M. Ray McKinnie, Ph.D.

Small farms and rural communities make up in determination what they lack in size. That tenacity is more than evident — just look at the rebuilding going on in western North Carolina.

With 70-plus mph winds, Hurricane Helene muscled her way through our Blue Ridge Mountains, inundating rivers and streams and leaving some fields literally washed away or covered in silt. Helene and the boulders she carried reshaped the North Carolina landscape, changing her characterization from a weather event to a geographical event.

With roads decimated and communication nearly nonexistent, people checked on each other, shared their food and supplies, and set about the monumental task of recovery.

This includes not only trying to restore the land some have worked for generations, but also figuring out how to economically survive the near and long term.

North Carolina A&T Cooperative Extension employees — many of whom live in these rugged areas — sprang into action. From search and rescue in the immediate aftermath, to organizing distribution of donations, to working with the federal government to ensure land remains in agricultural production, they’vebeen working hard.

These Extension workers are now focusing more on the long-term recovery, which, in some ways, may be more brutal than the initial wrath of Helene.

Not only are farmers and ranchers trying to restore what was swept away or buried in muck. They also face the economic uncertainty the comes with existing and potential tariffs and possible supply chain challenges and disruptions.

It’s this section of the road to recovery that Extension can help lay a more solid bedrock. Since 1914, our agents have brought research-based agriculture and educational programs to these and other communities across North Carolina. Through two world wars, the Great Depression and other challenging times, Extension has worked hand-in-hand with farmers to not only help them survive the difficulties, but also to implement improvements that allow them to meet future challenges head-on.

Extension is helping farmers implement new strategies that combat global warming and use resources in ways that enhance their revenue streams and broaden their markets.

Our programs and training exploring specialty crops and the use of technology help open new avenues for successful farming. Our 4-H programs inspire our youth to learn about agriculture, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and show what leadership feels and looks like.

And we provide venues, such as Small Farms Week, where farmers get together to share their own knowledge gained through triumphs and mistakes. Understanding and hope circulates within these gatherings, encouraging connection in what can be a lonely profession.

Our goal at NC A&T Cooperative Extension is to continue to stay at the forefront of best management practices (BMPs), new innovations, and creative solutions which can assist small farmers and communities in not only remaining solvent, but also in making their operations more resilient, sustainable, and profitable.

That’s what we do!

Ray McKinnie, Ph.D.
Associate Dean and Extension Administrator
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
North Carolina. A&T State University