History
2024
- McKayla Robinette is named FRSAN-NC Coordinator
- The Institute hosts the 3rd NC Agricultural Health and Safety Symposium at the NCA&T University Farm Pavilion on March 20.
2023
- Alyssa Spence is named Associate Director.
- McKayla Robinette is named FRSAN-NC Resource Specialist
2022
- Courtney Moore is named Coordinator, FRSAN-NC.
- Two permanently funded part-time positions are added to the Institute’s health team – Amy Nelson, Agromedicine RN and Maggie Denning, Agromedicine Outreach Specialist.
- The Institute moves organizationally from ECU’s Division of Health Sciences – Office of the Vice Chancellor to Brody School of Medicine under the supervision of Dr. John Cavanagh, Interim Associate Dean for Research.
2021
The Institute is awarded:
- $500,000 in US Department of Agriculture (USDA) pass through funds from the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) to establish the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network of North Carolina (FRSAN-NC).
- $300,000 in USDA pass through funds from the NCDA&CS to provide cost share funds for health and safety to NC specialty crop producers.
2020
- NC Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Rural Health, NC Farmworker Health Program awards $315,548 to the Institute to provide cost share to farms for migrant housing internet connectivity and COVID-19 supplies, transportation, cleaning and isolation housing/per diem.
- The North Carolina Agromedicine Institute continues to be the only comprehensive Agromedicine program in the Mid-Atlantic region and is a formal partnership of East Carolina University, North Carolina State University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
2019
- Dr. Crystal Kyle named as Campus Coordinator and NC AgrAbility Partnership Director at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University.
- Alyssa Spence is hired as the first Area Specialized Extension Agent, Agromedicine, Farm Safety & Health by NC Cooperative Extension – North Carolina State University.
- The Institute celebrated the 20th anniversary of its formal establishment by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.
2018
- Dr. Steve Lommel, Associate Dean for Research, NC State University is named Interim Chair, Board of Directors.
- Dr. Sinan Sousan named as Assistant Professor with joint appointment between the Department of Public Health – Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University and the NC Agromedicine Institute. The joint appointment is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding established among the Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, Division of Health Sciences and the Institute.
2017
- North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund awards funds ($94,218) for Worker Protection Standard Compliance.
- Dr. Barry Burks, Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development, NC Agricultural & Technical State University is named Chair, Board of Directors becoming the first Board Chair from a partner institution other than ECU.
- North Carolina State University converts Agromedicine Information Specialist to Agromedicine Extension Specialist. Dr. Catherine LePrevost is appointed as the inaugural Extension Specialist.
2016
Ms. Julia Storm retires as the Agromedicine Information Specialist at NC State University after twenty-one years of service to the Institute.
2015
A new 5-year strategic plan was developed with input from Members, Board of Directors, Board of Partners, staff and other diverse stakeholders from across the state.
2014
- LaMar Grafft appointed as Associate Director.
- North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund awards funds ($140,000) for First on Scene.
- Board of Directors votes to elect Board Chair from among the nine university members. Board Chair had historically been Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies at ECU.
2013
- Administrative oversight for the Institute moves from ECU’s Division of Research and Graduate Studies to ECU’s Division of Health Sciences.
- North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund awards funds ($300,000) for the expansion of AgriSafe Network of North Carolina and Certified Safe Farm-North Carolina.
- Robin Tutor-Marcom appointed as Director.
2012
North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund awards funds ($125,000) for Risk Mitigation Measures II.
2011
- Funding is granted by the US Department of Agriculture for the NC AgrAbility Project.
- Funding ($20,000 for one year) for an update on the online pesticide health course was awarded by the Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund to the Institute and Eastern AHEC.
- Funding ($20,000 for one year) for salary support for Dr. Catherine LePrevost, Research/Extension Associate, awarded by the Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund to NCSU Toxicology to provide train-the-trainer workshops in North Carolina for the Pesticides and Farmworker Health Toolkit.
- Dr. Leonard Williams appointed NC A&T State University Campus Coordinator.
- Golden Leaf Foundation awards a grant ($94,500) to the NC Professional Loggers Association and the Institute to develop a professional logging training program with a major emphasis on safe logging.
- Kate B. Reynolds Foundation awards the Institute funds ($110,000) to expand the AgriSafe® of NC Program in partnership with Albemarle Regional Health Services to Gates, Hertford, and Camden Counties.
- The Institute Board of Directors approves a revised organizational plan for the Board of Directors. Board membership is increased to 16 with six board members to be selected from stake holding organizations outside the three NCAI partner universities.
2010
North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund awards funding ($185,000) for the Risk Mitigation Measures Project to educate NC farmers about new regulations, including respiratory protection measures for use of soil fumigants.
2009
- Funding is granted for 2 more years ($500,000) by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund to expand AgriSafe of North Carolina and pilot Certified Safe Farm of North Carolina.
- The North Carolina Agromedicine Institute celebrates its 10 year anniversary with an Open House at the Institute’s ECU headquarters.
2001
- The Institute occupies the renovated West Research Campus and hosts Open House.
- The North Carolina Agromedicine Institute is awarded funding ($3 million plus for 5 years) by Center for Disease Control and The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for the Southern Coastal Agromedicine Center, one of 10 US agricultural safety and health centers for research, prevention/intervention and education.
2000
ECU, NCA&T and NCSU appoint faculty members to the NC Agromedicine Institute and partnering agencies are invited to join the North Carolina Agromedicine Institute Board of Collaborators, while stakeholders are invited to join the North Carolina Agromedicine Institute Board of Advisors.
1999
- Permission is granted to establish the North Carolina Agromedicine Institute modeled on Iowa’s Center for Agriculture Safety and Health, granted by UNC Chair Board of Governors; ECU Vice-Chancellor Feldbush, serves as Board of Directors.
- ECU acquires 27,000 sq ft former VOA Site C building (and grounds) from federal government and the space is designated for North Carolina Agromedicine Institute; ECU funds renovation.
1998
North Carolina Agriculture and Tech State University becomes a formal partner of the North Carolina Agromedicine Program. At the same time the North Carolina Pesticide Board approves funding from the PETF for Agromedicine at North Carolina Agriculture and Tech State University.
1993
North Carolina General Assembly establishes the Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund (PETF), administered by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and governed by the North Carolina Pesticide Board, designating support for Agromedicine and an Agromedicine Extension Specialist Position in North Carolina State University Department of Toxicology.
1989
North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and East Carolina University Family Medicine division and School of Medicine sign Agromedicine MOU.
1987
Dr. Billy Caldwell of NCSU Cooperative Extension, Dr. Ernest Hodgson with NCSU’s Interdepartmental Toxicology Program and Dr. Paul James with ECU Family Medicine began developing the North Carolina Agromedicine Program, a partnership modeled after Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina. At that time the South Carolina Program was the only agromedicine program in the country.