Planting a seed: from biotechnology to education, North Carolina's agricultural leaders are searching for ways to keep the industry strong for years to come.

• Position: SPONSORED SECTION: CASH CROP

Agriculture accounted for more than $78 billion of the state's $456 billion income in 2012, according to a May 2014 report by N.C. State University extension economist Mike Walden. That's a $900 million increase over the previous year. The industry employs 640,000--16%--of the states workers. But North Carolina's population is growing, and fewer people are entering agribusiness even as the average age of the state's farmers nears 60. Colleges are looking for ways to train young farmers in agriculture as well as business, but they're also promoting the study of ag-biotechnology to find ways to increase crop yields. And more companies in the food-processing sector are looking to expand or...