There is a lot of discussion going on these days at country stores, farm supply businesses, and at other places where farmers gather. As you would expect, a lot of this discussion centers around the recent tobacco buyout legislation and what farmers intend to do for the coming production year.

The details of the tobacco buyout legislation are still being hashed out. No matter what the details may be, it is fair to assume that there will be quite a few changes in our farm communities during the coming year. This may provide an opportunity for some farmers to stop growing tobacco. Those near or at retirement age, or those previously farming very small amounts of tobacco, may settle outstanding debts and liquidate their tobacco equipment and supplies.

Mid-career farmers who already have the equipment, land, and other resources they need to produce tobacco may continue to produce tobacco under contract with one of the major tobacco companies. Some of them may even increase the amount of tobacco they produce as long as they can get the contracts they need.

The changes that will come will provide an opportunity for many farmers to look much more closely at alternative methods to generate additional income from the farm. The agricultural agents on my staff have recently developed a fairly comprehensive booklet entitled "Opportunities for Your Farm." This booklet can be found on our agricultural page, or you can pick up a copy at our office.

There are literally hundreds of different things a person can do to generate additional income from a farm. Some of them are fairly easy with little or no risk or effort, but these generally return very little income or profit. These may be more accurately described as a "hobby" than as a new business venture.

Like other new business ventures, many efforts to diversify a farm operation can be pretty intensive and usually require a certain amount of risk, especially if they are intended to provide a significant amount of income. Those entering a new business must have a commitment to learn whatever is necessary to make the business profitable and must be willing to develop new skills, especially related to management and marketing.

Probably the most attractive alternative at this time is intensive vegetable and fruit production. There is still a high local demand for fresh fruits and vegetables. Until the local market becomes saturated, those choosing this type of diversification will find a ready market for their products. However, this does not mean that there will not be a need to produce a high-quality product and to make it easily and readily available to consumers. This local demand provides an opportunity for serious producers to learn the details about production, management, and marketing. A source of income will be available while expanding to compete in the regional or wholesale markets.

For the past three years, members of our staff have been involved in an on-farm demonstration project to show local producers the advantages of producing vegetables using black plastic mulch with irrigation water being applied under the plastic. This project is coordinated by North Carolina A&T State University and funded with a Golden Leaf Grant. A plastic mulch laying machine and transplanter have been made available for local producers to use at no cost. In the past, funds have been available to pay for the plastic and tubing for those participating in the project. Although the equipment is still available, it is uncertain at this time if the materials will be provided for the coming year.

If you have any interest at all in intensive vegetable production, I invite you to attend a meeting at the O. P. Owens Agriculture Center (Highway 72 West, Lumberton, N.C.) at 6:30 p.m., next Monday, November 22. Extension specialists will discuss the importance of soil management and the utilization of plastic mulch and irrigation for intensive vegetable production.

This on-farm demonstration project will continue next year. A limited number of new producers will be selected to receive direct assistance with implementing these practices on their farm. By attending this meeting, you can determine if you would like to participate and then apply for assistance for the coming year.

For more information about this meeting, or to register, please call 910-671-3276. You can also call this number if you have other ideas about how you can diversify your farm operation but need some assistance or more detailed information.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 11/23/04