Major North Carolina crops which require hand labor for cultivation or harvest include tobacco, Christmas trees, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, apples, and blueberries. North Carolina ranks first in the nation in the production of tobacco, Christmas trees, and sweet potatoes (8).
In addition, North Carolina farms grow a large variety of other fruits and vegetables, and many farmworkers work in greenhouses, plant nurseries, and cotton gins.
North Carolina also has large forests and tree plantations, where brush is cleared and trees are planted by migrant workers.
Seasonal farmworkers provide the labor for North Carolina’s large hog and poultry farms. North Carolina second in the nation in the production of hogs and turkeys (9).