I have shared with readers of this column many times in the past that agriculture is big business in North Carolina. Being a rural county, and as large as it is, agriculture is big business in Robeson County as well.

"So what?" - you may ask. Agriculture is just a bunch of farms and farmers. Agriculture and farming is most likely something you do not think about very often. You may live in town, or even if you live in the county, but you are not involved with production agriculture. The only time you think about farming is when you get behind a piece of slow-moving farm equipment as you rush to work or rush to town to go shopping.

Agriculture, combined with agribusiness, contributed $62.6 billion to North Carolina's economy last year. This represents 22 percent of the state's total gross product.

"So what?" - you may ask again. We are fortunate to have a very diverse economy in North Carolina. There are many other industries that contribute to the economy of our state, and many other industries that provide jobs, taxes, and products to keep our economy strong.

To put it into prospective, the second leading industry in North Carolina is tourism. We can easily understand that tourism is also big business in "Variety Vacationland." A large segment of the economy of many communities in North Carolina are dependent upon not only tourist from other states but also on North Carolinians who vacation at our beaches, in our mountains, or at countless other popular destinations across the state. But tourism contributed only $12 billion to the state's economy last year, less than one-fifth of the contributions of agriculture.

A friend of mine recently gave me a copy of the September 2005 issue of Farm Futures magazine. An article in this magazine focused on the Best Places to Farm in the United States.

I am a strong supporter of agriculture and am very proud of the fact that our farmers produce an abundance of foods and fibers for us to enjoy every day. I appreciate the diversity of agriculture in North Carolina and in Robeson County. I know without a doubt that our farmers, and thousands of agribusinessmen, make it possible for me and my family to enjoy the safest, most abundant, and most affordable foods than any other place in the world. But even I did not realize that so many counties in North Carolina, including Robeson County, are considered some of the best places in the nation to farm.

Farm Futures magazine examined more than 3,000 counties in the United States, using data from the past Census of Agriculture. They were not looking for which counties produced the most agricultural products or which counties had the largest number of farmers. They looked specifically at profitability. The factors they were looking for included return on assets, net profits per farm, sales growth, asset growth, profit growth, asset turnover, and profit margins.

Of the top 100 best places to farm in the United States, 21 of them are in North Carolina. Six of the top 10 are from North Carolina. Sampson County ranks 1st, Duplin County ranks 2nd, Wayne County ranks 5th, Green County ranks 6th, Bladen County ranks 8th, and Wilson County ranks 9th. Robeson County ranks as the 22nd best place in the entire United States in which to farm.

Contract animal production is a big part of North Carolina's success and Robeson County's success as well. Contract animal production helps farmers focus on efficiency, because they do not have to worry about marketing.

These farmers have long-term agreements with the companies they contract with which reduces their risks. They then concentrate on improving quality and lowering costs. Contract animal production provides stability to farm operations, allowing many of these farmers to venture out and try new and different things.

Size is a factor as well. As the number of farmers decrease, the remaining farmers take on more land becoming not only more productive but more efficient as well.

Climate is an important factor in determining profitability. Farmers in areas like North Carlina, especially southeastern North Carolina, can take advantage of double-crop production and crop rotation. Similar crops like soybeans, corn, and small grains use essentially the same equipment for production and harvesting. Farmers can spread the use of equipment throughout the entire year, therefore, using their resources more effectively.

Farming in or near highly populated areas seems to be an asset instead of a liability. Remember, North Carolina is the 8th highest populated state in the nation. Farmers in these areas are more profitable when they diversify. They have a larger customer base for fresh fruits and vegetables, ornamentals, agritourism, or specialty farm products.

Farm Futures magazine found that there were three common themes that led to success. Successful farmers put their assets to work. They focus on high-value products that generate a lot of cash. They learn to leverage their investments in order to earn more.

Successful farmers manage their risks wisely. Diversity and sharp marketing strategies increase profitability.

And finally, successful farmers are good neighbors. They thrive because they have the support of their communities and their counties, and in return, they support their communities and counties as well. Their neighbors appreciate agriculture, and they understand and support agricultural production in their neighborhoods.

Agriculture is big business in Robeson County. We have some of the best farmers in the nation. We all benefit from the contributions agriculture makes to our local economy. The next time you see a farmer, please remember to say thank you.

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 04/19/06