Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler recently recognized Jimmy Gentry of Statesville with the Friends of Farmland award for his longtime support and tireless dedication towards preserving farmland in North Carolina. Gentry retired as president of the N.C. Grange in 2025 and has served on the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund Advisory Committee and has been a key partner in the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership and designation for 33 counties in central and eastern N.C.
“Jimmy has been a true champion of agriculture and the agriculture community through his life’s work with the Grange and as an ag educator before that,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.
The NC Friends of Farmland Award, established in 2023, is given annually to recognize the exemplary efforts of individuals and groups that advance farmland preservation efforts in North Carolina while demonstrating their dedication to fostering the growth, development and sustainability of North Carolina family farms.
Gentry began his career teaching agriculture at West Montgomery High School in 1972 before becoming an assistant principal at North Iredell High School in 1988. Following that, he served as principal at both Sharon Elementary School and Union Groce Elementary School before retiring with 30 years of service.
In 2003, he began his second career with the N.C. State Grange. “As president of the Grange, Jimmy has been an advocate for agriculture on all levels and he has been someone who I knew I could always count on,” said Troxler. “He is an invaluable resource, a wealth of agricultural knowledge and a dedicated advocate.”
Since the Farmland Preservation Program started in 2005, around 42,000 acres have been protected. This year, the state budget awarded $46.9 million in one-time funding for the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. Additionally, the budget added $2 million in recurring funding for the program. “This is significant money that will allow us to facilitate more conservation easements on farms,” said Troxler. “But the fact is development is outpacing our conservation efforts and now we also have the added threat of data centers. So, we still have our work cut out for us, even with the legislature’s nearly $47 million investment.”
The Friend of Farmland award was presented during opening ceremonies at the N.C. Mountain State Fair in Fletcher.