2025 marks the 100th volume of the Agricultural Review, the free newspaper published by the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. To celebrate, we’re taking a journey back in time. We’re digging out some old papers, dusting off their pages and looking back at what has happened in agriculture in the last 99 years. Each month, we’ll share an article, recipe or other piece of content “From the Archives” of the Ag Review. We can’t wait to see what we find!
Today, North Carolina ranks fifth in pepper production in the country, but 59 years ago, the crop was new to the Old North State.
According to the N.C. State Extension, only California, Florida, Michigan and New Jersey top North Carolina in pepper production today. The majority of the state’s pepper industry is focused on bell pepper production, with some 7,300 acres grown across the state.
That’s a massive increase from the 40 acres of bell pepper plants planted in the Cedar Grove area in 1966. An article in the June 1, 1966, issue of the Agricultural Review records this planting and suggests it was the first planting of bell peppers for processing in North Carolina.
According to the article, the planting was part of a project through the Cedar Grove Ruritan Club. A group of 17 farmers came together to start a pepper-for-food processing operation in the Orange County and Alamance County area. According to the archive article, marketing specialists with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with the group to pilot the project.
The 40 acres were expected to yield some $20,000 in income, after accounting for production costs, the article said. Today’s crop makes up an estimated total industry value of $21 million, according to the N.C. State Extension.
Today, much of the state’s pepper crop is produced in the central East Coast region, with Sampson, Duplin, Wayne, Johnston, Pender and Columbus counties among the top producers. Western North Carolina also produces some peppers, according to the N.C. State Extension.
Here’s the full story from 1966.
Bell Peppers Are New Cash Crop
The Cedar Grove Community is getting into the bell pepper business, marketing specialists say.
Planted recently, the bell peppers will be produced for processing, Euris A. Vanderford, N.C. Department of Agriculture fruits and vegetable marketing specialist says.
The markets division man said the pepper plantings were made in a radius of 2½ miles of the community center.
Forty acres are planted in the Orange-Alamance County area.
Vanderford said the individual farm acreages average about 2 to 2½, with the largest producer planting 5 acres. The planting was finished May 12, and the bell-type pepper production coming from the acreage will be sold under contract to H.P. Cannon, processors in Dunn.
Hugh Martin, in charge of fruit and vegetable service for the division, pointed out that the group of 17 farmers engaged in the pepper-for-food processing operation were interested in the project through the Cedar Grove Ruritan Club.
Marketing specialists met with the group in late January of 1966 to lay plans for the project.
The specialists said some $20,000 income, after production expenses, would be realized by the enterprising group.
Martin said the group will carry the project through, and the processor is interested in increasing the acreage the following year.
In other areas of the state, cucumbers are working well, among other vegetables, in the diversification projects being carried out by the department.