvantaged. Such farmers can receive up to 90 percent of the costs associated with planning and implementing certain conservation practices and up to 30 percent of expected costs may be provided in advance.

Farmers should call their local USDA NRCS office today to apply for available funding for Farm Bill programs and initiatives; locations are listed on-line at http://offices.usda.gov or in the phone book under Federal Government, U.S. Department of Agriculture. General program information is available on the NRCS North Carolina website at www.nc.nrcs.usda.gov. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Forestry Meeting Planned

There will be a Forestry Meeting on Wednesday, December 14th  from 2 pm to 5 pm at the Bladen County Extension Office located at 450 Smith Circle Drive in Elizabethtown.  Topics for the meeting include Fire Weather, Burn Plans, and Preparation by Roger Hart, NC Forest Service; Options for Burning and How to Get it Done by Allen Plaster, Comprehensive Forestry Services, Inc; and The Liabilities of Burning for Landowners by Ted Feitshans, Extension Associate Professor, NCSU.  To register, call the Extension Office at 862-4591.

USDA Farm Service Agency Announces Increased Guaranteed Loan Limit

Columbus County:  USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Farm Loan Manager FLM Dean Sasser announced that the loan limit for the Guaranteed Loan Program increased to $1,214,000.   The limit is adjusted annually based on the "Prices Paid to Farmers Index," compiled by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

“Raising the guaranteed loan limit allows FSA to better meet the financial needs of producers across Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Robeson and Scotland Counties,” said Dean Sasser "With agricultural producers facing unprecedented economic hardships and needing effective means of obtaining capital, this increase comes at a good time" he said.

Another change to the guaranteed loan program affects the one-time loan guarantee fee charged on all FSA loans obligated after October 1.  This one-time loan guarantee fee increased from 1.0 percent to 1.5 percent of the guaranteed portion of the loan.

FSA guaranteed loans allow lenders to provide agricultural credit to farmers who do not meet the lender's normal underwriting criteria. Farmers and ranchers apply for a guaranteed loan through a commercial lender, with the lender arranging for the guarantee.  FSA can guarantee up to 95 percent of the loss of principal and interest on a loan. Guaranteed loans can be used for farm ownership and operating purposes.

Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Robeson and Scotland County producers unable to obtain financing through a commercial lender, including a guaranteed loan, could be eligible for an FSA direct loan. These loans are made by FSA with government funds.  The limit is $300,000 (except for Emergency Loans which have a limit of $500,000). The maximum combined guaranteed and direct farm loan indebtedness is now $1,514,000.

For more information on FSA’s farm loan programs, contact your county USDA Service Center at (45C Government Complex Drive (P O Box 459), Whiteville NC 28472/910 642 2196 ext 2).