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The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) has awarded $1 million in grants to twelve agricultural research projects in North Carolina. The funding aims to support new crop development and innovative research to enhance the state's agricultural economy.

Since 2013, the North Carolina General Assembly has provided funding for agricultural research, initially focused on bioenergy and expanded to include new crops. The funded projects, mainly led by NC State University and East Carolina University, include AI-powered fungicide screening, genome-edited disease-resistant peppers, and improved hemp production systems.

Other initiatives focus on sheep production efficiency, antibiotics for animal agriculture, honeybee health, and data-driven orchard management. NCDA&CS emphasizes that these grants help researchers identify new crops and improve farm profitability while addressing challenges like labor shortages and climate pressures.