In 2025, the 100th volume of the Agricultural Review, the free newspaper published by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, will be celebrated. To commemorate this milestone, the department is embarking on a retrospective journey. They are uncovering old papers, dusting off their pages, and reflecting on what has transpired in agriculture over the past 99 years. Each month, an article, recipe, or other piece of content "From the archives" of the Ag Review will be shared.
Tomatoes are staples in home gardens, at farmers markets, and on dinner tables in North Carolina, especially during the summer. One of the most versatile varieties grown in the state is the Roma tomato. Prized for its firm flesh and low seed content, the Roma tomato is considered a good canning and sauce tomato. However, in the 1960s, it was affectionately referred to as a "pizza tomato" because it was often used for making pizza sauce.
© North Carolina Government
In 1966, approximately 110 acres of "pizza tomatoes" were planted in eastern North Carolina, according to an article in the May 15 issue of the Agricultural Review from that year. The article stated that the planting marked the first time farmers in the eastern part of the state were producing tomatoes for the processing trade. They anticipated harvesting around 20 tons of tomatoes per acre, totaling roughly 2,200 tons.
The tomatoes were planted in Lenoir County, near Kinston, as detailed in the article. The article described Roma tomatoes as "plum-shaped fruit, low in acid and high in solids" and noted that they were largely used in "paste type food products."
You can read the original article here.
Source: North Carolina Government
