Northeastern NC’s AgAdvantage

State of the RegionFebruary 25, 2011

Dr. Johnny C. WynneDean

NC State: Locally responsive,

globally engagedResearch | Teaching | Extension

125-year history building

a stronger economy

and a better way of life

throughout North Carolina

Agriculture and Agribusiness: Leading

N.C. industry• Today:

• $74.3 billion industry • 18% of gross state

product• 17% of state’s jobs

• Tomorrow:

• Room to grow with rising world population

A biobased economy

• Farmers will continue to produce traditional commodities

• Farmers will also grow crops specifically to produce:

• Biofuels• Perfume• Drugs• Nutraceuticals• Functional foods• And more!

Vernon James Center: A commercialization

campus?• Pilot-scale extraction

facility

• Companies test and learn how best to process crops

• Significant economic development potential – new processing facilities & new jobs

Positioned for success with ag biotechnology

• Northeastern North Carolina’s assets:

• Strong agricultural heritage• Technologically sophisticated

agricultural community• Great people• Land• N.C. State University

partnerships

Positioning farmers for ag-biotech success

• Through N.C. Biotech Center’s Entrepreneurial Farmer Program, producers learned:

• Production and marketing models to create opportunities

• Contract-growing value-added products

• Risk management principles for production, financing and markets

N.C. MarketReady• Enhancing profitability of

N.C. agriculture

– Agricultural enterprise and business skills development

– Fresh produce safety– Horticultural production

skills– Strengthening markets

• Changing the way Americans use fruits and vegetables – sources of nutrients and

flavorful calories– powerful resources for

components that protect and enhance health and well-being

– economic value for North Carolina

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Plants for Human Health Institute

Empire Foods to open N.C. plantUp to 200 jobs in Halifax Co.

HALIFAX, N.C. (AP) - A food processing company plans to create 200 jobs over the next five years at a Halifax County plant that makes packaged fruits and vegetables that don't need refrigeration.

Published September 16, 2010

Entrepreneur Initiative for Foods (EI4F)

• Education and training:

• Good Manufacturing Practices• Food Safety• Engineering• Customized Courses

• Assistance with:

• Food Classification• Food Chemistry • Food Microbiology• Nutrition Labeling• Validation Services

Cooperative Extension: Agricultural Programs

• Solving production problems• Increasing profitability• Adopting new technology• Extending research for strong

economic impact

Cooperative Extension: Family and Consumer

Sciences• Nutrition• Food safety• Parenting • Human development• Aging• Housing• Community and volunteer development• Health• Family Resource Management

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)

• Education in:• Nutrition• Food preparation• Food resource management• Food safety

• 1st Congressional District: 1300+ families improved nutrition knowledge through EFNEP in ’10

4-H Youth Development• Community service• Hands-on learning• Leadership skill development• 4-H’ers are:

• 50% less likely to smoke, shoplift or use drugs

• 20% more likely to be leaders• More likely to earn university

degree

Workforce prep

• Starts with education

• Bertie Early College High School for Agri-Science and Biotechnology

• Students:

• Jumpstart college

• Gain career skills

Extending the early college high school concept

• N.C. General Assembly study commission recommended:

• Creating high school at Vernon James Center to serve four counties

• Estimated start: Fall 2012

Agri-science early college high school

• Will be:

• world-class and internationally recognized

• game-changer for students

• new way for N.C. State and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to help meet local needs