The rides, the midway and deep-fried food get plenty of attention. But at its heart, the North Carolina State Fair is still about agriculture, one of the biggest engines of the state’s economy. And new research from NC State says food, fiber and forestry sectors generate about $117 billion in economic impact and support roughly one out of every five jobs in North Carolina. And as Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler points out, North Carolina’s real strength is protein.
“We are ranked so highly in poultry, number one in all poultry, number two in hogs. You know, we’ve got berries, we’ve got beef. So protein is always going to be our staple and, you know, continue to keep those industries healthy is, you know, absolutely vital.”
At the State Fair, you can see that industry up close.
The North Carolina State Fair may be famous for the rides and the food. But agriculture is still at the heart of the fair.
“Everything from the biggest pumpkin to the biggest watermelon, the best sweet potatoes, all of that is part of the state fair. And you can actually spend days doing nothing but looking at these exhibits that we have about ag.”
That’s Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler. And he says those exhibits give farmers and growers from across the state a chance to show off some of the best North Carolina produces. And the fair doesn’t just showcase agriculture today in Heritage Circle. Visitors can watch tobacco strung and hung in a working barn and then cured over a wood fire using methods that go back generations. It’s part competition, part education and part preservation of North Carolina’s agricultural heritage.
The North Carolina State Fair is about more than rides and entertainment. It’s also a celebration of the state’s agricultural roots. And in Heritage Circle, visitors can see farming traditions brought to life, including an old-fashioned tobacco barn. North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler explains.
“We actually put in a bar of tobacco the old-fashioned way, stringing or looping tobacco on the stick, putting it in the barn and then we cure it with wood like we did in the 1800s and it turned into quite a spectator event. People need to come out and participate in that. I think they will enjoy this part of North Carolina’s tradition and heritage.”
Visitors can even help string tobacco on October 16 before the crop is cured over the fire. It’s a living history lesson preserving traditions that helped shape North Carolina.
The North Carolina State Fair runs October 15-25 in Raleigh. You can find out more information at ncstatefair.org.