About Weston

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Weston’s love for agriculture in general can be traced back to his childhood. Until he was seven years old, his family lived next to a preacher whose son worked for a local farm and collected toy tractors. When Weston visited, the two boys would look at the collection together. He remembers this friendship providing a spark for his interest in agriculture.

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His family moved to Harrisburg, North Carolina in 1977. Their new neighbor, Eugene Cochrane, had beef cattle, and Weston would help him on the farm. He would get off the school bus at the end of the day, drop his books home, and head straight for the neighbor’s house. “He was a very influential individual to me. That’s where I first felt the love for agriculture and got to try my first experiences with farming. He became Uncle Gene to me.”

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Weston later became involved in 4-H and grew close with another family in the program who was in the dairy business. This family introduced Weston to dairy cattle. He helped with putting out straw, feeding, and early morning milking. This family’s kindness and willingness to help him learn had a profound effect on Weston.

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Since childhood, the people he met, the places he lived and the opportunities that came his way, all shaped him in significant ways. These experiences developed within him a love for agriculture, and it prepared him for a successful career in the field.

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Weston currently serves as an Agricultural Programs Specialist with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS). He joined the department in 2020, amid the pandemic, and works closely with farmland preservation and conservation efforts that also benefit military training and readiness. A large portion of his job involves working closely with several local and national agricultural programs. One of his primary responsibilities is to work with SERPPAS, the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability, a collaborative partnership of state and federal agencies within the southeastern United States that makes resource-use decisions supporting national defense, natural resource conservation and sustainability.

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Before joining ‘NCDA&CS’, Weston’s career; though rooted in agriculture and problem solving — transitioned between a variety of interests and skills. His job duties over the last 20 years involve overseeing 4-H Ag Career Science and Livestock programs, troubleshooting technology issues with NC Cooperative Extension Service, management of a dairy herd with NC State University, as well as deputy fire marshal at NCSU and a loan officer with AgCarolina Farm Credit in Smithfield.

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Since 2008, Weston has been the owner/operator of his own cow/calf beef cattle operation.  He attributes the success of his farming operation to partnerships with landowners, fellow cattlemen, his family, and the resources provided through organizations such as North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the NC Cooperative Extension Service.