North Carolina Governor Josh Stein attended the 90th annual convention of the North Carolina Farm Bureau, highlighting the role of agriculture in the state’s economy. The event commemorates the bureau’s founding in 1936. According to a press release, Stein said, “Agriculture and North Carolina's hardworking farmers are critical to our economic strength as a state.”
North Carolina’s agriculture industry has faced challenges such as tariffs, rising production costs, and declining row crop prices. In response, Governor Josh Stein enacted the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025, establishing the Agricultural Disaster Crop Loss Program to assist farmers with verified losses from agricultural disasters. The Governor also approved legislation extending state financial assistance to more than $478 million to support farmers.
The North Carolina Farm Bureau represents more than 650,000 member families and supports farmers across the state. North Carolina remains the top producer of sweet potatoes, tobacco, and turkey, and is also a leading producer of several other agricultural products.
During his visit to the convention, Governor Stein also volunteered at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina. He presented a $2.185 million check from the State of North Carolina to support the food bank’s operations amid rising demand. Eric Aft, Chief Executive Officer of the food bank, stated that the funds would help address the needs of residents affected by the federal government shutdown and support ongoing food assistance efforts.
