NC Agriculture Commissioner Troxler Visits Bethel

The Bethel Rural Community Organization played host to North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler during the morning of May 29, 2008.

The gathering included welcoming remarks by Mark Clasby, Executive Director of the Haywood County Economic Development Commission, and Ted Carr, President of the Bethel Rural Community Organization. Following those words of welcome, George Ivey presented an update on a variety of rural preservation initiatives taking place in Haywood County. Subjects included the newly unveiled effort to protect “flood friendly” working lands in the floodplains upstream of Canton and Clyde, Haywood County’s farmland protection plan, the County’s successful Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District program, livestock sales market issues, and the Buy Haywood program to develop stronger markets for local farm products.

“It was a great opportunity for us to show the commissioner all the great work being done to support rural preservation in Bethel and throughout Haywood County,” said Ivey, who serves as the coordinator of the Bethel Rural Preservation Project. “During the discussion, it was clear that we all agree on the need for greater support for farmland preservation and agricultural marketing programs.”

Other participants in the meeting included Bill Yarborough, Regional Agronomist for the NC Department of Agriculture; Mike Ferguson with the WNC Farmers Market; Leslie Smathers with the Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District; Bryan Sullivan, Marketing Specialist for the Buy Haywood program; Danny Barrett; Robert Cathey; Tommy Clark; Carlyle Ferguson; James Ferguson; Bill Holbrook; Terry Rogers; and Steve Sorrells.

Photo: (l-r) Danny Barrett, James Ferguson, Steve Sorrells, and North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler discuss farmland preservation issues during a meeting in Bethel on Thursday, May 29, 2008.