Agriculture is big business in North Carolina, generating nearly eight billion dollars of cash receipts in 2001. Only seven states earned more from farms than did North Carolina. The state is the number one producer of tobacco and sweet potatoes, turning out about 39 percent of the total U.S. production for both products. It is second in hogs and pigs (16 percent of U.S. production), Christmas trees (20 percent of U.S), pickling cucumbers (15 percent of U.S.), lima beans, trout, and turkeys. North Carolina ranks 3rd in net farm income and in the production of turnip greens, collard greens, and poultry & egg products. The state ranks in the top five in bell peppers, broilers, peanuts, greenhouse and nursery products, strawberries, chile peppers, fresh market cucumbers, mustard greens, and snap beans. It is sixth in blueberries, cabbage, cotton, eggplant, and catfish sold. Overall, North Carolina ranks among the top ten states for the production of more than 30 products. Figure 1 shows the percent of farm cash receipts generated by the diverse agricultural crops and commodities produced in North Carolina.
Figure 2 displays the distribution of farm cash receipts in the state. The greatest concentration of counties reporting revenues of $80 million or more was in most of the Inner Coastal Plain. In addition, a smaller number of Piedmont and Mountain areas also recorded this higher level of receipts, including parts of metro areas, such as Orange, Randolph, Mecklenburg and Buncombe Counties. The lowest levels were found in a number of Mountain counties. Table 1 lists the top 10 counties in terms of both cash receipts from crops as well as from livestock sales.
The number of farms and land in farms in North Carolina continued to shrink in recent years. In just four years, from 1997 to 2001, the number of farms dropped from 59,000 to 56,000, while the acreage in farms decreased from 9,500,000 to 9,100,000 during the same time period. The average farm size in North Carolina was 163 acres, compared with the national average of 436 acres per farm. Figure 3 shows the distribution of harvested cropland in the state and Figure 4 illustrates how it changed between 1997 and 2001.
Losses Due To Recent Hurricanes
North Carolina's agriculture was battered by hurricanes and tornadoes during 2004. Although corn, cotton, sweet potatoes, and peanuts are projected to have above average yields because of moist weather conditions that summer, the high levels of soil moisture have resulted in an increase of pests and diseases for several crops. For example, in the western part of the state, apple production is expected to decline significantly because of the high winds, heavy rainfall, and flooding accompanying Hurricanes Frances and Ivan. The state suffered more than $132 million in total agricultural losses from Hurricanes Frances, Ivan, Bonnie, and Charley.
According to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the damage to agriculture in western North Carolina is more than just crop losses--the long-term agricultural damage caused by soil erosion and field damage could surpass the losses from crops.
The state has been given about $120 million in disaster assistance funds from the USDA. Most of the funds will be used to restore farmland and forests. Farmers are eligible for assistance to remove farmland debris, and repair fences and conservation structures. Help will also be provided for farmers to shape and grade farmland damaged by storms. Aid is also available to protect and repair watersheds.
The total value of exports of all North Carolina agricultural commodities dropped from $1.555 billion in 1997 to $1.389 billion in 2001. The most valuable export commodities were un-manufactured tobacco ($433 million), poultry products ($241.5 million), meats ($171.1 million), cotton ($163.6 million), and soybeans ($109.3 million). Compared to 1997, tobacco was down by $166 million, poultry was down $44 million, and soybeans declined by $26 million. However, cotton was up about $20 million and meats were up about $55 million.
 Large hog farm complex in Robeson County, showing the waste lagoon and related buildings (Robert Reiman)  Gourds entered in the Dixie Classic Fair Produce Contest (Mike Teague) |
CropsThe Continuing Demise of Tobacco LivestockPigs and Hogs Prospects for The Future
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