Source:  Nick Augostini, Asst. Director, Horticulture & Seafood, NCDA&CS, 6/4/20

North Carolina agriculture is open for business. As we move forward into June, more businesses are opening to the public. Increased demand for out-of-home meals, foodservice and retail is occurring. Crops are looking very good at this time. Relatively cool weather and adequate rain have provided ample growing conditions for berries and offer a great start for recent plantings of corn, tomatoes and other summer vegetables.

The season is off to a good start, offering hope for a promising harvest. Growers in general are having a hard time finding adequate labor. However, most of the growers in the state have a large enough labor pool and work together to ensure that the crops are taken care of in a timely fashion. Consequently, we expect a very good supply of summer crops this season. Overall, spring and summer crop volume should be up about 3-5 percent.