Article 52. 
Agricultural Development. 
§ 106‑580.  Short title.
This Article may be cited as the "Agricultural Development Act." (1959, c. 1177, s. 1.)

§ 106‑581.  Intent and purpose.
It is hereby declared to be the intent and purpose of this Article to provide for a plan of assistance to the farmers and other citizens of this State in increasing agricultural income by making available to the various counties of the State the full resources of the Agricultural Extension Service, and other facilities, within the said counties, by means of the Farm and Home Development Program and the Rural Development Program as authorized by Title 7, United States Code, and other existing agricultural agencies. (1959, c. 1177, s. 2.)

§ 106‑581.1.  Agriculture defined.
For purposes of this Article, the terms "agriculture", "agricultural", and "farming" refer to all of the following:
(1)	The cultivation of soil for production and harvesting of crops, including but not limited to fruits, vegetables, sod, flowers and ornamental plants.
(2)	The planting and production of trees and timber, including pine orchards planted and maintained for the purpose of harvesting pine needles for sale, or the harvesting of pine needles for sale from land with a forest management plan.
(3)	Dairying and the raising, management, care, and training of livestock, including horses, bees, poultry, and other animals for individual and public use, consumption, and marketing.
(4)	Aquaculture as defined in G.S. 106‑758.
(5)	The operation, management, conservation, improvement, and maintenance of a farm and the structures and buildings on the farm, including building and structure repair, replacement, expansion, and construction incident to the farming operation.
(6)	When performed on the farm, "agriculture", "agricultural", and "farming" also include the marketing and selling of agricultural products, agritourism, biofuel production for commercial sale, the storage and use of materials for agricultural purposes, packing, treating, processing, sorting, storage, and other activities performed to add value to crops, livestock, and agricultural items produced on a farm, and similar activities incident to the operation of a farm
(7)	A public or private grain warehouse or warehouse operation where grain is held 10 days or longer and includes, but is not limited to, all buildings, elevators, equipment, and warehouses consisting of one or more warehouse sections and considered a single delivery point with the capability to receive, load out, weigh, dry, and store grain.  (1991, c. 81, s. 1; 2005‑390, s. 18; 2006‑255, s. 6; 2013‑347, s. 2; 2017‑108, s. 8.1; 2023‑63, s. 1.5.)

§ 106‑582.  Counties authorized to utilize facilities to promote programs.
The several counties of this State are hereby authorized to utilize the facilities of existing extension and other agricultural advisory committees for the purpose of installing and promoting the Farm and Home Development Program and/or the Rural Development Program, or other program within the purview of this Article, in the said counties; or, the several counties may, within their discretion,  with the cooperation of the Agricultural Extension Service, create such new additional committees as may be needed for this purpose. (1959, c. 1177, s. 3.)

§ 106‑583.  Policy of State; cooperation of departments and agencies with Agricultural Extension Service.
It is declared to be the policy of the State of North Carolina to promote the efficient production and utilization of the products of the soil as essential to the health and welfare of our people and to promote a sound and prosperous agriculture and rural life as indispensable to the maintenance of maximum prosperity. For the attainment of these objectives the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the School of Agriculture of North Carolina College and each and every other department and agency of the State of North Carolina is hereby empowered to cooperate with the Agricultural Extension Service and the committees authorized by this Article to provide: Development of new and improved methods of production, marketing, distribution, processing and utilization of plant and animal commodities at all stages from the original producer through to the ultimate consumer; development of present, new, and extended uses and markets for agricultural commodities and by‑products as food or in commerce, manufacture or trade; introduction and breeding of new and useful agricultural crops, plants and animals, particularly those plants and crops which may be adapted to utilization in chemical and manufacturing industries; research, counsel and advice on new and more profitable uses of our resources of agricultural manpower, soils, plants, animals and equipment than those to which they are now devoted; methods of conservation, development, and use of land, forest, and water resources for agricultural purposes; guidance in the design, development, and more efficient and satisfactory use of farm buildings, farm homes, farm machinery, including the application of electricity, water and other forms of power; techniques relating to the diversification of farm enterprises, both as to the type of commodities produced, and as to the types of operations performed, on the individual farm; and assistance in appraising opportunities for making fuller use of the natural, human and community resources in the various counties of this State to the end that the income and level of living of rural people be increased. (1959, c. 1177, s. 4; 1997‑261, s. 109; 1997‑443, s. 11A.118(a).)

§ 106‑584.  Maximum use of existing research facilities.
In effectuating the purposes of this Article, maximum use may be made of existing research facilities owned or controlled by the State of North Carolina or by the federal government and of the facilities of the State and federal extension services. (1959, c. 1177, s. 5.)

§ 106‑585.  Appropriations by counties; funds made available by Congress.
The several counties of this State are hereby authorized to make such appropriations and expend such funds as shall be necessary to defray any part of the expenses of the programs authorized by this Article, including the salaries of the extension agents, special agents and other necessary personnel, and any funds made available by the Congress of the United States for this purpose may be accepted and used therefor. (1959, c. 1177, s. 6.)

§ 106‑586.  Authority granted by Article supplementary.
The authority granted by this Article is in addition to that granted to the Extension Service by the Congress of the United States and in no way infringes upon the administrative authority of the director of the Extension Service or the existing policies of the Extension Service. (1959, c. 1177, s. 7.)

§ 106‑587.  Local appropriations.
Each county and city in this State is authorized to make appropriations for the purposes of this Article and to fund them by levy of property taxes pursuant to G.S. 153A‑149 and G.S. 160A‑209 and by the allocation of other revenues whose use is not otherwise restricted by law. (1959, c. 1177, s. 8; 1973, c. 803, s. 10.)

§ 106-588: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 106-589: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 106‑590.  Annual report on funds allocated to the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc.
The North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc., shall do the following if the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services allocates funds to it for programs of the North Carolina Future Farmers of America Association:
(1)	By September 1 of each year, and more frequently as requested, report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources and the Fiscal Research Division on prior State fiscal year program activities, objectives, and accomplishments and prior State fiscal year itemized expenditures and fund sources.
(2)	Provide to the Fiscal Research Division a copy of the organization's annual audited financial statement within 30 days of issuance of the statement.  (2013‑360, s. 13.7(b); 2020‑78, s. 5.1(j).)

§ 106-591: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 106-592: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 106-593: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 106-594: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 106-595: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 106-596: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 106-597: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 106-598: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 106-599: Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 106-600: Reserved for future codification purposes.