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.
Recipe: Red, White & Blue Potato Salad is perfect for Memorial Day weekend
Potatoes are in season in North Carolina, making fresh potatoes a hot commodity right now. If you don’t grow your own, you should be able to find potatoes grown in North Carolina at roadside markets, farmers markets and grocery stores
N.C. Farm Stands find answers for safer operation during COVID-19
As many of North Carolina’s produce stands and farmers markets geared up for the spring and summer season this year, there were a lot of questions facing farmers and others who operate those markets. This big question about how to
Promotion Amid Problems – N.C. Wine Month in the era of COVID-19
John Wright is delivering wine to doorsteps these days – a service his Sanctuary Vineyards has never offered in the past. It’s a direct result of the changes surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic response. “We’re typically busy with customers in our
Flower farmers & florists navigating uncertain time this Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day and flowers seem to go hand-in-hand. This year – despite COVID-19 – that doesn’t have to be any different. Flower farmers and florists are still working and depending on customers to help them stay in business. While the
NCDA&CS projects protect water quality in areas of development too
Keeping North Carolina’s water clean and soil intact sounds good, but it can get pretty complex in practice. It can be a bit overwhelming if you really think about all the sources of pollution and erosion and how to reduce
Carpenter bees: a tale of solitude and tolerance
It’s the time of year when you may be seeing more carpenter bees around your house, especially if you’re around your house more these days. Carpenter bees are solitary though, so you won’t find them in hives – probably just
Pesticide Disposal Program keeps dangerous pesticides out of NC waterways and landfills
Four million pounds. Two thousand tons. Sixty-four million ounces. No matter how you say it, it’s a big number, and for the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer services, it’s a major milestone. Four million pounds is the amount of
Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Pie
’tis the season for strawberries in North Carolina. When it comes to truly tasty food, you have to strike while the iron is hot, as the proverbial saying goes. That means getting produce when it’s in season, and the closer
Lab work keeps N.C. agriculture going
“It’s not ideal, but it’s necessary.” That’s how Dr. Colleen Hudak-Wise describes the changes that have been made at labs in the Agronomic Services Division in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As the director of the division,
Animal care, other work continues on research stations despite pandemic
This morning before a single ray of sunlight hit the Cherry Research Farm, two workers showed up to milk the cows. In the dark of 4 a.m. their shift began on the farm in Goldsboro. About 140 dairy cows need