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Beaufort County, NC

In Pinetown, we spoke with mechanic and family farmer, William Jefferson -- whose family has lived in this area for generations.

Published onMay 10, 2022
Beaufort County, NC
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Beaufort County, NC

In Pinetown, we spoke with mechanic and family farmer, William Jefferson —whose family has lived in this area for generations. Throughout our conversation, William, more than anything, emphasized the importance of family. William’s own family helped each other build each other’s homes. All of William’s tractors and farm equipment (which he fondly refers to as women) were all his daddy’s and granddaddy’s.  

As William explained through our conversation, “family farms are dying.” With more and more organizations and businesses turning into corporations, William identifies that family farms are not sustainable due to costs — especially when compared to commercial farming. Commercial farms receive governmental support, but family farms, such as William’s, do not receive this support as they are often selling their crops directly to consumers. In William’s case, their family farm produces a lot of crops for deer and bear hunters. In reaching and producing for such a niche of consumers, they are able to reach folks that commercial farms cannot, but their farm simultaneously cannot obtain insurance as they are “not selling to benefit the government.” As such, many family farms and farmers cannot make a living off of farming alone, such as generations of families had done in the past.

In addition to being a farmer, William (as well as his wife and daughter) are all emergency responders. 

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