The Agronomic Services Division (aka "the soil lab") of the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services does analysis of soil for homeowners and farmers.

The North Carolina Extension Service in Alamance County supports this work by making boxes and forms available for your use in preparing your soil samples for analysis. We also provide a brochure that has valuable information on how to take a good representative sample, and how to determine how many samples you need to submit. After you collect your soil, fill your sample box, complete the appropriate soil report form (lawn and garden form, acreage form), put the form and box of soil in a mailing container (do not use sample box as the mailing container), and send it to the soil lab in Raleigh. You may also deliver the samples yourself. Mailing and physical addresses are on the form that accompanies your sample.

After the analysis has been completed, you can find your report here: https://www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/pals/. Note: This is also where you can find the estimated turnaround time for the soil analysis, once the sample is logged in at the lab.

The Agronomic Services Division of the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services charges a $4 fee per sample that arrives at the soil lab in Raleigh during the peak season (approximately December through March) for analysis. The soil analysis fee will be based on the date the sample is logged in the system, and not the day of arrival, which is usually a few days preceding log-in.

If you send samples during the peak season when the $4 fee applies, you will need to pay in advance of sending samples, either by using a credit card on-line on the Agronomic Services Division website or by setting up an escrow account.

NC Extension Service in Alamance County is encouraging farmers and homeowners to send their soil samples in early to eliminate having to pay this fee. Please call 336-570-6740 if you have questions or need further information.