Field crops -- tobacco, soybeans, corn, cotton, peanuts, forages and small grains -- pervade North Carolina's rural landscape. But increased foreign competition and other factors make farming these traditional commodities risky. North Carolina Cooperative Extension helps by providing growers with the latest research-based information and recommendations on the best varieties and production practices for the state's conditions. Extension also helps growers comply with changing regulations, investigate new higher-value opportunities, develop solid business plans and explore marketing options.