North Carolina Horticultural Council
Horticultural industries are a significant portion of the agricultural sector of the economy of North Carolina. The member associations of the NC Horticultural Council represent an annual farmgate or wholesale value of over $2 billion! The regional economic impact on employment, linked industries and household spending resulting from these industries can double and even triple these values.
Horticulture enterprises are facing issues that will impact all aspects of our industry. The political atmosphere in which we now operate requires that we keep our legislators well educated about our needs and the obstacles to our success. We must present a unified voice as we actively participate in the decision making process. We are a significant contributor to our state’s economic well-being and we, therefore, have a responsibility to sustain our industries. We must be at the table as proposed regulations, trade laws, and other issues are debated.
If you are a professional horticulturist, you need to join your commodity association and be an active member. Through your association’s support of the N.C. Horticultural Council you will have a voice in the future of your industry!
- Meetings
- 2007
meeting: December 2 from noon to 5 pm (Koury Convention Center, Colony A room, Sheraton Hotel, Greensboro, NC)
- 2006
meeting: April 10 (Piedmont Triad Farmers Market, Colfax, NC)
- Officers
- By-laws
- Commodity Groups
- Complete List of Agricultural Commodity Groups (Link maintained at CALS)
- Carolina Farm Stewardship
- Crop Protection Association of NC
- Tom Hunt
- Report: CPANC has been involved with issues that may be of interest to members of the NC HortCouncil. First, rumors at the National level are flying on chloropicrin buffers. Proposals of 1400 meters have been voiced. If passed, that would eliminate most fumigation in NC, let's hope rational heads prevail. CPANC is keeping an ear out for developments on the issue. Another issue of concern to CPANC members is "Implement husbandry". Citations have been issued to large application equipment drivers going from one field to another. CPANC and other organizations are working to achieve a resolution that will ensure safety, but allow large farming equipment to be operated on NC highways.
- Eastern NC Christmas Tree Growers Association
- Report: At this time, the Association is actively assisting new growers with all phases of startup production of Christmas Trees in Eastern North Carolina. The Association is also engaged in discussions with NC State Univ representatives in efforts to enhance communications and establish a better working relationship for better growing techniques of Christmas trees in Eastern North Carolina.
- Green Industry Council
- NC Agricultural Consultants
- NC Apple Growers Association
- NC Beekeepers Association
- NC Blueberry Council, Inc.
- NC Certified Sweet Potato Seed Growers Association
- NC Christmas Tree Association
- NC Commercial Blackberry and Raspberry Growers Association
- President: Daniel Houser
- Vice President: Ervin Lineberger
- Secretary: Don Justus
- Treasurer: Jeff Crotts
- Industry Representative: Richard Carver
- Contact: Wayne Mitchem
- NC Commercial Flower Growers Association, Inc.
- NC Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Association
- P.O. Box 58220, Raleigh, NC 27658, Phone: 919-334-0099 Fax: 919-877-0940, Website: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/greenhouse_veg/NCGVGA/ncgvga.html
- Report: The NC Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Association (NCGVGA) will hold an event day at the Southeast Farmers Market in Lumberton on Saturday April 7, 2007 and an event day at Piedmont Triad Farmers Market in Greensboro on Friday April 20, 2007. The events consist of making homemade old-fashioned Tomato Sandwiches for consumers with Mayo, Salt and Pepper.
- During the event we speak to the hungry participant on the virtues of selecting greenhouse Tomatoes from local North Carolina Growers. The NCGVGA also provided recipe cards and brochures to their members for consumer distribution. The purpose for which is to help growers expand their sale to their current consumer.
- NC Herb Association
- NC Muscadine Grape Growers Association
- NC Farm Bureau Federation
- NC Nursery and Landscape Association
- Report: 2006 was a good year for the Nursery & Landscape industries in NC. Except for a short dry period early in the year weather was favorable for the gardening public and resulted in good sales for the retail sector of the industry. Wholesale nursery growers continued to sell all of their production with supplies of many popular plants non-existent. This was especially true of the larger sizes of plants. The tree market was more subdued with surplus inventory and low prices impacting the sale prices many of our growers received. The housing market remained strong which keeps the demand for plant material and landscape services strong.
- The landscape industry continued to see consolidation and the entrance into the market of many small companies that tended increase competition for customers and lower prices received for landscape services. Early spring sales of nursery plants has been strong with many growers out of plant material of any size. Landscape companies are reporting a backlog of installation work with orders lasting into the middle of summer. Some areas of the state are in the early stages of drought and this could have a negative impact on sales going into the summer.
- NC Peach Growers Society, Inc.
- NC Pecan Growers Association
- NC Pickle Producers Association
- NC Pine Needle Growers Association
- NC Potato Association
- Report: North Carolina Irish potato acreage for 2006 was approximately 17,500 acres, which is about normal acreage over the past several years. Yields were generally very good with some growers reporting over 300 cwt/acre. Some areas in the potato production region received rains from tropical storm during mid-June creating losses in some areas. Movement of the crop into markets was good, as demand for fresh market and chip potatoes was good. Movement into the Canadian market was good as Eastern Canadian provinces had a short storage crop creating good demand for North Carolina potatoes. 680 loads were shipped into Canada for fresh market and processing. Harvest started on schedule during the first week of June and lasted until the first week of August.
- NC Strawberry Association
- Report: Strawberry growers this year have an excellent crop as they head into harvest season. The crop appears a bit earlier than usual. Unusually cold weather predicted for Easter weekend will require frost protection efforts -- row covers and overhead irrigation. Major concerns of growers (besides this cold weather) include farm labor, the pending loss of methyl bromide fumigation, and the quality of the plant supply. Long-term needs include increasing consumer preference for locally grown fruit and developing new varieties suited to the region. There is increasing interest in production in high tunnels and use of day neutral varieties.
- NC SweetPotato Commission
- NC Tomato Growers Association
- NC Vegetable Growers Association
- P.O. Box 58220, Raleigh, NC 27658, Phone: 919-334-0099, Fax: 919-877-0940, Website: http://www.ncvga.com/
- Report: North Carolina has over 2,000 commercial vegetable growers who grow at least 22 different crops. This diverse industry is an ever increasing and very vital part of the state’s economy. The industry generated an estimated $350 million in farm income last year.
- This industry provides employment for many of our state’s citizens and is an important source of income for many rural families. Last year, there were approximately 16,000 acres of fruits and 170,000 acres of vegetables grown in our state. Our overall agricultural production is the third most diverse in the country.
- NC Watermelon Association
- P.O. Box 58220, Raleigh, NC 27658, Phone: 919-334-0099, Fax: 919-877-0940, Website: http://www.ncmelons.com/
- Report: North Carolina produces about 10,000 acres of watermelon valued at over $10.6 million. North Carolina ranks about 7th in the nation, producing over 163 million pounds. The 10 major counties growing watermelons in North Carolina are Sampson, Perquimans, Chowan, Northampton, Hertford, Cumberland, Columbus, Nash, Duplin, and Carteret.
- NC Wine and Grape Council
- Margo Knight Metzger
- Report: There are currently more than 400vineyards, and at least 1,500vineyard acres in the state. The number of wineries has tripled since 2000, from 21 to 63. The state currently has a winery opening on the average of one per month. Growers across the state report an excellent 2006 harvest, and quality in the bottle continues to improve with every vintage.
- According to a recent study released by the North Carolina Wine and Grape Council, the present annual economic impact of vineyards and wineries in North Carolina is $813 million, with 5,700jobs created. North Carolina currently ranks 10th for wine production and 10th for grape production among the States. In 2005 vineyards in North Carolina produced an average of 3.0 tons of grapes per acre, producing a gross income of $2,811per acre.
- Vineyards and wineries, economic engines in their own right, are magnets for tourists, which in turn leads to new commercial and retail development. A first-ever national survey sponsored by the Travel Industry Association (TIA) in partnership with Gourmet magazine and the International Culinary Tourism Association (ICTA), cites North Carolina as one of the top five state destinations for wine and culinary tourism. The study tapped a representative sample of 2,364 U.S. leisure travel respondents.
- North Carolina is a top destination for wine-related travel according to survey respondents. The state ranks third (5% came to the state for wine-related tourism), tying with Missouri, Oregon and Pennsylvania. California tops the list (31%), followed by New York (10%).
- NC Winegrower's Association
- Turfgrass Council of NC
- Accomplishments
- The North Carolina Horticultural Council, Inc. was organized September 25, 1969 under the guidance of Dr. Clive Donoho and twenty-three delegates representing nine horticultural commodity organizations. The Council has been active and successful in numerous accomplishments in past years.
- Several of these are noted here:
- 1970: supported the selection of the Horticultural Crops Research Station in Clinton
- 1970: Supported renovation of departmental facilities in the Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University.
- 1972: Supported establishment of the Ph.D. program in the Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University.
- 1973: Helped sponsor the annual meeting of the American Society for Horticultural Science held in Raleigh.
- 1977: Endowed Scholarship established. Income from the fund supports three undergraduate scholarships in Horticultural Science each year.
- 1979: Supported establishment of the NC Agricultural Weather Program.
- 1994: Supported the passage of legislation, which created a program to survey and publish statistics for North Carolina’s horticultural crops in rotation with turfgrass, equine and pesticides.
- 1997: Contributed $1,000 to JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University in memory of Dr. J.C. Raulston.
- 1997: Letters to U.S. Senators Lauch Faircloth and Jesse Helms requesting their support in reducing the tax rate on long-term capital gains.
- 1998: Letter to EPA with comments on the draft brochure entitled “Pesticides on Foods: Consumer Information” which will be distributed and displayed in all food stores.
- 1998: Letter to Senator Helms requesting his assistance in urging EPA to use scientific data rather than default assumptions in complying with the provisions of the Food Quality Protection Act.
- 1999: Donated $1,000 to NCDA&CS Farmer Disaster Fund for Hurricane Floyd Relief.
- 2001: Provided input to the NC General Assembly in support of CALS budget requests.
- 2001: donated $500 to the George J. and Rhoda W. Kriz Faculty Study Leave endowment
- 2002: Letters sent to members of the NC General Assembly to oppose using University Overhead Receipts to apply to the state budget shortfall.
- 2003: donated $1,000 to the Thomas J. and Virginia S. Monaco Horticultural Science Graduate Fellowship Endowment for Diversity
- 2007: donated $1,000 to the Douglas C. and Ellen J. Sanders horticulture research endowment
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