AGRICULTURE.

Crowing crops and raising livestock--then turning those products into food, fiber and other goods--accounts for a major part of North Carolina's economy. Agriculture and agribusiness had an economic impact of nearly $96 billion in 2021. The industry employs about 789,000 people, and the state's 45,100 farms operate on about 8.3 million acres.

JOHNNY BARNES

president | Barnes Farming and Farm Pak

Spring Hope

Barnes Farming started in the early 1960s and now ranks among the largest U S. sweet potato producers, managing more than 6,000 acres. The Farm Pak was formed in 1969 as sales support for produce grown at the farm.

ANDREW BOYLES

complex manager | Tyson Foods

Wilkesboro

Boyles, who has a bachelor's degree in poultry science from N.C. State University, oversees the 3,000-employee Wilkesboro location for the giant chicken, beef and pork producer. He serves on the North Carolina Poultry Federation board and was its president in 2020-21.

TREY BRASWELL III

president | Braswell Family Farms

Nashville

The fourth-generation president of a family farm established in 1943 has helped the company become the secondlargest Eggland's Best franchise in the U.S. An N.C. State University graduate and Nash County native, he started the farm's organic operation in 2018.

BRYAN DOBSON

CEO | Quality Equipment

Fuquay-Varina

The Scotland Neck native and East Carolina University graduate joined his family's John Deere tractor dealership. Farmland Tractor, in 1997. The company merged with East Coast Equipment in 2005, then with Quality Equipment in 2018. Quality expanded last year into Wilmington with an acquisition.

RUSSELL ESTES

co-owner | Peak Farms

Jefferson

Peak Farms started in 1979 and has grown more than 400,000 Christmas trees. Estes' Fraser firs have won several awards from the National Christmas Tree Association. Peak Farm's trees have served as the official White House Christmas trees.

BOBBY HAM

owner | Ham Farms

Snow Hill

The graduate of East Carolina University has led the business since the 1980s, creating one of the largest U.S. sweet potato farming businesses and an exporter to 16 nations. Founded in 1975, the company also produces processed foods including vegetable and fruit purees.

CRAIG HAGOOD

president, CEO | House-Autry Mills

Four Oaks

The Kansas State University graduate was named CEO in 2010, after joining the business in 2001. House-Autry Mills is a leading supplier of products that include breading, batters and spices. In 2019, the...