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Oral History Interview with Lauch Faircloth, July 16, 1999. Interview I-0070. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
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  • Abstract
    Successful farmer, businessman, and politician Lauch Faircloth discusses the changes in North Carolina's agricultural economy since World War II. Faircloth, who made millions with his flexible, pragmatic approach to business, scoffs at a variety of players in the agricultural scene: stodgy Midwestern farmers, opponents of factory farming, nostalgics, and others. His impatience with people who ignore or resist change seems based on what agricultural innovation can do for poor people by freeing them from punishing work and making food affordable. These people, he maintains, will benefit from the increasing industry consolidation he predicts.
    Excerpts
  • Successful leadership drives growth of banking in Charlotte
  • WWII transforms American agriculture
  • History of agriculture in North Carolina
  • Role of federal government in American farming industry
  • Faircloth's path to success
  • Innovation and stagnation in farm industry
  • Faircloth derides antiquated mindsets
  • Technological innovation enabled successful cigarette marketing
  • Research has more impact on farming than regulation
  • Lack of concern about suburbanization's effect on farming
  • Technology and modern agriculture
  • Support for environmental controls on farming
  • Specialized farming will take over industry
  • Learn More
  • Finding aid to the Southern Oral History Program Collection
  • Database of all Southern Oral History Program Collection interviews
  • Resources for Educators
  • Change in the Mountains
  • Subjects
  • Agriculture--North Carolina--History--20th century
  • Banks and banking--North Carolina--History--20th century
  • Faircloth, Lauch (Duncan MacLauchlan)
  • The Southern Oral History Program transcripts presented here on Documenting the American South undergo an editorial process to remove transcription errors. Texts may differ from the original transcripts held by the Southern Historical Collection.

    Funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this title.