Hurricane Florence prompts officials to cancel field daysHurricane Florence prompts officials to cancel field days

There are no plans to reschedule the Pee Dee field day. The North Carolina Cotton Field Day will likely be scheduled next year.

Denise Attaway, Farm Press Staff

September 10, 2018

2 Min Read

Clemson University

Editor's Note: This includes an update, announcing the cancellation of the PVQE Tour set for Wednesday at the Taylor Slade Farm In Williamston, N.C.

The North Carolina Cotton Field day set for the Upper Coastal Plain Research Station in Rocky Mount and the Pee Dee Research and Education Center field day in Florence, SC, both set for Thursday of this week, have been cancelled due to the impending threat of Hurricane Florence.

In addition, the Peanut Variety Quality and Evaluation (PVQE) Tour set for the Taylor Slade Farm in Williamston, N.C. on Wednesday has been cancelled.

Dr. Guy Collins, North Carolina State University Extension cotton agronomist, says the field day will likely be scheduled next year. “We encourage everyone to take the necessary precautions / preparations for this storm, and we pray for safety for all involved and minimal impact on our crops,” he said.

Matt Smith, director of the Pee Dee REC, said there are no plans to r(PVQE) eschedule.

“Safety is our main goal,” Smith said. “We encourage everyone to stay safe and take the necessary steps to protect their families and property.”

Hurricane Florence is expected to hit the East Coast as a major storm later this week. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting Florence to become a strong Category 4 storm before making landfall between northern South Carolina and the North Carolina Outer Banks, although shifts in the track are still possible and storm impacts will expand great distances beyond where landfall occurs.

To help South Carolina residents prepare for hurricanes and other storms, Clemson Public Service and Agriculture experts have created a list of emergency preparedness and post-Hurricane impact resources.

In addition to Florence, two more hurricanes are churning in the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricane Helene, with maximum winds of 85 mph early Monday, is expected to take a northeast turn in the middle of the Atlantic later this week. Hurricane Isaac has remained a minimal hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph on Monday.