Industry

Number One Sweetpotato Producing State

In 1971, just ten years after the formation of the Commission, North Carolina earned the rank of No.1 sweetpotato producing state in the U.S. and has remained there since. Its hot, moist climate and rich, fertile soil are ideal for cultivating sweetpotatoes, averaging at nearly 60% of the U.S. supply. According to the USDA, North Carolina harvested nearly 95,000 acres of sweetpotatoes in 2016, nearly 30,000 more acres than California, Louisiana and Mississippi combined – also top producing states. The graphic shows the top sweetpotato producing North Carolina counties, with Sampson, Johnston, Wilson and Nash accounting for about half of the state’s supply.

For more detailed industry information, contact our office at [email protected]

The North Carolina SweetPotato Commission deliberately spells sweetpotato  as one word unless directly quoting a source where it is spelled as two words  i.e., sweet potato).  The one-word spelling was officially adopted by the National Sweetpotato Collaborators in 1989.  Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) must not be confused in the minds of shippers, distributors, warehouse workers, and above all consumers with the equally unique and distinctive potato (Solanum tuberosum) or the yam (Dioscorea sp.) which are also grown and marketed commercially in the United States. Please join us in using the scientific one-word spelling of our state vegetable, the North Carolina Sweetpotato!
For further information please visit these two globally trusted entities!
National Sweetpotato Collaborators   The International Potato Center (CIP)

Help Us Correct the Spelling of the Sweetpotato – It’s ONE Word!

Did you know that sweetpotato is one word? We’d love your help in teaching the rest of the world (and those super smart dictionary authors) to use the correct spelling and update the dictionary entries. This is not a marketing ploy or us just being cool. It’s science!

Help us create change by adopting the CORRECT spelling of sweetpotato: it is a noun and not an adjective. That means sweet is not a descriptor, but part of the actual nomenclature. This is different than a potato which uses adjectives like white, red or russet to describe an entirely different vegetable.

Go to change.org and sign the petition!

 

Industry Certifications

Plant Production Compliance Agreements

Compliance agreements are for the allowance of out-of-state shipments and are distributed and managed through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. If you need a compliance agreement or have questions related to compliance please contact the Plant Pest Specialist who covers the region in which you live/farm.

What is GAP?

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) are voluntary audits that verify fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled, and stored as safely as possible to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards

Why should I GAP Certify? 

NC Fresh Produce Safety: Third-Party Auditors

Food safety should be an important issue for sweetpotato producers and taken seriously. Foodborne illnesses and deaths have been highly publicized over recent years.  The loss of consumer confidence over contaminated outbreaks has serious effects on the entire produce industry. Almost without exception, the price of the affected crop drops following an outbreak, resulting in significant economic loss.  The GAP program is a good way for growers to maintain consumer trust as well as prevent contamination.

USDA Auditing Information

NCDA Cooperative Grading Service

NCDA GAP Cost Share Program

What is Global GAP Certification?

G.A.P. stands for Good Agricultural Practice – and GLOBALG.A.P. is the worldwide standard that assures it.

Globally connecting farmers and brand owners in the production and marketing of safe food to provide reassurance for consumers. We lay the foundation for the protection of scarce resources by the implementation of Good Agricultural Practices with a promise for a sustainable future.

If you are planning to ship internationally, or if your packer ships internationally, you should plan on becoming Global G.A.P. certified.

What is Organic Certification?

Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods. The organic standards describe the specific requirements that must be verified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent before products can be labeled USDA organic.

USDA Organic Standards

How do I become certified?

USDA – Becoming organic certified

NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services – Organic Cost Share Program

NC Fresh Produce Safety: Third-Party Auditors

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Associate Members

Certis Biologicals

7827 Cape Chales Dr. Raleigh, NC 27617

Contact
Amanda Eade - Regional Sales and Key Account Manager | Clemen De Oliveira, Ph.D., Field Development Manager
Phone
Amanda Cell: (919) 537-5437 | Clemen Cell: (813) 393-9626
Products: NemaClean 10% WP, Melocon LN, Double Nickel, LifGard, Gemstar, Sil-Matrix, Oso, SoilGard, PFR-97, Cueva, Sluggo, Seduce, Bun-N0Sluggo, Neemix 4.5, Triology, Agree, Crymax, Deliver, Javelin, Des-X, Homplate, BoteGHA and Kocide
More Information
With a proven, broad portfolio of crop protection solutions for organic and conventional production, Certis Biologicals has the answers growers need in today's dynamic agricultural environment. A leader in commercializing new product innovations in bio-control to solve tomorrow's agricultural issues.

Waters Agricultural Laboratories, Inc.

364 Westpark Dr., Warsaw, NC 28398 | Website

Contact
Kirk Bell
Phone
Office: 910-293-2108 | Fax: 910-293-2183 | Cell: 910-214-1272
Products: soil, plant, nematode water analysis, chemical analysis, and microbiological analysis
More Information
Waters Agricultural Laboratories, Inc. is a privately owned laboratory offering a wide variety of agricultural analytical services. We have been in business since 1976 with labs in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Warsaw, North Carolina. We provide services to the Southeast including North Carolina.
Associate Members

Southern Ag Carriers

1693 Sadler Rd., Dunn, NC 28334 | Website

Contact
Jordan Lee - Operations Manager | Justin Lanterman - Director of Sentry Logistics | Daryl Pope - Sales Account Executive | Hugh Nall - President
Phone
Office: 910-813-0627 | Fax: 910-230-4087
Products: Asset-based trucking company
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SouthernAG Carriers, Inc. is an asset-based truckload carrier specializing in Peanuts, Cotton, Pegans & Agriculture. We are dedicated to providing the safest, highest-quality transportation services available.
Associate Members

SMP- Southeast Marketing Inc.

P.O. Box 268 Vardaman, MS38878 | Website

Contact
Tim Edmondson | JacobRuth-Sales | Jeff Axelberg-Sales
Phone
Office: 662-682-7830 Fax: 662-682-9715
Products:
More Information
All sweetpotato products offered from Mississippi to North Carolina.
Growers

CEG Farms, LLC

997 Matthews Mill Pond Rd.

Contact
Clay Gardner
Phone
O: 919-639-4027
Products:
Associate Members

Farmers Harvest INC.

1778 Morristown Rd., Littleton, NC 27850 | Website

Contact
Kevin Pinelli - President
Phone
O: 302-734-7708 C: 302-270-6885
Products: Sweetpotato equipment and parts: Vine Snappers, Chain Diggers, Grading line parts and equipment.
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Potato and vegetable equipment business for 28 years. We manufacture custom potato equipment and field equipment, Supply belted chains, rollers, and sprockets to all types of growers. We have perfected the only true sweetpotato vine snapper for the U.S. and abroad!
Associate Members

Scott Insurance

2501 Blue Ridge Rd. Suite 250, Raleigh NC 27607 | Website

Contact
Bo Burns - Risk Advisor, Chad Duke - Risk Advisor/VP
Phone
919-844-0640
Products: Commercial Insurance, Risk Management, Claims Management, Captives, Employee Benefits Programs, and Specialty Ag Related Programs (Worker's Comp, H2A, Product Recall, Etc.)
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With over 150 years of experience, employee-owned Scott Insurance is a leader in developing smart strategies and innovative programs customized to the needs of the middle market. We offer property & casualty, employee benefits, captive insurance, and surety bond solutions, as well as personal insurance services. We have advanced agricultural risk management expertise with an intimate knowledge of agriculture, food manufacturing, and food distribution industries. We help our clients navigate and build tailored programs to improve performance.
Associate Members
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Caquin Group

1500 Weston Rd. #3041 Weston , FL 33326 | Website

Contact
Andrea Schenone
Phone
863-800-0094
Products: Steel Conical Tapered Drums 55 Gallons, Steel Conical Tapered Drums 58 Gallons, Steel Conical Tapered Drums 60 Gallons, Drums Safety Seals
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At Caquin Group we have been providing our customers in the Food Processing Industry in the US and Canada with high-performing, sustainable and long-term cost-reducing Industrial Bulk Packaging for over 20 years. Our customers use our packaging solutions to efficiently and safely store and transport products such as vegetable and fruit purees and concentrate, oils, and honey among others. Our green thinking philosophy has always driven us to supply eco-friendly and reusable packaging. Our steel conical tapered drums are multi-use, recyclable, and provide our customers cost-reduction of more than 15% in storage and logistics costs versus other drums.
Associate Members

Long Island Lumber

667 Whitehall Rd., Long Island, VA 24569 | Website

Contact
Nate Boyer
Phone
434-283-1583
Products: 40 Bushel Oak Sweetpotato Bins
More Information
Long Island Lumber produces and delivers high-quality all oak sweetpotato bins. After years of extensive research and interviewing farmers along the coast, Long Island Lumber finally discovered a solution to the lack of high-quality potato bins on the market. We developed a bin that is 100% oak, making it both rot-resistant and durable, withstanding over the course of 15-20 years. Double-bolted bottom corners and angle-braced sideboards also provide extra security for heavy loads. We maintain a tight floorboard spacing so our bins work well for storing seed potatoes and stack well with most other 40-bushel bins built by other manufacturers. Long Island can deliver direct to your farm!