Also this month:

* NC A&T Cooperative Extension to Honor Small-Scale Agriculture

* Hard Work and Faith Drive Past Small Farmer of the Year

* NC A&T School of Agriculture Honors Pioneers

* Simple Safety on a Shoestring Budget

* El Niño May Mean Profits to North Carolina Growers  

Other News Links:

Press Release Archive  

Cooperative Extension Press Releases 

Agricultural Research Press Releases 

General Links:

NC A&T School of Agriculture 

Agricultural Communications 

Mitch Arnold, news editor 

Dr. Jill Long Thompson, USDA's Under Secretary for Rural Development, will deliver the keynote address at 10 a.m. Thompson is also chairperson of the Second International Conference on Women in Agriculture, which will be held in Washington, D.C. this summer.

The forum will begin with a general session during which participants will learn about issues and policies affecting the roles women play in agriculture. Following the general session, participants can choose among a variety of specialized sessions dealing with such topics as: business planning, financial management, alternative agriculture and marketing strategies.

"Anyone with an interest in issues of concern to women involved with agriculture is welcome to attend," said Mary Mafuyai, a small farms management specialist in the NC A&T Cooperative Extension Program. "We want to help participants learn about the issues facing women today and discover means to overcome any of the challenges they may face."

Coordinated by North Carolina A&T State University's Cooperative Extension Program, Small Farms Week is an annual celebration honoring the small scale farmers of North Carolina. A variety of activities related to small-scale agriculture is scheduled for the week of March 21 to 27.

For more information or to register for the symposium, please call Mary Mafuyai, (336) 334-7734, or Sheilda Sutton (336) 334-7956, of the NC A&T Cooperative Extension Program. Registration will also be available from 9 to 10 a.m. on the morning of the symposium.