Source: NCDA&CS, 6/2/22

We Are Agriculture is a year-long series that will highlight the hard-work done by employees across the Department of Agriculture. Micah Gardner, Chemist and lab Supervisor in our Microanalytical Lab of the Food and Drug Protection Division, is one of those employees. Stay tuned each Wednesday here on the blog or any of our social media accounts and join us in honoring those who continue to drive our state’s agriculture industry forward each day!

Insects are fascinating creatures because they are connected to every industry around the world, including agriculture. Micah Gardner, a Chemist and lab Supervisor in our Microanalytical Lab of the Food and Drug Protection Division, became interested in bugs at a very young age, which set him on the right path for a job in N.C. agriculture. “Agriculture is not far from anyone in North Carolina, so it doesn’t take long to get involved and develop a passion for it,” he said. “Bugs do every job in the world and are integrated in all facets of life, so studying them is the key to unlocking a variety of things in agriculture, from farming to consumer safety.”

After obtaining his master’s degree in Entomology at N.C. State University, Micah began seeking a career that allowed him to utilize his degree and love for insects as well as experience new projects and challenges on a routine basis. “I started this position in 2015 and it was without a doubt where I was meant to be,” he said. “While I was pursuing my education at NCSU, I worked with insect fragment identification and analysis, which is most of what this position entails. Not a lot of entomologists get to work with insect fragments, most just work with the entire insect, so it was that experience that provided me the perfect skillset for my current job.” Seven years later, Micah still wakes up with an incredible drive and passion for his job.

For more of this story, click here.