Scotland County has not always been reliant on industry.
In the 18th and 19th century, agriculture meant prosperity for Scotland County.
Farming was labor intensive, but returned a good yield, especially for plantation owners.
Then agriculture began a slow death march.
The Civil War first challenged cotton as king, with England and France leaning towards Egypt as its provider of choice for fear of antagonizing the Union.
But cotton lived on in the county. Innovators like John Blue breathed new life into the trade and kept it going into the early twentieth century.
It looked like cotton would be the bring the county deep into the twentieth century when the great depression and the dust bowl savaged the agricultural economy.
When the economy returned, farming changed - mechanization changed farming from needing thousands of workers to a few hundred.
Suddenly, the county couldnít rely on farming for jobs.
When king cotton was laid to rest, its heir was industry.
Manufacturing didn't move into Scotland County overnight, but decades of industrial recruitment brought prosperity to the county.
During the 1980s and 1990s, jobs were plentiful but the 21st century began with an industrial death spiral. What started with Toast Master closing shop in 2001 has turned into over 3,000 jobs leaving from plant closings and layoffs.
And with layoffs announced at Butler, FCC and Pilkington, there seems to be no sign in sight for a struggling workforce.
The unemployment rate is nearly 14 percent and the workforce has decreased in size by 15 percent.
Economic doom and gloom is in the air of Scotland County.
But something else is going on.
We are in a state of transition, much like when agriculture went out.
As we have all witnessed, the end of an economic era is precipitous. Unfortunately, it may take some time for the local economy to find its new niche in a global economy.
There are several options for the area to consider.
Municipalities can reevaluate what industry it attracts. Some products still perform well when they are manufactured locally, generally because of regional demand or high shipping costs.
Some automotive parts fit into this category. For example, FCC has performed well here.
The plant manager at FCC said the plant was responding to decreased demand caused by a stagnant economy, not global competition. He also said the plant was in a good position for after the recession, when demand for consumer goods increases.
There are other manufacturers that are doing well domestically, and it could help stabilize some of the job loss.
We can also look at retail options.
Attracting retail distribution centers for has been thrown around by several groups, including the Laurinburg City Council.
Getting people to shop in Laurinburg by expanding retail options might be another way.
There are numerous opportunities to plan for economic growth in Scotland County, especially once the global recession has run its course.
There is no telling what the next phase of Scotland County's economy will look like. However, one thing is certain - industry can't be the backbone.
It explained to your county commissioner that instead of a trash dump, why not try farming. I know what some of you say, farming, thats hard work! Yes it is,but it is work.
One thing Scotland County and surrounding counties has in plenty is a stock pile of fertile soil waiting to be planted. Sometimes to get ahead you sometimes have to rely on the past. Think of the other industries that come along with a successful harvest town, not to mention small businesses that crop up after this process begins.
You can wait for the government or big business or those rich folk to bail you out or you can use what GOD has blessed this county with all these years, farmland and the know how.
Hey, I remember my grandaddy going to McNairs to purchase seed and fertilizer. I remember my uncle plowing the fields to provide for his family and I remember a lot of other families that did the same. Some of these old timers were your graddaddys, daddys, mothers,uncles, cousins, aunts, sisters, brothers and friends. Now, though the dollars from government subsidies and the farmers loans granted were not distributed fairly, folks found a way to to use their land to provide for their own and the surrounding community.
There are government grants for just about anything you can imagine. Imagine Scotland County being in the fore front to restore rural America with agriculture: but show that it can be done with all races and cultures working and benefitting together.
I remember when those plants started to roll into town and snatch up all of the planters, the plowers and the pickers and put them on 1st, 2nd or 3rd shift and put farming out of business. You have to rely on what has worked year after year after year and has never come and then left. Listen people, you have to trust in GOD and learn to provide for one's self.
His Word never fails!!!
Michael M.