North Carolina Agriculture: It's Who We Are!

"Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness." ~Written by Thomas Jefferson to George Washington (1787)

(Transcript of my speech to a Public Administration Communications course)

If someone asked you to name the leading economic industry in North Carolina, what would you say?  Some of you may think of tourism, energy, or even military investment.  But if you pull back the layers of the state economy, it is clear that at the core of our state is the industry of agriculture.  From sweetpotatoes to greenhouse & nursery products, North Carolina produces a wide spectrum of products, many of which you use on a daily basis.  But how much of an impact do you think this industry really makes on our State’s economy?

Proper understanding of agriculture and investment in research is essential to supporting the future of this state. The information I will share with you in this blog post comes from the 2011 North Carolina Agricultural Sector Report, Southeast Farm Press Magazine, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services website.

The economic impact of agriculture & agribusiness in this state is enormous.  Investment in agriculture research is key to supporting and growing this industry.  Let us first look at the annual economic impact of agriculture in North Carolina.

In 2011, Agriculture/Food Industries, Natural Fiber Industries, and Forestry Industries combined to contribute $77 billion to the North Carolina economy which is 17.5% of the state gross domestic product.  642,000 citizens or 17% of North Carolina’s employees work in agriculture.  With a diverse landscape and climate, North Carolina is a national leader in the production of tobacco, sweet potatoes, hogs, trout, poultry, Christmas trees, and much more. 

As you can see, the economic impact of agriculture is great in North Carolina but leading the effort to support the industry is the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service or NCARS.  NCARS supports the development and exploration of agricultural science.  It is coordinated jointly by NC State University, NC A&T State University, and the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.

The service operates eighteen research stations throughout the State.  Each research station has unique foci on crops, soils, animals, and biotechnology, which are essential to agriculture in individual areas of the state.

Through Cooperative Extension programs, developments in research and production practices are shared with agriculturalists to aide them in their businesses.  Advancements such as navigation, crop management, and disease prevention, can be linked to investment in agriculture research.  According to the NCDA&CS, for every dollar invested by the public into agriculture research, there is a $19 return on investment.

The industry of agriculture in North Carolina will continue to be a vital part of the economy.  In 2013, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler stated “I believe that with agriculture research, North Carolina agriculture will grow from a $77 billion industry to a $100 billion industry.”

If you have not had much experience with the industry of agriculture in the past, explore connections in your local community.  North Carolina State University is hosting AG DAY at Carter-Finley Stadium on September 28.  Come out and support agriculture while supporting the Wolfpack football team!  My generation must continue to keep the importance of agriculture in focus and continue our support of agriculture research for the future of North Carolina.

Making an Impact and Leaving a Legacy

“Great ambition and conquest without contribution is without significance. What will your contribution be? How will history remember you?” ~The Emperor’s Club

There are two events in life that every single person has to go through.  Every person has a day that they are born and a day they die.  Our tombstones will reflect these dates.   Our lives, the relationships we build, the things we do, and our impact, is represented by the dash in between these dates.  How are you living your dash?

Jim Valvano was a legendary coach in NCAA Men’s Basketball.  Under his direction, the 1983 North Carolina State University Men’s Basketball Team won the National Championship and he is forever enshrined in the hearts of collegiate basketball fans around the world.  Jimmy V is remembered for his stories, passion on and off the court, leadership, and outstanding personality.  About a decade after he coached the team to victory, he was diagnosed with a severe form of cancer that would end his life quickly.  While others may have stopped working and resigned to the inevitable, Jimmy V decided that he was not ready to stop his contribution.  I’m sure at some point, he began to think about his legacy and what he was really leaving behind.  Just leaving behind a great coaching career was not enough for him.  His vision led to the creation of the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research.  Today, millions of dollars have been raised by the foundation for cancer research and the foundation is a leader in helping to find a cure for this horrible disease.  Coach Jimmy V’s legacy continues to live on because he was committed to making an impact on the world with his life.

We all know those people that excessively collect things like baseball cards, cars, and money.  Sometimes it completely becomes their sole focus and they try to collect as much as they can in life.  They focus more on building up their collection than giving to others.  But in case you haven’t noticed, you can’t take that stuff with you when you die.  Randy Travis introduced a song several years ago entitled Three Wooden Crosses.  The main lyric in the songs states “It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you; it’s what you leave behind you when you go.”  What matters is how you are living your life today and what impact you are really making on the people you love and the world you are living in. 

You are capable of doing great things.  There is no higher calling than service to others.  We all have a part to play in making the world a better place.  As Americans, we are part of the world’s most powerful nation. We are a blessed people. Americans have the capacity and should lead the world in making our planet a better place.  Find where your passion and talents overlap and then you will know what you can do to build a lasting legacy.  Focus on your contribution and I will see you on the highway to success.

 

 

Be Great and Innovate!

Human beings have enormous capacity for creativity and innovation.  Who else could have built the great pyramids of Egypt, the Statue of Liberty, or the Roman Colosseum?  Innovation is a quality that takes leaders to the next level.  While others fall complacent to “the way things have always been”, leaders know that innovation and creativity are necessary for the advancement of society. 

We all know the story of Thomas Edison.  After his first effort to create a working light bulb, he could have quit and moved on to another project.  But Edison was innovative and though it took him over 1000 different tries, Edison finally came up with a solution for his creation.  He once said during the creation of the light bulb, “I have not failed.  I’ve just found 1000 ways that won’t work.”  Innovation requires a certain level of dedication as seen in Edison’s work.  His work with electricity and the light bulb truly lit up the world. 

I believe many people give up too easily today.  Our first try often fails and we decide in our minds that there is no other way to solve the problem.  But innovators will choose to look at the issue from more than one perspective.  Have you ever been to the Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington, D.C?  If not, you need to add this monument to your itinerary on your next visit to the nation’s capital.  If you start at one corner of the monument, you will see a stationary flag.  But as you begin to walk around the monument, you will either see the flag begin to raise or lower depending upon what direction you walk.  (The flag actually never moves but it looks like it does to you.)  Some very smart people found a way to create this experience for citizens.  Just as you move from each corner of the monument, leaders and innovators must choose to look at situations or opportunities from many different perspectives.  When you look at something from a different perspective, you will often see something you didn’t see before or learn something that could help you create something even better in the future.

We’ve all seen the movie Apollo 13.  Do you think that anyone at NASA expected the problems to occur that actually did in real life?  Absolutely not!  After certain processes failed in the shuttle, the astronauts and staff on the ground had to be innovative.  They had to take common household items in the shuttle and look at them from a different perspective.  If they had only looked at the items from one perspective, the astronauts probably would have never returned to Earth. 

So next time you are working on a project or trying to achieve something in your life, be innovative and challenge yourself to look at things from different perspectives.  If you do, I’m sure I will meet you on the highway to success.

 

 

Temptation: You Have a Choice!

Temptation comes in many forms and is around us every day.  Whether it is drugs, entertainment, alcohol, bad friendships or something else, you will face temptation often. In order to overcome temptation, we must put temptation into perspective.  In its simplest form, temptation is something that affects your desire.  It heightens your senses and consistently challenges you until you reach a point of decision.  Do you give into temptation and follow your momentary desire?  Or do you follow your own path and resist?

 

When fighting negative temptations, you must understand that when you give in, the choice you have made takes over.  When you give into temptation, it takes over and you lose self-control over the situation.  I would never want to put myself into a situation where I lose control of my own life and ability to choose what’s best for me.  For example, thousands of people across our world are alcoholics.  At some point, they gave into the temptation of drinking.  It reached a point that it took over their lives completely and many never fully recover from giving into that temptation.  The same goes for drugs, bad relationships, etc.  When we give into negative temptations, we risk losing ourselves and a positive future. 

 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once stated, “"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."  In regards to temptation and the decisions you make on a daily basis, how do you measure up?  In times of challenging temptation, do you choose what is comfortable and convenient at the moment or do you stand strong for what you believe and what’s in the best interest for your future?  Fifty years ago, Dr. King led a movement that changed the fabric of the United States forever.  After years of suppression and racism, many people wanted to pursue violence as a way of civil rights protest.  As a leader, he could have given into the temptation of violence but he took the high road and made a decision to stand up for morality and the rights of all people through peaceful demonstration.  On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, he shared his dream and the world has never been the same.  Hundreds of thousands of people across the nation followed his lead and great advancements were made for civil rights peacefully.  What is your dream?  When temptation comes, will you be strong enough to choose the path that will lead you to success and the realization of your dream?

 

I have some friends that have made many bad decisions and their lives have been affected forever.  Many of those decisions were anchored in temptation and the choices they made then have caused the things they are going through now.  People I consider to be my role models are people of integrity and strong self-control.  They are true to themselves and don’t let temptation determine who they will be and the impact they will make on the world.  Be who you want to be.  Take the high road and live your life.  Don’t let temptation take over your life and I’ll meet you on the highway to success.