780081_Report of first visit to Buckhorn by Agronomist Georgia Love p1_20220610

Steven W. Troxler
Commissioner
June 10, 2022
Mr. Bruce Huggins
P. O. Box 3477
Lumberton, NC 28359
Dear Mr. Huggins,
North Carolina Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services
Agronomic Division
Dr. Colleen Hudak -Wise
Director
I visited your swine operations on June 7, 2022, located in Robeson County, to assess the growing
condition of crops planted on spray fields to determine whether or not the stand of the receiving crop was
adequate to receive waste water.
For the farm under permit number 78-81 (Bucknorn Farm), the winter overseed had not been
removed due to inability to secure parts for equipment. The bermudagrass stand in this field appeared to
be limited and was difficult to evaluate due to the overseed ground cover. After the overseed is removed,
the recommendation is to reassess the bermudagrass stand to determine if it is adequate to receive waste
water this season. If the stand is compromised, it is recommended that sorghum sudangrass be planted to
receive waste this season. In accordance with recommendations from the N. C. Cooperative Extension
Forage Planting Guide, sorghum sudangrass can be planted until June 30th and the waste application
window runs until August 31 st. Bermudagrass can be resprigged next season so early removal of the
winter overseed will be necessary. According to soil samples taken in October of 2018, the low
potassium, sulfur and pH should be addressed by following the soil report recommendations before
resprigging the bermudagrass if this is determined to be necessary. This farm should be resampled in
2022 to obtain current soil test information.
For the farm under permit number 78-47 (Ten Bridges Farm), the bermudagrass stand in field 1
appeared to be limited and late removal of the winter overseed may have delayed emergence from winter
dormancy. The recommendation is to manage summer annual grasses and weeds with Pastora and 2,4-D
to reduce competition for the bermudagrass. This herbicide should be applied after the next cutting. The
first field should be reevaluated later in the season. If the bermudagrass stand is not adequate, it should be
resprigged next spring. Earlier removal of the winter overseed, more timely harvest of the bermudagrass,
and weed management will help the bermudagrass compete and become a more viable crop. According to
soil samples taken in October of 2021, the pH is relatively low in sample TB1. Lime and potassium
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