Why N.C. Farmers Need Good Internet

06/21/21 • 12 min

What challenges do North Carolina farmers face in making the best use of new technology when they lack affordable high-speed internet? And what’s being done about it?
In this episode of Farms, Food, and You, two farmers and two broadband professionals talk the need for high-speed internet and what's being done to expand access.
Guests

Beverly Mooney operates Millstone Creek Orchards in Ramseur with her husband, Nick. The 80-acre farm was started by her father as a retirement occupation. He planted fruit trees and opened the farm to the public for you-pick operations, hayrides and picnics. Today, the farm produces blueberries, blackberries, peaches, grapes, pumpkins and pecans – “a little bit of a lot of things,” as Mooney puts it. It’s also a popular agritourism destination.

Robert Knight grew up in Rockingham County, the son of a teacher and a lineman for a power company and the grandson of two tobacco farmers. He spent most summers working on his maternal grandfather’s farm in Stokes County. After graduating from high school in 2004, he started farming tobacco. The next year, after the tobacco buyout that ended federal quota and price support programs, he turned his attention to grains and timber. Now he’s begun to explore agritourism opportunities for his seventh-generation farm.

Kenny Sherin serves as both state coordinator of broadband access and education and Randolph County director for North Carolina Cooperative Extension. He grew up on a family farm in fast-growing Union County. Recognizing the development pressures, his father encouraged him to find an off-farm job. Sherin went on to earn a doctorate in rural sociology and community development from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has worked for Extension in both Missouri and South Dakota, and he returned to North Carolina in 2019.

Jeff Sural is broadband infrastructure director for the North Carolina Department of Information Technology. He grew up in Greensboro and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a law degree from Western Michigan University’s Cooley Law School. He spent 15 years in Washington, D.C., in policy and legislative liaison roles. The broadband infrastructure office he leads works to expand and enhance broadband access to all North Carolinians.

Previous Episode

Growing Food Entrepreneurship in NC

North Carolina ranks third among states when it comes to agricultural diversity, but roughly 80% of crops grown here is shipped out of the state to be processed. What’s being done to tap the potential for food entrepreneurs to bring these commodities home?
In this episode, two proponents of food entrepreneurship and innovation talk about the momentum that’s been building for the food manufacturing and processing industry in our state.
Our Guests

Bill Aimutis is executive director of the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab in Kannapolis. He has held several research and operations leadership and management positions for companies such as Cargill Inc., Land O’Lakes and Kerry Ingredients. Aimutis holds degrees in food science from Purdue University and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He is a fellow of the American Dairy Science Association and the Institute of Food Technologists.

Ron Fish is assistant director of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ marketing division, charged with driving the growth of agribusiness in North Carolina. He’s worked with the agriculture department for 30 years. Fish grew up on a tobacco farm Willow Springs and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from NC State University.

Next Episode

One-on-One with N.C. Farm Bureau's Shawn Harding

N.C. Farm Bureau President Shawn Harding discusses his farming experience, the Farm Bureau’s priorities and today’s agricultural challenges.
About Our Guest
Shawn Harding was elected president of the North Carolina Farm Bureau in December 2019. Harding grew up and farmed in Beaufort County. He previously served the Farm Bureau in various roles, including president in Beaufort County, member of the state board of directors and state public policy director. He is a graduate of the Agricultural Institute, part of NC State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Farms, Food and You - Why N.C. Farmers Need Good Internet

Transcript

[MUSIC]

Dee Shore: (00:07):

Tractors guided by GPS, cows milked by robots, data collected by drones to pinpoint where and when to use water, fertilizer, and pesticides. Even biosensors that monitor animal health. With every passing year, North Carolina farmers increasingly turn to advanced technology to reduce losses, raise yields, and limit their impact on the environment. But they face obstacles. And one of the most talked about these days is th