Nursery/floriculture crops are a rapidly growing sector in the North Carolina agricultural economy. Annual sales have increased approximately $34 million per year for the past eight years. The wholesale value of these crops exceeded $973 million in 1999 surpassing tobacco as the number one crop commodity in the state. The Department of Horticulture will use GLF funds to accelerate and expand opportunities for developing new and improved crops in a shorter period of time.