NC Farm Families Appoints Chad Herring as New Executive Director

 Kenansville, NC (June 21, 2018)—North Carolina Farm Families announced today that Chad Herring of Mount Olive, NC will serve as the organization’s new Executive Director. Herring is a third-generation farmer and raises hogs with his family in Duplin County.“My family is a North Carolina farm family and I want to be involved. I don’t want to watch the game from the sidelines I want to be a part of the game because I have a vested interest in the success and sustainability of the pork industry,” Herring said about why he chose to accept the position.“I felt like it was a great teaching moment for my children too. They know how important this farm is to our family. I want to lead them by example and to show them that some things are worth fighting for,” he added.Herring replaces Ed Emory who retired from the organization in January of this year. Herring will begin his new role on July 1.In addition to managing his uncle and father’s nursery hog farm, Herring also serves as a volunteer fireman for Pleasant Grove Volunteer Fire & EMS, is a member of Woodland United Methodist Church, and has had a seat on the Duplin County Board of Health for the past three years.Herring holds a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Carolina University.He is happily married to his wife Melissa and has two children.

NC Agriculture Rally

       North Carolina farmers and agriculture are under attack.Come and support North Carolina agriculture at the rally in Raleigh.When: June 25, 4-6pm (program starts at 5:30)Where: Raleigh, Centennial Mall on Jones StreetWho: Anyone who supports North Carolina agriculture and farmers. Bring the whole family!Invited Speakers: Lt. Gov. Dan Forrest, Commissioner Troxler, President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, Speaker Tim Moore, Sen. Brent Jackson, Rep. Jimmy Dixon, Sen. Dan Blue, Rep. Darren Jackson and more.Details: Music will be provided by Down Home Country Band. The National Anthem will be sung by Stephanie Prestage, and the invocation will be delivered by Rep. Phil Shepard.Come and bring the whole family. Let’s show everyone that we stand united with our farmers.Transportation: If you plan to drive yourself, you can either park at the NC State Fairgrounds and catch a shuttle or park in the area of 300 N. Salisbury Street.State Fairgrounds: For those wanting to park at the State Fair Grounds and take a shuttle bus to the Agriculture Rally on Bicentennial Mall, next Monday June 25^th please enter the Fair Grounds at Gate 11 off Blue Ridge Road and go to the Expo Center.  Shuttle buses will start leaving the Fair Grounds at 3:00 pm and continue until 4:30 pm.  The Rally is scheduled to take place on the Mall from 4:00 pm to 6:00pm.  The speaking program will start at approximately 5:30 pm and last and last about 45 minutes.Clinton Location: There are currently 2 buses planned to be at the Sampson County Agri Exposition Center. Plan to be at this location by 1:30pm.Kenansville Location: Transportation will be available at the Duplin Events Center. Plan to be at this location by 1:30pm.Beulaville Location: Transportation will be available at Beulaville Freewill Baptist Church on Lyman Road. Plan to be at this location by 1:30pm.Elizabethtown Location: Transportation will be available at the Ben Greene Industrial Park at 664 Ben Greene Parkway (by the Food Safety Building). Plan to be at this location by 1:30pm.Smithfield Office Locations: Smithfield’s Laurinburg office at 325 McKay Street, Smithfield's Rose Hill office in Rose Hill, and Smithfield’s corporate office in Warsaw are additional locations for transportation. Plan to be at these locations by 1:30pm too.If you plan to use transportation at one of the above locations, please inform your integrator what location and how many will be in your group by June 22 at lunch. If you do not have an integrator, please let Marisa L. See (ruralris@hotmail.com)  know what location and how many will be in your group by June 22 at lunch. Check back frequently for updates and changes.

Left Out

Emery Dalesio’s a respected reporter with the Associated Press, and he just wrote a story about the second nuisance lawsuit against Smithfield Foods.

He reported how Smithfield Foods’ lawyers didn’t want jurors to hear about Smithfield’s finances and its profits until after the jury has decided whether neighbors were harmed and should be compensated. Fair enough. That happened.But Mr. Dalesio didn’t mention another omission: How the plaintiffs’ lawyers don’t want the jurors to hear that, five years ago, a group of lawyers went door-to-door recruiting clients by telling hog farmers’ neighbors, ‘We’ll bring the lawsuit, we’ll pay the bills, and if we win you could get part of the money.’During the first nuisance trial the lawyers suing Smithfield pictured the plaintiffs as victims struggling to end years of torment – but no one ever mentioned they also had financial motive as well. Because the plaintiffs’ lawyers didn’t want it mentioned.But isn’t the lawyer’s money and the plaintiffs’ hope of making money as much a part of the trial as Smithfield’s finances?Note: the original lawyers were replaced by the current out-of-state ones.