Miss Gracy Peterson was crowned as the 2023 North Carolina Watermelon Queen during the 40th Annual North Carolina Watermelon Association's Convention held March 10 and 11, 2023 in Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Gracy is the 21-year-old daughter of Greg & Linda Peterson of Garland, North Carolina. She is a senior at North Carolina State University majoring in Agricultural Business Management and minoring in Spanish, Biology and Poultry Science. Gracy enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking, canning, and helping out on the family farm.

She currently serves as the Director of the Traditions Committee in the Alumni Association Student Ambassador Program at NC State University. She is also an active member of the North Carolina Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers group. Aside from Gracy's extracurricular activities she also works part-time at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Office of Stewardship and Advancement.

Gracy attended Harrells Christian Academy from Kindergarten until graduation. While there was very active in FFA, holding many officer positions in her school's chapter and also serving the Southeast Region as Secretary. Gracy received her state FFA degree in 2020. She was a member of the Spanish Honors Society, played varsity soccer and was involved in the National Beta Club. In Beta club she competed in speech and woodworking competitions and won first place in both. She has also been a recipient of the House of Raeford Academic Scholarship for the past three years of her academic studies.

Gracy's future plans are to promote agricultural advocacy and literacy through a development or sales position. Gracy says, "I love AG and I love to talk so I hope to be able to do both of these and I'll have my dream job." She will be interning with AgCarolina Farm Credit for the upcoming summer and is excited to see where it will take her!

As North Carolina Watermelon Queen, you will find Gracy promoting the North Carolina watermelon industry all across the state. Gracy hopes "to have the opportunity to positively impact the agriculture industry on a level I have never been able to before. Serving the North Carolina Watermelon Association as their public representative would be a privilege not only because it is a prestigious endeavor but because of the incredible responsibility of advocating on behalf of farmers and future leaders." Gracy will hold the state title for one year and represent the North Carolina Watermelon Association at the 2024 National Watermelon Association Convention.