By Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton
Agriculture is the backbone of North Carolina’s economy. With over $111 billion in annual economic impact, it’s not just our largest industry, it’s the lifeblood of rural communities across the state. By supporting NC Ag Leads, Golden LEAF is investing in the long-term economic vitality of North Carolina. When agriculture thrives, rural North Carolina thrives.
At the Golden LEAF Foundation, we focus on increasing economic opportunity in rural and economically distressed areas, places where agriculture is often a major employer and economic driver. At a Board planning meeting, our past Board Chairman, Don Flow, raised the idea of developing a strategic plan for agriculture in North Carolina. He asked the question: what can Golden LEAF do to help best prepare North Carolina to continue as a leader in agriculture into the future?
We were surprised to find there was not a statewide strategic plan in place.
In response, Golden LEAF stepped forward as the lead funder and a founding partner of NC Ag Leads, a strategic planning initiative to build a bold, practical, and unified roadmap for North Carolina’s agriculture and agribusiness sectors.
A Groundbreaking Collaboration
Launched in November 2023, NC Ag Leads is the product of an inclusive, multi-year planning process. The strategic planning process was led by the NC Chamber Foundation, and developed in partnership with Golden LEAF, NC Farm Bureau, and Google. This effort was designed with the farmer’s needs at the forefront and a focus on actionable steps that North Carolina can take to position agriculture for the future.
The effort was directed by a distinguished Steering Committee dedicated to agriculture, including Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, NC Farm Bureau President Shawn Harding, NC Chamber CEO Gary Salamido, Golden LEAF Board Members Lawrence Davenport, Laurence Lilley, and Don Flow, and myself. The process was led by Ray Starling, Laura Kilian, and Sarah Grace Lee.
What sets NC Ag Leads apart is how it brought together a wide cross-section of voices—from multigenerational farmers to ag tech innovators, educators to agribusiness professionals—to define shared priorities. These recommendations were formed from hours and hours of feedback through listening sessions, pressure testing, and even more development and feedback.
The result is the HARVEST framework, a six-part strategy that focuses on areas where targeted collaboration can drive the most impact in agriculture:
- Harmonize land and resource use in a growing state
- Align technology supply and demand
- Reinforce farmer support systems
- Value a business mindset across the industry
- Empower and equip the agriculture workforce
- Streamline market access
- Transform investment in innovation and entrepreneurship
A Launchpad for Action
The NC Ag Leads strategic plan, announced in May 2025, isn’t a report to put on a coffee table; it’s a blueprint to guide action, fully focused on supporting farmers. You can read more about the announcement in this edition of our newsletter.
Early implementation will focus on strengthening the agricultural workforce, reimagining the model for Extension services, and accelerating ag tech development. These are not small tasks, but with the strong foundation of public-private collaboration this initiative nurtured, they are well within reach.
At Golden LEAF, we are committed to supporting these next steps. We see NC Ag Leads as an opportunity to strengthen the sector at the heart of rural North Carolina.
A Future Worth Cultivating
Agriculture has shaped North Carolina’s past. NC Ag Leads ensures it also shapes our future.By aligning our efforts, listening to those on the ground, and acting with purpose, North Carolina will continue to lead the nation in agricultural innovation, resilience, and prosperity. We have a bright future ahead of us for our farmers and agribusiness in North Carolina.