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News from the College of Agriculture and Life SciencesMon, 02 Mar 2015 12:00:22 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.2News from the College of Agriculture and Life SciencesCALS News CenternoNews from the College of Agriculture and Life SciencesCALS News Center » Extension Newshttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpghttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/category/extension-news/
New website links new and transitioning growers to farm schools http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/new-website-links-new-and-transitioning-growers-to-farm-schools/
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/new-website-links-new-and-transitioning-growers-to-farm-schools/#commentsTue, 24 Feb 2015 14:14:04 +0000Dee Shorehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/?p=105161Beginning farmers and growers considering new enterprises now have a new place to start: the NC Farm School website at http://ncfarmschool.ces.ncsu.edu/.

The website complements the NC Farm School program, a four-year-old North Carolina Cooperative Extension effort. Today, Cooperative Extension offers four farm schools across North Carolina to teach individuals and families to develop new agricultural businesses.

This year’s farm schools – Blue Ridge, Foothills, Sandhills and Southern Piedmont – kicked off this month and will continue throughout the summer. The program includes seven business-planning seminars taught by Cooperative Extension agricultural economists. The classes focus on different areas of business planning, including financial management and effective marketing. By the end of the program, participants will have a complete business plan for their enterprise.

The program also includes field trips to working farms led by innovative, experienced farmers and agricultural professionals. Participants learn low-cost, sustainable farming methods in a range of production systems, from growing fruits and vegetables to raising cows, pigs, poultry and goats. The schools also cover specialty crops and agritourism.

The first Cooperative Extension farm school in North Carolina started in Davidson County in 2012, fueled by growing consumer interest in local foods, farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer markets and by a desire to grow the next generation of farmers. The average age of North Carolina’s farmers is 57.

Davidson County Extension advisory council member Jennifer Clark came up with the idea for that school, and she worked with Davidson County Extension Agent Amy-Lynn Albertson to develop a plan for teaching sound business principles to those wishing to start or add a new agricultural venture.

Albertson said extension agents are frequently approached by landowners who want to know how to start a business on their land. More and more families are looking at ways to supplement their incomes and make productive use of their land.

Albertson asked other extension agents in nearby counties to help, and since then, the program has continued to grow across the state. For more information, visit the website at http://ncfarmschool.ces.ncsu.edu/ or follow the program on Twitter @NCFarmSchool.

Cooperative Extension is an educational partnership of the state’s two land-grant universities, North Carolina State and North Carolina A&T State, county governments and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Its mission is to deliver education and technology that enrich the lives, land and economy of North Carolina.

– Staff Report

]]>http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/new-website-links-new-and-transitioning-growers-to-farm-schools/feed/0Officials break ground for new 4-H camp buildinghttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/officials-break-ground-for-new-4-h-camp-building/
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/officials-break-ground-for-new-4-h-camp-building/#commentsWed, 18 Feb 2015 19:09:15 +0000Dee Shorehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/?p=104621An unconventional indoor groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 13 marked the start of construction for a camp auditorium and learning center that an NC State University official said would be the crowning jewel of Millstone 4-H Camp, in North Carolina’s Sandhills region.

Despite cold weather, more than 100 people – including 4-H alumni, leaders, donors and NC State University administrators – gathered at the Ellerbe, N.C., camp for the groundbreaking for the $1.5 million State Employees Credit Union 4-H Learning Center and Cole Foundation Auditorium.

Scheduled to be completed in September, the privately funded building will provide 3,500 square feet of air-conditioned space for camps, retreats, conferences and workshops, said N.C. 4-H Camping Specialist David Herpy. Hobbs Architects of Pittsboro designed the facility.

The space will include an auditorium seating more than 150 people, a hall of leadership honoring former state 4-H program leaders, a 4-H archive and conference room, a catering kitchen and more.

State 4-H program leader Dr. Mike Yoder opened the groundbreaking ceremony in a screened-in building where participants gathered around portable heaters and drank hot chocolate to keep warm. He noted that the 320-acre camp was constructed in 1938 and opened the following year.

“The building marks a new era for Millstone and for the North Carolina 4-H camps,” Linton said, “and will become the crowning jewel in a family of buildings that will touch our state’s youth, families and citizens with a variety of new programs and opportunities that can be offered for the community.”

Following Linton’s and Yoder’s remarks, representatives of two major donors, the State Employees Credit Union Foundation and the Cole Foundation, presented oversized checks. Neil Cadieu Jr. contributed the Cole Foundation’s check for $250,000, while SECU Foundation Board of Directors’ chairman McKinley Wooten gave a check for $750,000.

Wooten quoted Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, former Morehouse College president, as saying, “We have no guarantee that when we train a man’s mind, we will train his heart; no guarantee that when we increase a man’s knowledge, we will increase his goodness. There is no necessary correlation between knowledge and goodness.”

Following speeches, Cadieu, Wooten, Yoder, Linton and Dr. Joseph Zublena, director of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, of which 4-H is a part, came together to turn gilded shovels in a dirt mound placed on a stage inside.

Afterward, they went outside to the building site to pose for photographs while other groundbreaking participants joined in an indoor reception.

]]>http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/officials-break-ground-for-new-4-h-camp-building/feed/0Retired Extension administrator, long-time agricultural advocate dies at 84http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/retired-extension-administrator-long-time-agricultural-advocate-dies-at-84/
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/retired-extension-administrator-long-time-agricultural-advocate-dies-at-84/#commentsThu, 12 Feb 2015 14:53:01 +0000Dee Shorehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/?p=104501Dr. Paul Dew, retired North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension administrator and a leader in the state’s agricultural community for four decades, passed away Feb. 10. A memorial service is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, in Raleigh.

Dew worked for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service for 32 years, serving at all levels, from agricultural agent to interim director. The Extension Service is the outreach arm of NC State’s College of Agriculture and Life Science, extending knowledge and providing solutions to people throughout the state in the areas of agriculture, food and 4-H youth development.

Dew’s Extension career began in 1959, when he was appointed agricultural agent in Wake County, and ended in 1991 when he retired as assistant director for county operations, a post he had held since 1979. His tenure was marked by innovations that gained national recognition. Most notably, he conceived, developed and implemented a statewide Extension advisory leadership system that continues today to link Cooperative Extension to community and agricultural leaders who relay the challenges and concerns facing them.

Dew continued his advocacy for North Carolina agribusiness after his Extension retirement by beginning a second career in the top administrative post with the North Carolina Agribusiness Council. As the council’s executive vice president, he strived to help bring together industry, government and the state’s two land-grant universities, NC State and North Carolina A&T State University, to help solve major industry challenges.

Through his retirement from the council in 1998, Dew was considered a most valuable player for agribusiness, working to educate local and state leaders as well as the general public of the important role that agribusiness plays in enhancing the quality of life for North Carolinians.

A native of Bailey, Dew came to North Carolina State University in 1949 on a football scholarship, earning a bachelor’s degree in vocational education in 1953.

Following his graduation, he served for a year as an agriculture teacher in Surry County, two years in the U.S. Army and then three years as a Wake County teacher. While working, Dew earned master’s and doctoral degrees in education from NC State.

Dew is survived by his wife of 61 years, Alice Wood Dew, three children and seven grandchildren. His memorial service will be held in the Springmoor Retirement Community’s auditorium, 1500 Sawmill Road, Raleigh, NC 27615.

]]>http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/retired-extension-administrator-long-time-agricultural-advocate-dies-at-84/feed/0Extension’s facilitation team adds value to communitieshttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/extensions-facilitation-team-adds-value-to-communities/
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/extensions-facilitation-team-adds-value-to-communities/#commentsThu, 05 Feb 2015 18:51:34 +0000Dee Shorehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/?p=103001Fa.cil.i.tate: to make easy or easier. Thanks to the efforts of N.C. Cooperative Extension’s facilitation team, planning, implementing and collaborating have become easier for groups and counties across the state.

Since 2010, more than 110 Extension professionals have received training from a core team of about 20. This group now has the skills to assist groups with collaborative work, strategic planning and more. The program has 3 major areas of application: county team development, organizational and association, and statewide.

This is part of Extension’s effort to provide “high-touch” service, connecting the organization with home communities, said Dr. Mary Lou Addor, program leader and organizational development specialist for Cooperative Extension. As director of NC State University’s Natural Resources Leadership Institute, Addor has experience in facilitating discussion of environmental and natural resource issues.

This February, the N.C. Extension Facilitation Program is receiving a national team award from the Joint Council on Extension Professionals at the JCEP national meeting in Las Vegas, Nev.

Extension professionals who have provided facilitation services in their communities say the skills they provide have helped in many ways and positioned Extension as the go-to agency for training, planning and creating consensus around issues.

“Facilitation skills are fundamental to meaningful engagement,” Addor said. “From the simplest act of writing a better meeting agenda to data gathering and idea sharing, to developing options and solutions, Extension agents, specialists and county Extension directors on this team assist colleagues, associations and other organizations in productive meeting management and facilitation of complex, strategic issues.”

“Facilitation is a tool and skill still needed in so many places,” said Leigh Guth, Lincoln County Extension agent in family and consumer sciences. “Lou [Addor] has continued to provide us with support and training. It has been a real joy in Extension to have this opportunity.”

In Lincoln County, Guth has led facilitation efforts on a number of issues, including farmland preservation and an Institute for Emerging Issues discussion on building manufacturing as a career in Lincoln County.

One community issue that Guth helped guide discussion on was the fate of an old Rosenwald School that once served African-American students. “In Lincoln County we have a historic Rosenwald School that was in disrepair. We had to do something or it would fall down,” Guth said.

Lincoln County Commissioners needed help in listening to the needs of the community and making a decision on the school, so they asked for Guth’s help. Guth arranged a meeting with 25 members of the local African-American community, county commissioners and county government officials.

Guth led the group through a process of describing what the Rosenwald School meant to the community when it was operational. “The commissioners heard the community members’ concerns,” she said. “We asked, ‘what do we do we need to do now?’ We talked about it, shared it and recorded it.”

As a result of the efforts, Lincoln County received a $500,000 grant and some additional funds to help restore the school. The effort to restore and create a purpose for the facility continues, and more partners have become involved.

“It has taken a long time, but many good things do,” Guth said.

Guth enjoys supporting her community as a facilitator, though she still gets nervous doing facilitation, having constantly to think on her feet. “I personally cannot say enough about this program. It can only benefit Extension,” she said.

“Not only do we support our partners and internal clients, we are building professional relationships across our own disciplines, counties, districts and NC State’s campus, as well as with organizations like Emerging Issues and NC State’s Industrial Extension Service,” Addor said. “The team-building and problem-solving activities that facilitators learn help Extension cultivate new working relationships.”

“In Extension, we use facilitation all the time, to arrange meetings and conduct strategic planning,” said Cabarrus County Extension Director Robbie Furr, a member of extension’s facilitation team.

Across the state, Extension facilitators have helped support strategic planning efforts at other county centers and for groups outside of Extension. “It’s not difficult,” Furr said, “but it helps to have someone from the outside. I couldn’t do strategic planning for my own county, but a skilled facilitator knows how to handle it.” Furr explained that bringing in an outside facilitator allows those within the county Extension group to focus on their own strategic goals.

Furr conducted two IEI listening sessions in Cabarrus County – one related to manufacturing and the most recent related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.

The STEM sessions brought together professionals from schools and distance education providers to examine the gaps in the local STEM education program and how those gaps can be addressed. For all the IEI sessions, feedback is collected and returned to NC State’s IEI for further discussion at the state level.

Furr said facilitation is an important service for Extension to offer. “In this role, we are the conveners. No matter what side you’re on, we’re your friend,” he said. “This gives us an important tool in our toolbox.”

Becky Kirkland

At the November summit, a facilitator (left) takes part in a team-building and problem-solving session.

As a community resource development agent in Edgecombe County, Jamilla Hawkins is no stranger to working with community groups. But she also has used her facilitation training for statewide initiatives. In November, she and about 30 other teams members helped facilitate discussion at the N.C. Agriculture and Biotechnology Summit at NC State University.

With Rebecca Liverman of Washington County, Hawkins helped the five-county Turning Point Workforce Development Group develop a mission and strategic plan two years ago. The group members developed three primary goals that they are still working toward, Hawkins said. Hawkins, Liverman and Guth also provided facilitation training to N.C. Health and Human Services Department employees who were part of a community transformation grant program, saving the state agency countless dollars in training costs.

Hawkins led Edgecombe County’s Human Relations group in a revitalization process to develop priority goals, based on a new vision. She helped an Edgecombe entrepreneurs group to develop a plan for a small business incubator and is working with a local tourism group on drawing attention to historic Shiloh Landing, a place on the Tar River where slaves were brought to be sold on the town commons.

“I use this training in every facet of my work,” Hawkins said. Among the tools she has learned: ice breakers to help groups become more engaged, a “cafe” of ideas where groups rotate among tables to share thoughts on various issues, rules of engagement like the “parking lot” where an out-of-place idea can reside temporarily and colorful sticky notes for brainstorming.

Hawkins and the other facilitators feel their skills have enhanced their value to their communities. “People say, ‘Wow, I didn’t know Extension did that.’ We’re education professionals, and we can provide a real service that people can use without having to pay a lot for facilitation,” she said.

– Natalie Hampton

]]>http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/extensions-facilitation-team-adds-value-to-communities/feed/0Publication provides overview of biomass fuels for heating in NChttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/publication-provides-overview-of-biomass-fuels-for-heating-in-nc/
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/publication-provides-overview-of-biomass-fuels-for-heating-in-nc/#commentsThu, 05 Feb 2015 12:54:02 +0000Dee Shorehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/?p=103541Both agricultural and forestry biomass can provide adequate sources of renewable fuels for a wide array of heating applications in North Carolina, according to a new publication from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at NC State University.

The publication’s authors are Matthew W. Veal, assistant professor and Extension specialist, and William G. Brown, graduate research assistant with the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.

They write that “five characteristics must be fully considered when making a decision about using a biomass fuel source: heating value, moisture content, ash content , emissions, and additional processing.” The publication provides helpful information on each of those topics.

- Staff Report

]]>http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/publication-provides-overview-of-biomass-fuels-for-heating-in-nc/feed/0Garden ready!http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/garden-ready/
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/garden-ready/#commentsFri, 30 Jan 2015 19:56:47 +0000Dee Shorehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/?p=102411Looking forward to the 2015 gardening season? Check out the NC State University Department of Horticultural Science’s latest newsletter. It’s packed with Cooperative Extension stories on topics such as January garden chores, soil sampling, selecting vegetable varieties and producing tree fruit: http://horticulture.wordpress.ncsu.edu/2015/01/
]]>http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/extension-news/garden-ready/feed/0Edible flowers: New guide for choosing and using flowers in foodhttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/edible-flowers-new-guide-for-choosing-and-using-flowers-in-food/
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/edible-flowers-new-guide-for-choosing-and-using-flowers-in-food/#commentsMon, 26 Jan 2015 18:00:45 +0000Dee Shorehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/?p=102111Today there is a renewed interest in edible flowers for their taste, color and fragrance. But not all flowers are edible. For guidance on how to select, grow, harvest and preserve flowers for food use, check out this new North Carolina Cooperative Extension online publication, Choosing and Using Edible Flowers (PDF).

Featuring a colorful, fact-filled table, the 18-page fact sheet was written by Cyndi Lauderdale, an Extension agent in Wilson County, and Dr. Lucy Bradley, Extension urban horticultural science specialist in NC State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

]]>http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/edible-flowers-new-guide-for-choosing-and-using-flowers-in-food/feed/0Currituck wins national honor for green initiativehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/currituck-wins-national-honor-for-green-initiative/
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/currituck-wins-national-honor-for-green-initiative/#commentsFri, 23 Jan 2015 19:26:04 +0000Dee Shorehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/?p=102001Currituck County has won a national award for its efforts to maintain healthy coastal and ocean resources through a green initiative spearheaded in part by North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

The county, located on the state’s northern coast, was among five local governments across the United States awarded the 2014 Walter B. Jones Sr. Memorial Award for Excellence in Coastal Ocean Resource Management.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration bestows the awards every two years to local efforts that have inspired positive change in coastal management.

The award honors the late Walter B. Jones Sr., who represented North Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1966 to 1992. It recognizes not only the recipients’ countless hours of dedicated work but also their application of innovative approaches, tools or technology to conserve, protect and improve the U.S. coasts.

Currituck County was cited for its Currituck Goes Green initiative, a partnership of Cooperative Extension, North Carolina Sea Grant, NC State University, East Carolina University, the North Carolina Coastal Federation and the University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute.

Its mission is “to provide leadership, education and opportunities that help government, staff, citizens and businesses operate in a manner to conserve, sustain and enhance our environment and natural resources.”

The initiative began in 2009 as a way to turn the former farm field that was the site of the county’s then-new Extension center into an outdoor classroom showcasing environmentally friendly development.

Since then, Currituck Goes Green has hosted public events on a range of topics, from water quality fairs to wetlands restoration demonstrations.

In 2012, the county’s Board of Commissioners adopted the Unified Development Ordinance to address topics pertaining to natural resource preservation within development. The ordinance contains many green policies, including sustainability incentives, wetland setbacks and a requirement that stormwater management systems be treated not just as utilitarian structures but as site amenities.

Gloria Putnam, North Carolina Sea Grant’s coastal resources and communities specialist, commended the county for its commitment to sustainable development.

“Currituck County deserves recognition for their foresight in taking steps that will help preserve their valuable natural resources as the county’s local population and economy continue to grow,” she said.

County Extension Director Cameron Lowe said she sees the Currituck Goes Green as more than a one-time initiative with starting and ending points.

“We are more water than land, and we rely on our water resources for recreation, employment and attracting tourists,” she said, “so protecting those assets is a way of life.”

Currituck Goes Green “informs the way we as a county and an Extension Center do business,” she noted. “Demonstration projects will come and go, but our commitment to environmentally sound practices and encouraging those among our clientele are a top priority.”

-Staff Report

]]>http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/currituck-wins-national-honor-for-green-initiative/feed/0Collins, Edmisten win national cotton awardshttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/collins-edmisten-win-national-cotton-awards/
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/collins-edmisten-win-national-cotton-awards/#commentsFri, 09 Jan 2015 20:29:22 +0000Dee Shorehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/?p=101451NC State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty members won two of the top awards given last week at the national Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio, Texas.

Just one day after joining NC State University’s faculty on Jan. 5, CALS alumnus Dr. Guy Collins received the national 2015 Extension Cotton Specialist of the Year award. And the following day, his academic mentor, NC State crop science professor and cotton specialist Dr. Keith Edmisten, won the Cotton Physiologist of the Year award.

The award Collins received is based on leadership and industry service as determined by extension cotton specialists who represent every cotton-producing state. Bayer CropScience sponsors the award.

In a Bayer CropScience news release, the company’s head of agronomic services, Steve Nichols, said, “Guy Collins is a well-established professional in the cotton industry. … His research and expertise in agronomy and cotton management have enabled growers to improve cotton production and increase yields, leading to larger profits year after year.”

Dr. Darrin Dodds, associate extension professor at Mississippi State University, said Collins’ “commitment and passion to help cotton growers and agronomists be the best they can be is incredible. He constantly demonstrates leadership in the field, and it shows in his work. Guy has consistently gone above and beyond for growers, retailers and agronomists to help them reach excellence and maintain steady success in their operations.”

Collins earned three degrees from NC State – a bachelor’s in agronomy and master’s and doctoral degrees in crop science. Since he obtained his Ph.D. in 2009, Collins spent most of his career at the University of Georgia Tifton campus, where he taught growers the latest cotton management techniques and provided them with relevant research information. Collins was also able to collaborate with Georgia cotton growers to help them make key operational decisions, achieve maximum yields, reduce production costs and optimize agronomic inputs

Collins has been leading research in situational variety selection, where he helps growers determine what varieties give the best opportunity for high yields.

Edmisten, a CALS crop science professor, was recognized for significant research contributions in the area of physiology, the branch of biology that deals with how living organisms function.

As Collins noted, “In addition to incorporating higher-level physiology into his teaching program and also training county agents, growers and graduate students, he was instrumental in the establishment of the Journal of Cotton Science.

“Moreover, Keith has had incalculable impact on the North Carolina and U.S. cotton industry through the training of graduate students. Many of his former students hold or have held critical cotton positions throughout the industry,” he added. Those former students work in state regulatory agencies, various universities and leading seed and agroscience companies.

Collins attributes much of his personal success to “the exemplary training from Dr. Edmisten. He has a unique way of training his students to think critically and outside the box. Graduates from his program are very well-equipped to enter these leadership careers and be successful.”

The Beltwide Agronomy and Physiology Conference bestowed Edmisten’s award, which was sponsored by BASF.

Before joining NC State’s faculty in 1992, Edmisten was an extension agronomy specialist with Mississippi State University from 1987 to 1990, then with Auburn University.

]]>http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/collins-edmisten-win-national-cotton-awards/feed/0Elaine Marshall inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Famehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/elaine-marshall-inducted-into-the-national-4-h-hall-of-fame/
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/perspectives/elaine-marshall-inducted-into-the-national-4-h-hall-of-fame/#commentsThu, 08 Jan 2015 20:31:10 +0000nataliehttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/news-center/?p=101351N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame this past October, in recognition of her lifetime achievements and contributions to 4-H. Honored by the North Carolina 4-H Youth Development Program, Marshall was among 14 people inducted during the ceremony at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Md.

Marshall, a 4-H alumnus from Maryland, is past president of Maryland State 4-H Older Youth, donor to both North Carolina and Maryland 4-H, a National 4-H Foundation scholarship winner and a recipient of the North Carolina 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award.

She is the first woman ever to be elected to a statewide, executive branch office in North Carolina and one of five members ever elected to the North Carolina 4-H Development Fund as a lifetime member. Marshall said she was honored that her adopted state chose to honor her in this way.

“I’ve always felt accepted here in North Carolina, but this now is the icing on the cake — to have a state that I did not grow up in, that I did not benefit from the quality 4-H program here, recognize me in this way,” Marshall said. “It was very humbling to be honored by the program for my history of contributions or maybe just for who I am in general. It was total surprise.”

Growing up on her parents’ Lineboro, Md., farm, Marshall learned at an early age the importance of strong families and communities. She became active in her local 4-H and eventually went on to receive state and national 4-H honors. While a student at the University of Maryland pursuing a degree in textiles, Marshall was selected as an International 4-H Youth Exchange student to Brazil. She also served as a camp counselor for the Maryland 4-H Foundation and taught home economics in North Carolina before attending law school at Campbell University.

Throughout her life, Marshall has been a strong advocate of 4-H and family, and she continues to serve as a champion for North Carolina 4-H, while demonstrating a multifaceted commitment to 4-H. She models citizenship education and leadership development by speaking and training current 4-H’ers while leading fund development activities and causes.

Marshall was first elected to North Carolina’s state Senate and later elected its secretary of state. During her five terms in office, she has been recognized for updating the office’s technology, developing electronic registrations and filings, stressing efficiency in government, monitoring lobbyist activity, serving as a consumer watchdog, alerting the public on scams, stewarding the non-profit arena and creating documents for charities.

As a state senator, Marshall championed an $11.5 million appropriation from the General Assembly for North Carolina’s 4-H camps, and she assisted NC State University in raising support for the Eastern N.C. 4-H Center. As a member of the North Carolina 4-H Development Fund board, she has been instrumental in raising unrestricted program funds that directly benefit the 4-H youth, volunteers, agents and programs in North Carolina.

(Courtesy National 4-H)

Elaine Marshall, second from right, receives the National 4-H Hall of Fame Award.

She is committed to developing citizen leaders in the North Carolina 4-H Youth Development program. Each year during National 4-H Week, she visits with the State 4-H officers, sharing her role as secretary of state and demonstrating how her 4-H experiences shaped her and continue to impact her professional career. She has served as the facilitator for North Carolina 4-H’s annual Town Hall meeting, keynote speaker for Citizenship Focus and 4-H Congress and has presented awards at numerous county 4-H achievement programs, where she always highlights the benefits of the 4-H program.

Marshall also helped create North Carolina’s 4-H Lifetime Achievement Awards Gala — the first of its kind in the country and now modeled by other state 4-H programs. She has provided funds to support county and state 4-H initiatives and is a sustaining member of the board as an annual donor.

In the 4-H Hall of Fame’s 2014 release, the organization described Marshall as “truly an alumna who continues to make her best better for the citizens of North Carolina, for business and industry, for farmers and rural citizens, for urban youth and adults. She is a model 4-H’er who practices the values she learned and believes in passing those values on to the next generation.”

Added Pam Van Horn, president, “The National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) is proud to acknowledge the outstanding 2014 National 4-H Hall of Fame honorees for the passion, dedication, vision and leadership they’ve shown toward our young people during their many years of service to 4-H.”

National 4-H Hall of Fame honorees are nominated by their home states, National 4-H Council, the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents or 4-H National Headquarters based upon their exceptional leadership at the local, state, national and international levels.

Honorees received a National 4-H Hall of Fame medallion, plaque and memory book during the ceremony. The National 4-H Hall of Fame was established in 2002 as part of the Centennial Project of the NAE4-HA in partnership with National 4-H Council and National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA. For more information about the National 4-H Hall of Fame event and past recipients, visit www.nae4ha.com/hof.

-Courtesy National 4-H Program

Hear what Marshall had to say about the influence of 4-H in her life and her success as a leader: