Brandon Herring
Brandon joined the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in September of 2019 after more than 15 years as a reporter, anchor, photographer and producer in local TV news. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Growing up, Brandon spent many summers in tobacco fields helping on the family farm just east of Lumberton. He started out driving the tractor in front of the harvester at about age 7, and by the summers in college was cropping and racking tobacco. His father, cousin, mother and sister still keep the farm going. While they no longer grow tobacco, several other field crops remain, along with a peach orchard and roadside produce market.
With “Black Cotton,” N.C. farmer works to revamp the impression of Black Americans in cotton
Julius Tillery is proud of his family’s history and his heritage of Black farmers in Northampton County, but he’s much more focused on the future than the past. He sees his company Black Cotton as a way to revamp the
Pandemic prompts installation of ‘air cleaning technology’ in fairgrounds buildings
Several buildings on the grounds of the N.C. State Fair and the N.C. Mountain State Fair/WNC Agricultural Center now have advanced technology added to their air filtration systems. The technology comes with new equipment that’s been installed with health and
More than ever, “Bob’s List” helps school nutrition programs feed children
As previously mentioned on this blog, the Food Distribution Division was busier than ever in 2020. An extra way the division provides food to schools has also been busier than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s called Bob’s List, and
Division recognized for keeping food safe and available during extraordinary times
Sometimes extraordinary actions are obvious – a passerby saving someone from a burning building or a stranger volunteering to donate a kidney to someone in need. The list of good deeds could be endless. However, sometimes you have to look
Mandatory auxin training will be different in 2021
Just like many things since March of 2020, changes are in store for North Carolina’s mandatory auxin herbicide training in the coming year. Instead of large in-person seminars, the training will be given through a screen, whether that be a
Food Distribution Division meets challenge of getting more food to more people
To say the NCDA&CS Food Distribution Division has had two monumental years may seem like a bit of exaggeration. The numbers make it clear though. Division director Gary Gay says the division has nearly doubled the amount of food its
NCDA helps Coharie Tribe revive river, reduce flooding
“I saw something in his eyes that longed for the river to be healthy and be important to people again.” That’s how Greg Jacobs describes part of a conversation he had with a Coharie Tribe member several years ago regarding
Quarantine Kitchen: BBQ boss shares grandmother’s dressing with sausage recipe
Jeff Miller is the owner and pit boss at Luella’s Bar-B-que, which has two locations in Asheville. Luella’s was established in 2007, but the flagship store in north Asheville didn’t open until 2009. Miller takes a lot of inspiration from
Quarantine Kitchen: Farm-to-table champion shares pork tenderloin recipe
This year has been full of unprecedented times and situations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many families and individuals will be cooking at home this holiday season. That’s why we are bringing the dishes to you all month long in
From a home kitchen to stores nationwide, a N.C. toffee is still a family affair
A product that’s become an iconic N.C.-made sweet treat began like many other specialty foods in the state – in a family’s home kitchen. After many years of making toffee, Karen Graves turned her hobby into a business right from