The mission of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) is to operate regulatory and service programs that ensure the availability of life-sustaining food and natural fiber, free of adulteration and contamination, and produced in a manner consistent with environmentally sound production practices; and to operate programs to benefit consumers and agricultural producers, to protect the environment, health, and economic well-being of all North Carolina citizens and business enterprises. In fulfilling this mission statement, NCDA&CS is dedicated to being environmentally responsible in all activities undertaken by the department. Departmental policies require all divisions to ensure that minimum environmental degradation results from the activities conducted on a daily basis. The following NCDA&CS report identifies a number of ongoing environmentally sustainable activities.

• Donation of fruits and vegetables from Farmers Markets and Research Farms
• The Center for Environmental Farming Systems
• Pesticide disposal assistance and pesticide container recycling programs 
• Interagency cooperation
• Electronic communication
• Recycle animal bedding, soil samples, grease and cardboard

Future project

• Develop in-house surplus property listing

The department's environmental sustainability plan was developed by a team chaired by Assistant Commissioner David Smith and composed of representatives with considerable knowledge of the department's environmental sustainability efforts. The department is also an active participant in the WasteWise Task Force. Additional information may be obtained by contacting David Smith at (919) 733-7314.