AGRIPRENEURS ON THE RISE: Small Business Centers are planting seeds and harvesting impact throughout North Carolina, from the mountains to the sea.

• Position: Agribusiness

There are almost 50,000 farms in North Carolina, spread across almost 9 million acres. That agriculture is a large part of our economy and way of life is no surprise. What you might not know is that almost 70% of our farms are 99 acres or less. Small farming is not only a way of life in our state; it is also a business. Many small farmers don't see themselves as entrepreneurs ... but they are! Farmer-entrepreneurs, or agripreneurs, are an important and significant part of our small-business community.

There are a lot of reasons why farmers do what they do-tradition, sense of pride, providing for themselves and others --but make no mistake, it's a competitive and often difficult business. Farmers face the same challenges as any small business, such as cost pressures, changes in local market demand, and integrating new technologies. However, they also must contend with Mother Nature, global price pressures and competition, and an ever-changing regulatory environment. It's certainly not for the faint of heart.

The N.C. Small Business Center Network (NCSBCN) recognizes these special entrepreneurs and stands ready to support them as they work to grow and improve their small farm businesses. The NCSBCN is uniquely qualified to help these farm-to-table entrepreneurs with 58 small business centers strategically located at our community colleges. In fact, there is an SBC within 30 minutes of every small farmer in the state. A local SBC helps agripreneurs "see" their farms as a business and as a means to earn profits. They tap into their passion about farm and food and help them take calculated risks to sustainably grow their business.

North Carolina leads the nation in providing resources to small business. So, it's no surprise that a state whose early and ongoing economy is richly steeped in agriculture is seeing its GDP rise again by expanding with niche farm-to-food markets. These markets provide bountiful opportunity for the small agripreneurs who are willing to plow their time, talent and energies into food and farming businesses. However, navigating these new opportunities is challenging. The Small Business Centers are uniquely positioned to help them leverage those resources to successfully start and grow their agribusiness.

Ronald Simmons, founder and CEO of Master Blend Family Farms, is the perfect example of a small family farmer who combined his own hard work and determination with assistance from the Small Business Center to start and...