SC Ag Commissioner Hugh Weathers

Applications are open for the ACRE Advanced program. Tell us about it, Commissioner. Yes, Mike. SCDA founded the Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship (ACRE) in 2018 to help identify and nurture new ideas and agribusinesses in South Carolina. A cornerstone of ACRE is the Advanced Entrepreneurship program, in which we seek entrepreneurs to push […]

SC Ag Commissioner Hugh Weathers is just back from Morocco. Let’s hear about why you were there. I visited as part of a trade delegation with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, or NASDA. Morocco presents some interesting agricultural trade opportunities for American farmers. This country in northern Africa holds the only free […]

South Carolina has three new Chef Ambassadors. Here’s Commissioner Hugh Weathers to tell us about it. We’re celebrating the 10th year of the program. We created in 2014 to highlight South Carolina as a destination for great food. Chef Ambassadors represent the state through food festivals and other promotional opportunities, sharing South Carolina’s culinary traditions, […]

The South Carolina Watermelon Association holds its annual convention this week, which means it’s time to talk watermelon. The meeting is January 19–21, 2024 at Hilton Head. This is always an action-packed meeting, with educational sessions; networking with retailers, growers, and allied industry representatives; an auction to raise funds for research and promotion; and the […]

The third annual Certified SC Showcase is coming up, and Commissioner Weathers is here to fill us in. The Showcase is a networking event and celebration of Certified South Carolina flavors and innovations. The Showcase provides an opportunity for buyers and producers to meet face-to-face, with an emphasis on the state’s abundant produce, specialty food […]

The year 2024 is off to a hot start. The South Carolina Agritourism Association is holding its annual conference Jan. 21-23, 2024. This is a great way to learn more about agritourism for your farm, or enhance your farm’s agritourism activities. The registration deadline is January 7, 2024. The conference includes a Sunday night reception, two-day […]

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) is partnering with USDA Agricultural Marketing Service to offer over $4 million in competitive grants to support middle-of-the-food-supply-chain infrastructure for domestic food and farm businesses and other eligible entities. Grants under the Resilient Food System Infrastructure program, or RFSI, will support expanded capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, […]

Next week, many of us will gather with our loved ones to celebrate Christmas. Commissioner Hugh Weathers joins me now. This is an important time of year for all of us, including farmers. It’s been a good Christmas tree season. Most local Christmas tree farms are already sold out for the season and closed, but […]

COLUMBIA – A new partnership is helping more South Carolina farmers show buyers their commitment to food safety. The South Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship (ACRE) is helping South Carolina farmers achieve Good Agricultural Practices certification thanks to a $100,000 grant from Duke Energy. Good Agricultural Practices, or GAP, is a voluntary […]

A few months ago we heard about ChangeSC. Let’s get an update on how it’s going. More than 80% of South Carolina’s counties have food deserts, where residents have limited access to fresh, healthy food. ChangeSC is our effort to bring fresh, nutritious food directly to the doorsteps of these communities and teach people how […]