Until a winter storm caught up with them, officials from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences conducted a statewide series of “Nickels for Know-How” presentations in January, stressing the agricultural check-off program’s accomplishments to community leaders and others.

While the weather held, audiences included county Cooperative Extension directors and their advisory committee chairs, Agricultural Foundation board members, 4-H and local Farm Bureau representatives, major donors, N.C. State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences alumni and commodity group representatives.

At the meetings, after Dean James Oblinger presented a College overview, Keith Oakley, president of the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc., announced that Nickels revenues rose from $838,000 in 1998 to more than $1 million in 2002.

State law requires that Nickels for Know-How goes to a statewide referendum every six years. The program has repeatedly won approval by around 90 percent of those voting, Oakley said. When created in 1951, Nickels was a five-cent voluntary collection to supplement state appropriations for the College’s agricultural programs. The 1981 referendum increased the check-off from one nickel to two per ton of feed and fertilizer sold in the state. The referendum of 1999 increased it from two to three nickels per ton.

“We conduct a Nickels tour every two to three years, regardless of a referendum vote, to update participants in the Nickels program and key agricultural leaders on the use of the Nickels funds and how those programs are benefiting our citizens,” said Oblinger. “We also ask for and receive feedback from these leaders on issues they are dealing with and how our College could do a better job in addressing those needs.”

Dr. Johnny Wynne, N.C. Agricultural Research Service director, Dr. Jon Ort, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service director, and Dr. Ken Esbenshade, College Academic Programs director, spoke about Nickels’ 2002-2003 impact on programs in their areas, including, among others:

About 135 people attended the Jan. 22 Lenoir and Washington county sessions at Cunningham Research Station and the Vernon G. James Research and Extension Center, respectively, and about 25 people attended a Jan. 23 session at the Ruby C. McSwain Education Center in Raleigh, despite the snow, said Oakley.

“We definitely appreciate the hard work of our county Cooperative Extension directors in getting folks to these meetings,” he said.

Inclement weather on Jan. 23 forced organizers to postpone presentations at the Ernest and Ruby McSwain Extension Education and Agriculture Center in Lee County and the Forsyth County Extension Building; and in the west on Jan. 24 at the Burke County Agriculture Center and the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center at Fletcher in Buncombe County. Presentations that were canceled because of the weather were covered through a one-hour, statewide MCNC teleconference on Feb. 18, Oakley said.

The North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc. supports agricultural research, extension and teaching activities in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Its 148-member volunteer board includes a representative from every North Carolina county and 48 agribusiness members.

The foundation’s board, through its 50-person budget review committee, authorizes Nickels program expenditures.

Ag Foundation assets grew from $5 million in 1988 to more than $33.2 million in 2002, while total foundation revenues, which included Nickels funds, contributions, investment and other income, grew from $1.36 million to $9.32 million, Oakley said.

In addition to its Nickels support, the Ag Foundation receives support from individual alumni and friends, corporations and commodity and other organizations, including philanthropic foundations. These donors support a variety of efforts in the college, including student scholarships and fellowships, faculty support and professorships and research and extension activities.

—Art Latham