NC State - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Whether it be by plane, train or reindeer games, we hope you get home for the holidays safely, Wolfpack. 🎄🎁

From supporting future-proof farming to developing cutting-edge plant science to helping rebuild communities in western North Carolina, 2024 was a year of innovation and determination for CALS. 🚜🧬🌱 Discover five of our favorite stories from 2024, in no particular order, in this edition of CALS Weekly.

From selfies with the dean to the Sweet Sixteen, 2024 has been an amazing year at NC State CALS. 🏀🎓🚜 Take a look back at some of our favorite moments.

Raw milk or pasteurized milk — what’s the real difference? 🥛 NC State Food Science Professor Gabriel Keith Harris breaks down why pasteurization provides an umbrella of protection for your health.

Holiday leftovers are the gift that keeps on giving... if you store them properly. 🍽️🥣 Keep enjoying your favorite dishes after the holidays with these tips from NC State food safety expert Savana Everhart Nunn, PhD. Learn more: http://ncst.at/xNuA50Uwj2X

From best practices for your holiday leftovers to how the N.C. Christmas tree industry weathered the storm, our holiday edition of CALS Weekly has everything you need to get up to speed with NC State CALS. 🎄 Check out our newsletter, and subscribe to be notified every Thursday. ⬇️

Are poinsettias poisonous? 🤔 NC State's poinsettia expert John Dole has the answer — and he can prove it too. Learn about the history behind the iconic holiday plant: http://ncst.at/KOow50Ut2Qk

Join us in celebrating the 100th anniversary of NC State University's Department of Crop and Soil Sciences! 🎉 Founded in 1924, the department has been pivotal in advancing crop production, soil management and sustainable farming practices. Notable accomplishments over the years include: 🌱 Over 10,000 alumni worldwide 🌱 The widely-used Mehlic 1 soil testing method 🌱 The influential soils textbook The Nature and Properties of Soils 🌱 Leadership of the USAID Mission to Peru and TropSoils program 🌱 Faculty World Food Prize award recipient 🌱 Development of new cultivars in tobacco, peanuts, small grains and turfgrass 🌱 Extensive Extension training for growers and agents Read more about the department's century of innovation, and learn what's next: http://ncst.at/6Yss50Usgzq

Today, 455 CALS graduates turned their tassels into a new chapter. 📖 Take pride in how far you’ve come, #NCState24. We can’t wait to see what you #ThinkAndDo next. 🎓🫶

Researchers in the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative are fighting sweetpotato pests with lasers. 🪰🍠 With vinegar fly problems on the rise in sweetpotato storage, the research team is exploring laser technology as a management strategy for growers. They hope to soon deploy the system in a storage facility where it can be tested under the types of conditions that growers face every day. Learn more about their work: http://ncst.at/v4eQ50Ur4qV