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North Carolina

State Quick Facts

Population
10,835,491

Total State GDP
$715,968,300,000

State Land Area (Acres)
31,115,520

Land in Forest (Acres)
18,700,424

Land in Forest
60%

Land in Farms (Acres)
8,100,000

Land in Farms
26%

Number of Farms
42,500

Average Farm Size (acres)
191

Farm Real Estate Value (per acre) 
$5,550

Agricultural Cash Receipts 
$16,867,296,000

Cash Receipts from Crops 
$4,343,818,000

Cash Receipts from Animals 
$12,523,478,000

Top Ag. Commodities

Broilers
  $7,117,151,000

Hogs
  $3,206,012,000

Turkeys
  $1,139,244,000

Soybeans
  $906,260,000

Corn
  $806,408,000

Top Ag. Exports

Pork
  $780,899,325

Broiler Meat
  $584,289,070

Tobacco
  $533,332,380

Other Plant Products
  $497,255,188

Soybeans
  $489,258,043

North Carolina Economic Contribution and Impact Research

In 2022, North Carolina generated around $16.9 billion in agricultural cash receipts with the highest valued commodities being broilers, hogs, and turkeys. That same year, the value of North Carolina’s agricultural production and processing industries represented 5.6 percent of total state GDP. Some of the dollars generated by these industries end up being re-spent within the local economy, bringing additional value to the state through “multiplier effects.” Economic impact and contribution studies measure these effects, which can be broken down into direct, indirect, and induced economic effects.

Websites, reports, fact sheets, and articles related to the economic impacts and contributions of North Carolina’s food, fiber, and forest industries can be found below.

Websites:

Information related to North Carolina’s food, fiber, and forest industries can be found by visiting the following website(s):

Contribution and Impact Research Documents:

The following are current and historical studies, fact sheets, and articles related to North Carolina’s food, fiber, and forest industries.  These can be viewed and/or downloaded by clicking the images or links below:

Research Documents of North Carolina 2021- Fact Sheet- Meat Fuels America, 2016
Research Documents of North Carolina 2021- Fact Sheet- Poultry Feeds America, 2020
Research Documents of North Carolina 2020- Fact Sheet- Feeding the Economy, 2019
Research Documents of North Carolina 2018 – Fact Sheet – The Animal Feed and Pet Food Manufacturing Industry is Crucial to American Agriculture, Economy
Research Documents of North Carolina 2017 – Fact Sheet – AFPA State Economic Impact
Research Documents of North Carolina 2016 – Report – Economic Analysis of Animal Agriculture 2005-2015
Research Documents of North Carolina 2016 – Report – North Carolina’s Forests and Forest Products Industry by the Numbers
Research Documents of North Carolina 2016 – Booklet – Economic Contribution of North Carolina Agriculture and Agribusiness
Research Documents of North Carolina 2015 – Fact Sheet – AFPA State Economic Impact
Research Documents of North Carolina 2013 – USDA Report – North Carolina’s Forests
Research Documents of North Carolina 2012 – Fact Sheet – AFPA State Industry Economic Impact
Research Documents of North Carolina 2001 – Brochure – Projected Economic Impacts of the Hog Industry in Iowa, North Carolina, and Tennessee

2012NC_AFPA_State_Industry_Economic_Impact-25cgebz

2015-GDP-Economic_Contribution_of_Agriculture_and_Food_to_Arkansas_Gross_Domestic_Product_1997-2013

2015NC_State_Industry_Economic_Impact-26f8mxu

NC_Economic_Contribution_of_North_Carolina_Agriculture_and_Agribusiness-2d9nuk9

NC-2016-North-Carolinas-Forests-and-Forest-Products-Industry-by-the-Numbers-2013-1jp00yy

NC-2017-Fact-Sheet-AFPA-State-Economic-Impact-1ov78i9

NC2001-Brochure-Projected_Economic_Impacts_of_the_Hog_Industry_in_iowa_North_Carolina_and_Tenessee-2eva5zu

NC2016-Report-Economic_Analysis_of_Animal-_Agriculture_2005-2015-1auyycd

NC2018-FactSheet-The_Animal_Feed_And_Pet_Food_Manufacturing_Industry_Is_Crucial_to_American_AgricultureEconomy-1k4w7ir

*At present, there is no universally agreed upon standard methodology for producing economic impact or economic contribution reports.  Please exercise caution when viewing and comparing reports as each may vary significantly in terms of source data and analysis and reporting methodology.