“Everyday ought to be Farmer Appreciation Day,” said North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler. About 400 people listened attentively to his words at the 12th annual Farmer Appreciation event at North Stokes High School on Thursday night, April 1. The gym was full of Stokes County folks—both farmers and non-farmers—who had come out to pay their respects to local agriculture.

And there were many more folks in the cafeteria and foyer. Organizers say there was a record crowd.

The atmosphere was festive as guests enjoyed a free meal—barbecue, chicken, pintos, potato salad, slaw, rolls, dessert and a drink. While participants ate and fellowshipped, local band Blues Creek was picking and grinning onstage. Youth and adults alike flatfooted together up front.

Elected officials meandered through the crowd—county commissioners, board of education members, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx and Representative Bryan Holloway, plus many others soliciting votes for the upcoming election.

Outside the gym, booths were set up for the public to peruse—4-Hers collecting food and donations in honor of “Stokes Farmers Feeding Stokes Folks,” informational booths from North Stokes High School Future Farmers of America and the Soil and Water department, businesses set up to advertise, and many more displays.

Speakers addressed those present with encouraging words about the future of farming. Stokes County Commissioner Stanley Smith was the official emcee. “I wear several hats, but tonight I’m a Stokes County farmer,” he declared proudly to the audience.

According to Troxler, farming is the number one industry in North Carolina, with $70 billion per year in revenue. This is over three times the revenue brought in by the second place finisher, the military. This state, with its diverse agricultural offerings, is number three in the nation, agriculturally speaking.

Despite his optimism, Troxler had words of warning as well. “This is a changing business,” he said. “We’ve lost a lot—A LOT—of farmland.” He added that about one million acres have been lost in the past few years. Stokes County alone has lost 15 percent of its farmland since 2002.

Troxler also noted regretfully that young people are not coming back to agriculture. He also questioned why farmers are seen as enemies by some, particularly in government. “We help everybody that puts a fork to their mouth,” he stated.

Troxler expressed hope that the local foods movement would help the future of farming locally. “I want to make sure North Carolina stays green and growing,” he concluded.

Aaron Martin, executive director of the state’s Farm Service Agency, was also on hand Thursday night. He told those present that although his organization is a federal office, they sponsor a county committee to help local farmers.

“It’s the best thing the federal government has ever created,” Martin said of this local committee with federal authority. “They know how you farm.”

More good news followed in the form of the announcement of grants to local farmers. Jeff Jennings of the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund explained to the audience how his agency has an interest in areas that have been adversely affected by the loss of tobacco and its revenue. He was joined onstage by Joe Schroeder of the Rural Advancement Foundation.

Schroeder recognized a group from Rockingham County that works with the innovative Local Foods Coalition which is now coming to Stokes County as well. They had garnered a $30,000 grant for their work.

Members of the Saura Pride Purple Sweet Potato Project came up on stage to be recognized for their reception of a $30,000 grant for their farming endeavor. Schroeder stressed that any farmer can apply for such a grant. He said that his foundation’s goal is to “keep finding farmers doing good things.”

These grants are three-year programs. Over $250,000 was recently awarded to farmers in the Western Piedmont region which consists of about 15-20 counties. Jennings called this endeavor “probably the only grant program individual farmers can benefit from,” adding that his group is “looking for innovative projects.”

According to Jennings and Schroeder, about 99 percent of those who apply for these grants have never applied for grants before. Stokes County periodically holds workshops to educate local farmers on how to apply for these grants. More information can also be found at www.ncfarmgrants.org. There is someone there dedicated solely to helping farmers with the application process.

Shortly after 8 p.m., the evening’s event drew to a close and door prizes were given out, including a gas grill that had been raffled off.

As the participants left the gym, the words delivered in the invocation by former Stokes County Commissioner and current secretary/treasurer of the Stokes County Soil & Water Conservation District, Willis Overby, left them with a benediction until next year’s event. His request to God was “that we will all be better custodians of this beautiful creation we’ve been given.”

To which local farmers, and those who had come out to honor them, answered, “Amen!”