Farming

Industrial Hog Operations And The People Who Run Them

Contract growers and community members who speak out against the hog industry in eastern North Carolina rarely see themselves as members of the same team – but they have more in common than they think. In this episode of CAFO’s & Communities, we take listeners through the evolution of contract farming within the swine industry…

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A Brief History of Eastern North Carolina’s Hog Industry

How did we get from small farms, like the one in Charlotte’s Web, to factory farms? In this episode of CAFO’s & Communities, we explore the history and politics of eastern North Carolina’s hog industry – from the late 19th century to today. Produced by Lee Miller, Kayla Guilliams, and Laura Bratton in collaboration with…

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Where I Come From: Part 3

Welcome to Where I Come From. We are a group of young women going on a journey about our lives in Columbus County, North Carolina. We documented our process, and today we’re talking with members of our community about the hurricanes they’ve lived through and how it’s shaped their lives. Where I Come From is…

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NC Farmer Feeds Community

“Our goal is to feed as many people as possible and not leave a carbon footprint.” Ron Simmons, founder of Master Blend Family Farms and 2018 NC Small Farmer of the Year, talks about how he believes in sustainability and feeding his neighbors during hurricane season. Produced by Caroline Bailey. Music by Chad Crouch. Broadcast…

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COVID-19 and Farming in North Carolina

Jeremy King, a grain farmer from Ash, North Carolina, tells us how COVID-19 has added a level of complexity to farmers’ workflow across the region. King explains the domino affect that labor shortages, increased demand, lower prices, and changing operations have had on farmers, and he says there is concern among farmers about local mills…

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