The results were announced by Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. He says it?EUR??,,????'???s the first time anyone has put a dollar figure on the impact those types of businesses have on the state.

The review by the Agriculture Department and economists at North Carolina State University was funded by the Legislature after questions arose about the value of some experiments on turf grass at N-C State. Lawmakers wanted some idea of the economic impact of businesses that create and maintain different types of green spaces as well as the companies that supply them.

The study also found that North Carolina has almost 121-thousand acres producing Christmas trees, nursery stock, sod and other commodities.