Economic Impact of Ag in NC
The economic impact of North Carolina’s agriculture and agribusiness industry jumped to $111.1 billion, posting a second straight year of strong growth at nearly $8 billion, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced at the opening of the Got to Be NC Festival.
N.C. State University Economist Dr. Mike Walden calculates the economic impact numbers annually using data from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service and other multipliers.
“If you remember one thing I say today, I hope you will remember that Agriculture IS our food supply,” Troxler said. “It is an important industry because it feeds us. We don’t ever want to have to rely on another country to feed us. We want to be self-reliant when it comes to our food supply, and that’s why it is important that we support our farmers.”
Troxler noted that the economic figures were supported by the state’s top production rankings nationally, including being No. 1 in the production of sweetpotatoes, tobacco, poultry and eggs, second in Christmas trees, turkeys and trout, third in hogs and cucumbers, fourth in peanuts and broilers, and fifth in cotton.
The work of the JoCo Grows Agriculture Marketing Committee is laser focused on our message that agriculture is important to the local economy....shop local, support our local farms, and remember our heritage of being a farming community.
Find out more about the work of the committee by downloading the JoCo Grows Marketing Plan.
Why is Ag Important?
Agriculture is the art and science of cultivating the soil, growing crops, and raising livestock. For more than 200 years, agriculture in Johnston County has been associated with the production of basic food crops. Agriculture and farming is a key component of economic development and many more occupations allied to farming are recognized as a part of agriculture. At present, agriculture besides farming, includes forestry, fruit cultivation, dairy, poultry, swine, cattle, mushrooms, herbs, beekeeping, and nursery, as well as, marketing, processing, and distribution of agricultural products are all accepted as a part of modern agriculture.
Tourism is also now a segment of agriculture as more and more farms are part of the "farm to table" movement for area restaurants, and farmers are opening up their operations to welcome visitors and host special events. Johnston County has been working with our farmers for more than 20 years to cultivate activities on farms like corn mazes, farm stands, and markets, and hosting a variety of fun activities like pick-your-own berries, hayrides, and even corn bins. So many children have made lasting memories on area farms in fun and educational ways.
Agriculture plays a crucial role in the life of an economy. It is the backbone of our economic system. Agriculture not only provides food and raw materials but also is responsible for employment opportunities to a very large proportion of our population in North Carolina.
We invite you to learn with us, visit a farm, and support local farm families in JoCo!
Johnston's Farm Income Hit $257 Million in 2022
Local farmers reported cash income of $117,564,837 from crops in 2022, ranking us 7th among the state's 100 counties, according to the latest report from the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.
We ranked 5th in the production of sweet potatoes, but no numbers or rankings are provided for tobacco any longer "to avoid disclosure of individual farming operations," the report notes. (Before the elimination of auction sales, Johnston ranked No. 2 in the state for flue-cured tobacco, right behind Pitt County.)
In 2022, we ranked 16th in soybeans, 19th in wheat, and 26th in cotton.
Total 2022 cash receipts from livestock, poultry, and dairy in Johnston amounted to $133,687,014 – a number higher than the total for crops. We ranked 12th in the state in numbers of hogs, pigs, and turkeys and 21st in cattle.
Adding government payments to Johnston farmers of $5.8 million brought total agricultural income here to $257,069,266 in 2022.
VIEW the latest report covering all of North Carolina's counties.
Such sales of tobacco are long gone as today farmers contract directly with cigarette manufacturers in marketing their crops. As a result, the N.C. Department of Agriculture no longer breaks down county-by-county income from tobacco – to keep farmer-manufacturer contracts confidential. (Heritage Center Postcard Collection)
