Tobacco, corn crops in North Carolina impacted greatly by changes in climate: 'I'm like Don Quixote'

NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) -- On Jackie Thompson's farm on the Wake-Franklin County line, things have changed a lot over the years.

"Our area is being inundated by urbanization," Thompson says.

But even as traffic and homes pop up around him, Jackie keeps his farming traditions alive.

"I tell people I'm like Don Quixote, he just kept charging the windmill," he says.

But every Renaissance man has to pivot and adjust. His mainstay is his tobacco crop, with crews who still pick leaves by hand that will eventually go as far as Japan.

This year though, he decided to mix things up.

"This is something that for the first time in 20 to 30 years we decided we were going to try to plant some corn," he says, "It was not a good decision because it was so dry and hot."

The brutal heat has taken its toll on his cornfield. Thompson showed us some ears of corn with mold inside.

Just to keep it going, they've had to use water sources nearby to irrigate entire fields.

That can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Jackie estimates this summer alone, between the extra fuel and labor costs, he's spent an extra $25,000.

And it's not just heat that can create problems.

"Too much rain can hurt you as much as not enough rain," he says.

Just in the past few weeks, a farm in Wilson County was devastated by the remnants of Hurricane Debby.

At an NC State facility in Clayton, scientists from the USDA are working to find solutions to keep our state's agriculture industry thriving amid the chaos.

"I think one of the things that to keep in mind is the fact that these are extreme events that can happen very quickly. It's like the erratic nature of how the climate is changing is a big deal," says plant physiologist Kent Burkey.

They're looking into new irrigation techniques, but they're also investigating whether crops can be genetically modified to be more weather-resistant.

"From the point of view of a plant breeder, there's so much genotypes, there's so much germplasm out there that has never been tested. There's probably all kinds of potential genes," Burkey says.

Hoping science, and tradition can come together, so future crops can roll with the punches, just like Jackie does.

"I'm 73 years old right now, and I told people this summer I got 27 more years until I retire when I'm 100," Thompson says.

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