Under the weather: Lengthy drought has NC farmers ‘praying for the rain’
by Jane Winik Sartwell, Carolina Public Press March 21, 2025
Last year was an all-time low in the history of North Carolina farming, thanks to drought and flood.
Farmers are desperate to catch a break in 2025. But just as planting season begins, large swaths of the state are still plagued by dry conditions. At the same time, an active wildfire season has complicated matters.
“We really need a good start,” Jacob Morgan, the extension director for Jones County, told Carolina Public Press. “Planting is going to start any minute.”
Morgan, and the farmers he assists, may not be so lucky. Severe or moderate drought has persisted in coastal Jones County since early November 2024.
Neighboring Onslow County is experiencing a severe drought.
And 55 more counties are in moderate drought — an arid patch that stretches all the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Appalachian Mountains in the west.
Only one area in the state has escaped abnormally dry conditions: Franklin County in the Piedmont region.
“We’ve been lucky because it has been wintertime and demand is low,” explained Klaus Albertin, who chairs the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council. “Crops are dormant. Lawns and gardens aren’t being maintained. But we’re about to go into spring and demands are really going to start picking up. There is increasing concern.”
Agriculture anxieties
Corn is typically the first crop farmers plant in the spring and last year it was decimated by drought. Yield losses climbed to hundreds of millions of dollars across the state.
This year, corn farmers are desperate for good news. But it hasn’t come yet.
The sandy soil of eastern North Carolina does not retain moisture well, and a dry spell this early on could lead to trouble. Any precipitation the region does receive could get soaked up pretty quickly.
“You need it to be dry to get out into the fields to plant, but you need enough soil moisture to get the crop up,” Morgan said. “It’s a real dance — especially for corn. There is such a short window of pollination, and if conditions aren’t right during that window, it could spell disaster.”
And that’s what happened last year.
High and dry: The sun hangs over Wilmington as area farmers hope for a rainy day. Jane Winik Sartwell / Carolina Public Press
“We are praying for the rain,” said Shawn Banks, Carteret County’s extension director.
Fortunately, recent rains have slightly eased drought conditions across the state. Still, even though things are starting to bloom, it may not be a sign that North Carolina is out of trouble.
“Drought is not just skin deep,” said Corey Davis, a drought expert at the State Climate Office. “Even if there are puddles in your yard or the grass is turning green, that doesn’t mean we’re out of this drought. We still have those entrenched impacts in deeper soils and groundwater stores.”
Drought has one benefit
One good thing about this dry run: It’s aiding Tropical Storm Helene recovery efforts in Western North Carolina.
“This warm, dry weather will definitely help move along the stream bank repair work and bridge and road infrastructure construction out west,” Mitch Woodward, a state extension agent specializing in watershed protection, told CPP.
“They don’t need anymore rain or mud out there for awhile.”
As winter recedes, it’s given way to warmer weather and a North Carolina landscape that has proven to be intensely combustible. A lightning strike can be enough to ignite a wildfire. But as CPP recently reported, the majority of wildfires have been caused by careless people.
Spring is a dangerous time for wildfires. Dead leaves and branches on the forest floor serve as kindling. The sun gets hotter and hotter each day, with no foliage to provide shade.
Until the forest canopy fills in completely, there will be a risk of wildfire, Colby Lambert, an eastern North Carolina extension agent specializing in forestry, told CPP.
“Everything is just very flammable at the moment,” Albertin said. “Low humidity combined with the lack of rainfall and high winds — that’s going to increase the risk of wildfire.”
This, too, has an economic impact. Morgan is worried about valuable timber lands in Jones County burning up.
And the problem isn’t going away.
On Thursday, in fact, the N.C. Forest Service was dealing with two wildfires sparking in Polk County on the South Carolina line.
www.thecentersquare.com – By David Beasley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 21:25:00
(The Center Square) – Authorization of sports agents to sign North Carolina’s collegiate athletes for “name, image, and likeness” contracts used in product endorsements is in legislation approved Wednesday by a committee of the state Senate.
Authorize NIL Agency Contracts, known also as Senate Bill 229, is headed to the Rules Committee after gaining favor in the Judiciary Committee. It would likely next get a full floor vote.
Last year the NCAA approved NIL contracts for players.
Sen. Amy S. Galey, R-Alamance
NCLeg.gov
“Athletes can benefit from NIL by endorsing products, signing sponsorship deals, engaging in commercial opportunities and monetizing their social media presence, among other avenues,” the NCAA says on its website. “The NCAA fully supports these opportunities for student-athletes across all three divisions.”
SB229 spells out the information that the agent’s contract with the athlete must include, and requires a warning to the athlete that they could lose their eligibility if they do not notify the school’s athletic director within 72 hours of signing the contract.
“Consult with your institution of higher education prior to entering into any NIL contract,” the says the warning that would be required by the legislation. “Entering into an NIL contract that conflicts with state law or your institution’s policies may have negative consequences such as loss of athletic eligibility. You may cancel this NIL agency contract with 14 days after signing it.”
The legislation also exempts the NIL contracts from being disclosed under the state’s Open Records Act when public universities review them. The state’s two ACC members from the UNC System, Carolina and N.C. State, requested the exemption.
“They are concerned about disclosure of the student-athlete contracts when private universities don’t have to disclose the student-athlete contracts,” Sen. Amy Galey, R-Alamance, told the committee. “I feel very strongly that a state university should not be put at a disadvantage at recruitment or in program management because they have disclosure requirements through state law.”
Duke and Wake Forest are the other ACC members, each a private institution.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article primarily reports on the legislative development regarding NIL (name, image, and likeness) contracts for collegiate athletes in North Carolina. It presents facts about the bill, committee actions, and includes statements from a state senator without using loaded or emotionally charged language. The piece neutrally covers the issue by explaining both the bill’s purpose and the concerns it addresses, such as eligibility warnings and disclosure exemptions. Overall, the article maintains a factual and informative tone without advocating for or against the legislation, reflecting a centrist, unbiased approach.
SUMMARY: Donald van der Vaart, a former North Carolina environmental secretary and climate skeptic, has been appointed to the North Carolina Utilities Commission by Republican Treasurer Brad Briner. Van der Vaart, who previously supported offshore drilling and fracking, would oversee the state’s transition to renewable energy while regulating utility services. His appointment, which requires approval from the state House and Senate, has drawn opposition from environmental groups. Critics argue that his views contradict clean energy progress. The appointment follows a controversial bill passed by the legislature, granting the treasurer appointment power to the commission.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 14:47:00
(The Center Square) – Called “crypto-friendly legislation” by the leader of the chamber, a proposal on digital assets on Wednesday afternoon passed the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Passage was 71-44 mostly along party lines.
The NC Digital Assets Investments Act, known also as House Bill 92, has investment requirements, caps and management, and clear definitions and standards aimed at making sure only qualified digital assets are included. House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, said the state would potentially join more than a dozen others with “crypto-friendly legislation.”
With him in sponsorship are Reps. Stephen Ross, R-Alamance, Mark Brody, R-Union, and Mike Schietzelt, R-Wake.
Nationally last year, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act – known as FIT21 – passed through the U.S. House in May and in September was parked in the Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
Dan Spuller, cochairman of the North Carolina Blockchain Initiative, said the state has proven a leader on digital asset policy. That includes the Money Transmitters Act of 2016, the North Carolina Regulatory Sandbox Act of 2021, and last year’s No Centrl Bank Digital Currency Pmts to State. The latter was strongly opposed by Gov. Roy Cooper, so much so that passage votes of 109-4 in the House and 39-5 in the Senate slipped back to override votes, respectively, of 73-41 and 27-17.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article presents a factual report on the passage of the NC Digital Assets Investments Act, highlighting the legislative process, party-line votes, and related legislative measures. It does not adopt a clear ideological stance or frame the legislation in a way that suggests bias. Instead, it provides neutral information on the bill, its sponsors, and relevant background on state legislative activity in digital asset policy. The tone and language remain objective, focusing on legislative facts rather than promoting a particular viewpoint.
