I am the County Extension Director and Livestock Agent with Duplin County. In my program area, I focus on nutrient management, and also provide support to growers who need Transport Quality Assurance certifications, assist our livestock agent with forage questions when it overlaps with nutrient management, and provide support for our staff and work with county, state and federal programs to bring more resources to Duplin County.

Each day of the more than 20 years as an Extension Agent has been different from the next day. My goal is to provide research-based information in a timely manner to clients, and support our local agriculture economy with knowledge and skills that increase profitability in agriculture.

Feel free to contact me at amanda_hatcher@ncsu.edu or 910-296-2143 with any questions you have!

My name is Jessica Hall, and I work with livestock and forages here in Duplin County. I’ve been part of the Duplin Extension team since January of 2022, and I’m passionate about supporting our local producers and youth. Whether I’m out in the pasture or working with the kids, I love helping our agricultural community thrive!

About Livestock and Forage Programming in Duplin County

Agriculture is the heartbeat of Duplin County. Our program is dedicated to the success of both the animals and the land that sustains them by providing research-based information and hands-on education. We strive to help producers improve their operations, protect their soil, and raise healthy livestock.

The Livestock and Forage program offers specialized support and programming in the following areas:

• Education: We partner with local veterinarians to host Bull Breeding Soundness Exam Clinics and Equine Health Clinics, and offer topical workshops on things like small ruminant management, animal welfare and handling, cattle artificial insemination and pregnancy detection, land use, forage and weed management, and more. If you have a topic you'd like to learn about, let us know! Chances are, others want to learn about it, too, and we can put together a class for it! 
• Certification: We help producers and students stay compliant, competitive, and up to date on the latest trends with Beef Quality Assurance (BQA), Pork Quality Assurance (PQA), and Small Ruminant Quality Assurance (SRQA) certification opportunities.
• Technical Assistance: We offer assistance with pasture planning, weed management, soil sampling, nutrition decisions and much more via phone, email, office visit, and farm visit. If you have a question, don't hesitate to reach out!
• Networking: We host the monthly Duplin County Cattlemen’s Association meetings and facilitate the Coastal Carolina Cattle Alliance and/or cattle buying stations as interest arises. We also manage the use of the Duplin Livestock Facility and can be contacted for rental and or producer-use inquiries.
• 4-H Youth Development: We lead the 4-H Dairy Heifer Project and the 4-H Horse Project as well as summer workshops and tours.
• Community Development: We coordinate Duplin Farm Fest, our county’s week-long appreciation of everything agriculture.

I love my job and helping producers work towards more profitable and sustainable operations. I look forward to seeing you in the field, at the livestock facility, or at our next meeting as we work together to keep Duplin County growing!

Feel free to contact me at jessica_hall@ncsu.edu or 910-296-2143 with any questions you have!