“In the forty years I’ve been involved in farming, I have never seen so much possibility,” Commissioner Troxler told a 2013 meeting of the legislative International Business and Trade Caucus.  North Carolina agriculture exports totaled $3.75 billion and generated 68,000 jobs in 2011, according to department figures.

China, with its growing middle class, is a major export partner for North Carolina, purchasing tobacco, pork and poultry products. In fact, the Department of Agriculture has opened a foreign office in Beijing to link N.C. producers with new customers, Troxler said. 

With the world’s demand for food expected to double by 2030, North Carolina must continue to be a leader in agricultural innovation and research, “or we’re dead in the water,” Troxler said.

CLICK HERE for more information about North Carolina agricultural exports.

The Immigration Policy Center in Washington, D.C. has issued state “fact sheets” highlighting the economic impact of immigrants.

North Carolina highlights include:

• the 2012 purchasing power of NC’s Latinos totaled $14 billion
• Asian-owned businesses had sales and receipts of $5.9 billion and employed 44,288 people in 2007 (most recent figures available)
• NC’s 13,770 foreign stuents contributed $338.8 million to the state’s economy in 2011-2012 academic year

Learn more and check out the NORTH CAROLINA FACT SHEET.

Later this month we’ll hear about their highlights — achievements and challenges. What has it meant to be a part of a North Carolina school community these past nine months?

 Here’s a photo of their orientation to North Carolina, complete with kayaking on the Neuse River! To learn more about CIU’s unique statewide network of Confucius Classrooms, click here.

CLICK HERE to check out Ashley Twitty’s story in The Daily Courier.

Second-grade teacher Ashley Twitty is jazzed about her upcoming trip to India with CIU to look at technology innovation! Thanks to a generous scholarship from the James G.K. McClure Fund she will have a week-long study immersion experience that includes meetings with businesses and schools. Ashley will join 38 other North Carolina teachers on this global professional development program. 

In preparation for the journey to India, the group met for a two-day orientation on the SAS campus in Cary this week. Workshops focused on issues such as the culture, education system, history and economy of India and links to North Carolina. The Center for International Understanding has been providing this kind of in-depth, hands-on global experience for teachers since 1998 — more than 650 teachers have participated.

Ashley tells Rutherford County’s “The Daily Courier” about her plans to use her CIU global experience to involve her current and future students in a deeper look at India. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.

Timber Drive Elementary School reports that library media specialist Karen Waller has been honored in a PBS (Public Broadcasting System) Teachers competition for her use of mobile technology to take her students, virtually, to Denmark. Check out her video HERE.

 Karen tells us this morning: “I had never been out of the country before even though I had been teaching students about different countries for years.  My trip to Denmark gave me authentic learning experiences to share with students.  When I went to Denmark, I already knew that I was going to be teaching Holidays Around the World to our 642 students when I came back so I bought artifacts and asked questions of the people I met.  I also in the Spring did another week on Denmark for the school focusing on Green Energy, Recycling, the Cost of Manufacturing, Saving energy, etc.  If I had not gone to Denmark, I probably would not have known to focus of this.  For my students, I was able to tell them about what I did and how it was different.  The students were much more interested knowing that I had been there and when I created a movie preview of Denmark for the Spring trip, I used pictures that I had taken while I was there.  Many of the classes last year followed my daily blog from Denmark so they were already excited about them.  I am looking more opportunities to travel so that I can share more experiences with them.  . .  I think Denmark was such a wonderful welcoming place and the people so friendly and open that it was a perfect place to go as my first foreign country to visit. Thank you so much for the opportunity – it was definitely once in a lifetime trip.”

In the 2012/2013 current school year, 5,539 students in North Carolina have taken Chinese language courses from Hanban teachers. We are thrilled to continue to expand authentic Chinese language and culture experiences for students in our state.

Learn more about CIU’s statewide network of Confucius Classrooms by clicking here.

To learn more about Immigration Matters, click here.

Click here for the full story.