North Carolina Lawmakers Advance $6 Million Food Aid Bill to Support Agriculture Research
North Carolina lawmakers have advanced a bill that allocates $6 million to bolster local agriculture and address food insecurity. During a House Agriculture and Environment Committee meeting, Theresa Lambert from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) provided updates on various research projects. The state, which generates $111.1 billion annually from agriculture, is a leading producer of flue-cured tobacco and poultry. The research division has developed a system to calculate feed efficiency in the beef industry, aligning it with pork and poultry sectors. Additionally, a water farming project aims to mitigate flood impacts and improve irrigation efficiency. The bill, presented by State Rep. Karl Gillespie, includes $4 million for the FarmShare Food Hub program and $2 million for the Double Up Food Bucks Program, with accountability ensured through annual reporting. 
