DURHAM -- Agriculture is the largest sector of North Carolina's economy, and a new Ag Biotech Economic Development program was launched Wednesday to continue driving innovation. Dr. Richard Linton, Dean of NC State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, says they are hoping this platform will further growth in the Tar Heel state.

Dr. Linton said, "In the agriculture industry right now, we have about 750,000 jobs. And we grow between 30-to-40,000 new jobs, each and every year. We're growing from a $78 billion industry, today, in hopes of growing that to $100 billion by 2020."

Linton added that every $1 invested in agriculture research returns $20 to the economy.