Cumberland County, NC
New Hanover County, NC
For years, tobacco was North Carolina's main crop. Today, farmers are finding new crops and new ways to cultivate them. In 1983, 27 percent of cash farm receipts in North Carolina came from tobacco. In 2006, that number dropped to 6 percent. In the same 23 years, the value of production originating from poultry and hogs grew from 34 percent to 60 percent.
Likewise, cash from the sale of other crops, like Christmas trees, greenhouse and nursery products grew from 3 percent to over 12 percent. A major factor in the changing face of agriculture is the growth and change experienced in North Carolina's population over the last few decades, which has been described as an increasingly health-conscious and affluent population, which is now increasing the demand for specialty, organic and locally grown produce and meats.
Watch the NC Now Feature
Interview with Randall Johnson