With funding from the Golden Leaf Foundation, the NC Chamber Foundation is launching an Agricultural Workforce Intelligence Pilot to strengthen the workforce pipeline supporting North Carolina’s agriculture economy. Advancing a key priority identified through the NC Ag Leads strategic planning process, the initiative will provide employers with new insights to better align workforce, education, and training strategies with industry needs. 

The Agricultural Workforce Intelligence Pilot will identify workforce needs that are often missing from traditional labor market data. A critical segment of North Carolina’s agricultural workforce occupies mid-skill, technically trained, locally-rooted positions that support farms, food processors, agricultural service businesses, and the broader infrastructure that drives rural economies across the state. 

Through direct engagement with employers and industry stakeholders, the pilot will identify workforce gaps, training needs, and emerging demands. The findings will help inform workforce development strategies, education and training programs, and policy recommendations that better align with the realities of North Carolina’s agricultural economy. 

“Agriculture is more than an industry; it’s the backbone of our rural communities,” said Golden LEAF President and Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton. “Through the NC Ag Leads initiative, leaders identified workforce preparedness as a critical priority for the future of the sector. By engaging employers directly, this project will help identify career opportunities as well as the skills and expertise needed to meet employer demand.” 

Launched in 2023 by the Golden LEAF Foundation and the NC Chamber Foundation, with support from the NC Farm Bureau and Google, NC Ag Leads continues to advance an industry-led strategic plan for strengthening North Carolina’s agriculture and agribusiness sector, which contributes more than $100 billion annually to the state’s economy. 

Learn more about the announcement.