Cumberland County, NC
New Hanover County, NC
(View Transcript)
For years, tobacco was North Carolina’s golden leaf. Today’s farmers are finding new crops to cultivate.
Like the plants he nurtures, Ward’s agriculture roots run deep. Generation after generation worked the land in Columbus County. “When I was a kid there was no other industry in this county. Farming was the only industry,” Ward says.
It is still the only job Ward wants. “If I can’t work, I’m miserable.” But it isn’t easy. So Ward decided to trade traditional farming for more profitable organic faming.
Justin Smith, Director of the Columbus County Economic Commission wants even more from those crops. He wants to find a way to increase what’s called “value added farming.”
“We’ve been growing crops in Columbus County forever, soybeans, sweet potatoes, peanuts. Now we have to figure out what we can do to keep the food here, process it here, distribute it here,” says Smith. .
New Yorker Barrie Nadi bought this vacant building in Whiteville to make sweet potato fries. He’s moving his company called Nice Blends from the Bronx.
Nadi explains, “It came to a point, let’s get out of New York. Since most sweet potatoes come from North Carolina farmers, let’s go closer to the source so we can expand the market.”
“Here in Columbus County if we bring in a business that employs, 5 people, 10 people, 15 people, that is a big deal for us. Every job counts for us especially in this economic climate,” adds Smith.
Nadi insists his company is recession-proof and expects to bring 54 jobs to the area over the next 3 years. Food processing is considered clean industry and Whiteville has recently lured 2 food manufacturers to one of North Carolina’s poorest counties.
In neighboring New Hanover County, a different kind of farming is underway. Fish farming is not new, but in this case it is the kind of fish these scientists are growing and where they can do it that makes this venture different. A sophisticated pumping station and tanks could allow marine species like Black Sea Bass and Flounder to grow in rural communities away from the coast.
Dr. Wade Watanabe a researcher at UNC-Wilmington explains, “Because you’re recycling water, they don’t have to be situated right next to the ocean. [They can be] situated in more inland areas where land is less expensive.”
A business partnership helps pay start up cost. Researchers at UNC-Wilmington get the data, and the investment company eventually gets fish. Dr. Watanabe estimates rural communities could end up with jobs. “So we go up the learning curve together, and meet our objectives research, technical transfer with minimal financial risks, “ says Watanabe.
Randall Johnson, the South Eastern Director for the state’s biotechnology center, says, “What we’re talking about is new opportunities we may not have even imagined yet. We’re not trying to create industries out of nothing. We’re looking at the assets we actually have — The marine natural resources — looking at how we can build on those assets with new industries and jobs right here.”
With record unemployment in the state, jobs couldn’t come at a better time.
Dr. Kim Jones launched a new business called Alganomics from Oak Island’s water treatment plant. “I see the potential for pharmaceuticals, neutraceuticals. biofuels. You name it.. There’s a tremendous potential,” says Jones. She plans to grow algae, what many consider a nuisance. Jones wants turn this thick green mass into oil. She’s not there yet, but insists algae hold all kinds of promise.
“What we’re really trying to do is create a new industry. Ag is in our background, but actually creating an economic engine to use algae and all those by-products so its job creation. We’ve lost a lot of industries, so how can we bring in new high paying high tech jobs that are going to benefit us with renewable energy as well as products we badly need,” Jones adds.
While using algae to gas up your car may still be years away, Jones says algae is the better choice for biofuel because it doesn’t compete with the food source. Other biofuels come from corn and soybeans.
The technology excites Randall Johnson the most and that North Carolina is finding new ways to grow jobs. Johnson says, “It would be foolish for us to try to create new industries to mimic other areas of the state or other areas of the country. It makes more sense to look at what we actually have — the people the institutions and natural assets here.”
Dr. Kimberly Jones
Alganomics® Representative
kimjones@algaeresource.com
(910) 471-0803
Alganomics, LLC
1001 Pete's Camp Rd.
Southport, NC 28461
UNCW Aquaculture
Dr. Wade O. Watanabe, Program Coordinator
10 South Cardinal Dr., Suite 2000
Wilmington, NC, 28403.
(910) 962-2941
watanabew@uncw.edu
Watch the NC Now Feature
Interview with Randall Johnson