Friends and colleagues of North Carolina's longest-serving agriculture commissioner remembered Jim Graham for his laughter and commitment to farmers.

Hundreds of people gathered in Raleigh on Thursday as Graham was inducted into the state's Agricultural Hall of Fame on the fifth anniversary of his death.

Affectionally known as "The Sodfather," Graham served as commissioner from 1964 to 2001 and led the state through its evolution away from tobacco to hog, chicken and Christmas tree production.

Current Commissioner Steve Troxler and former Attorney General Rufus Edmisten were the headline speakers at the invitation-only event. Edmisten told stories about their political journeys together, while Troxler praised him for improving the lives of countless North Carolina residents.

Graham died in 2003 at the age of 82.