The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) is urging growers and homeowners to submit soil samples before November 25 to avoid peak-season testing fees. The department’s Agronomic Services Division has processed more than 62,000 samples since July 1.
This year, the laboratory’s peak season will begin on November 26 and continue through March 31, 2026. Any soil sample arriving at the Agronomic Services’ loading dock after 5 p.m. on November 25 will incur a $4 per-sample fee. The department clarifies that the date of shipping, local Cooperative Extension Service (CES) office delivery, or postmarking does not affect whether a sample is assessed the peak-season fee; only physical arrival at the lab matters.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler explained the purpose of this fee structure: “The peak season fee has helped us spread the sample processing time out, which benefits our farmers and residents. Before it was initiated in 2013, turnaround time to receive test results was often greater than 12 weeks, and the lab was incredibly busy until mid-April. The fee encouraged early sampling which enabled the lab to do a lot of analysis in the fall, rather than in the winter. Usually, the lab is back to a two-week turnround time by late February.”
Troxler also noted how revenue from these fees is used: “Another important aspect of the fee is that all revenue is invested back into the lab. This plays a critical role in helping the lab operate at high capacity. The lab hires temporary employees with these funds and uses additional revenue to maintain equipment and in some cases, to replace equipment.”
Each year, about 300,000 soil samples are processed by NCDA&CS’s Soil Testing Lab. Submitting high-quality samples with complete information helps avoid delays. The department advises clients to use only official NCDA&CS soil sample boxes available at county Cooperative Extension Centers or at its Raleigh office; fill boxes as instructed; provide required details including name, address, sample ID on both box and submission form; include crop codes for plant-specific recommendations; and tightly package samples for shipping.
For faster processing, private carriers like UPS or FedEx can deliver directly to the Agronomic building instead of an off-site mail center used by USPS. Clients may also use an online data entry feature via PALS (www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/pals), ensuring all submission forms are complete and printed copies are enclosed with their samples.
Clients can check current estimated turnaround times online as these may fluctuate throughout the year.
Questions can be directed to NCDA&CS’s Agronomic Services Division at 919-664-1600.
