The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) has announced a rebranding and consolidation of its agricultural grant programs under the new name, North Carolina Agriculture Innovations & Research (NCAIR). This move is intended to simplify and broaden support for agricultural research and innovation in the state.
Previously, funding was distributed through three separate initiatives: the Bioenergy Research Initiative, the New and Emerging Crops Program, and Innovations to Advance the Agriculture Economy. These are now unified as NCAIR.
The grant program began in 2013 after authorization by the North Carolina legislature to promote research into agricultural and forestry-based feedstock for bioenergy production. In 2018, it expanded to cover new crop research. Most recently, in 2024, its scope grew again to include projects focused on advancing agricultural innovation and technology.
“NCAIR is replacing those three areas of focus with an umbrella-style approach that better encompasses all the goals and vision for this program,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “I am grateful for the legislature’s continued investment in agriculture advancements.”
The decision to rebrand followed discussions about how best to improve the program’s effectiveness based on past experiences.
“When I took over this role, I spoke with many people around the department and those directly involved with the program about what this program does well, what could be improved and how to go about making positive impactful changes,” said Charles Fletcher, director of Agricultural Project Management. “As we move forward to a better tomorrow, we hope NCAIR can be a cog in the wheel that helps North Carolina agriculture blossom.”
According to NCDA&CS, this change is meant to reduce confusion from previous acronyms while making clear that NCAIR supports a wide range of agricultural innovations across North Carolina.
NCDA&CS plays a significant role in enhancing quality of life through forest management and supporting community farming practices (official website). The department also oversees specialized divisions such as the NC Forest Service for resource management (official website), ensures food safety, protects consumers, promotes sustainable farming (official website), and has been led by Commissioner Steve Troxler (official website). Agriculture contributes $102 billion annually to North Carolina’s economy (official website), with leading national production in crops like sweet potatoes and tobacco (official website).
