Horticulture: Horticulture in North Carolina

The North Carolina 4-H Grow For It program provides resources and opportunities to connect youth and educators to issues in agriculture and natural resources in meaningful ways. This initiative is striving to grow a generation of youth interested in investigating plants, insects and soils through experiential projects that fosters curiosity and wonder, inspire critical thinking and problem solving, build a positive science self-concept, connecting kids to good food and nurturing environmental stewards of the land through farm, garden and nature programming.

A website from North Carolina State University used for plant identification.

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service partners with communities to deliver education and technology that enrich the lives, land and economy of North Carolinians.

Nationally, Cooperative Extension provides educational programming in five key areas:
* sustaining agriculture and forestry
* protecting the environment
* maintaining viable communities
* developing responsible youth
* developing strong, healthy and safe families

This site is helpful for weed and pest identification and management.

Extension Master Gardener volunteers work with NC Cooperative Extension to provide gardeners with unbiased, research based information on gardens, lawns and landscapes.

Under the guidance of Extension agents, volunteers complete a 40 hour training program, pass an examination, and complete a 40 hour internship. To remain active in the program volunteers must log a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer service and 12 hours of continuing education each year.

Since 1901, the faculty, staff and students of the Department of Horticultural Science have been providing innovative teaching, research and outreach to the citizens of North Carolina, the nation, and the world. Our research and extension programs are recognized worldwide for their contributions to applied horticultural production and to discovery science. We generate and extend knowledge about fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, and landscape design for the purpose of increasing food security and food safety, sustaining the environment, enhancing economic vitality, and improving the quality of life for individuals and their communities.

North Carolina Farm Fresh is a directory of pick-your-own farms, roadside farm markets, and farmers markets throughout North Carolina. It is designed to help the consumer, find the freshest locally grown fruits, vegetables, christmas trees, ornamental plants, flowers, and herbs.

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' divisions have responsibilities in regulatory and service areas covering agronomy; animal health; weights and measures; gas and oil inspection; crop and livestock statistics; USDA commodity distribution; state farm operations; food, drug and cosmetic testing for purity; agricultural marketing and promotion; agricultural marketing grading; international agricultural crop and livestock marketing; operation of the North Carolina State Fair and North Carolina Mountain State Fair; operation of four state farmers markets; research station operations; seed and fertilizer inspection; nursery and plant pest eradication activities; regulation of the structural pest control industry; agricultural environmental issues; soil and water conservation; forest management and protection; state and federal agricultural legislation; and agricultural economic analysis.