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-Press Release, National Association of County Agriculture Agents (NACAA)

Paul McKenzie received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of County Agriculture Agents (NACAA) during the 2020 Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference. McKenzie was one of several honorees who represented the top two percent of the membership selected by their peers and the Director of Extension.

Paul McKenzie received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of County Agriculture Agents (NACAA) during the 2020 Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference. (Photo courtesy NACAA)

McKenzie has served over twenty years as an agricultural extension agent in four different counties, the last eleven years as an area agent serving Vance and Warren counties. In that capacity, McKenzie has implemented a comprehensive education program serving farmers, gardeners, woodland owners and licensed/certified pesticide applicators.

He oversees a Master Gardener volunteer program consisting of almost forty volunteers that contribute well over 1,000 hours of service to the community each year. In addition to gardening workshops, youth education projects, and informative newsletters, the Master Gardeners have implemented various educational gardening projects. The most recent and ambitious is a pollinator habitat garden at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.

McKenzie was also instrumental in the campaign to raise grant money for the construction of the Vance County Regional Farmers Market and continues to support it through training and technical assistance for produce farmers and other vendors.

For several years, McKenzie has partnered with the local offices of the NC Forest Service to conduct educational workshops for woodland owners so they can make better management decisions that benefit wildlife, timber production, natural resources, and profitability.

Educational workshops, seminars and tours are a key component of his educational efforts, and he is involved in implementing dozens each year on topics such as pesticide safety, timber harvesting, high tunnel production, alternative crops, vegetable gardening and more. These well-run events have strong attendance, positive reviews and many repeat customers.

McKenzie is well-respected among co-workers both locally, regionally and across the state, having been called to serve as a mentor for several early-career Extension Agents. Through his good work and commitment to serve, he has fostered strong relationships with many partner agencies, including Farm Service Agency, Soil & Water District, the Small Business Center at Vance-Granville Community College and others.

Farmers and gardeners alike rely on Paul to provide accurate and reliable advice regarding garden problems, pondweeds, crop production, pest management and more.