GREENSBORO—Some North Carolina farmers are learning more about growing a European delicacy that's trending here in the U.S.

Research at North Carolina A&T State University could make farming a certain type of mushroom extremely profitable.

On Thursday, Dr. Felicia Anike shared her research on growing truffles with farmers across the state.

"Ninety-five percent of truffles consumed in the United States are coming from Europe, and the truffles that come here have a 100 percent tariff,” said Anike.

Anike and her colleagues want to domesticate the truffles.

The mushroom grows underground, in the root system of certain trees.

Researchers at A&T are growing them underneath pine, pecan and hazelnut trees.

“We want to empower forest owners, people that are already farming,” Anike said. “In addition to the tree crop they already have, we want them to plant truffles underneath. That's going to be a huge income to the farmer."

There are several different kinds of truffles out there, and depending on which variety you chose, they can range anywhere from $200, all the way up to $1,000 per pound.

"Truffles are high dollar, they're a lot of money,” said Ronald Voss, a farmer from Warren County. “North Carolina is a place where they can grow, so I've got land and I've got a place to do it, so I'm going to see if it works."

"Some people like the truffle flavor so much, they will pay anything to get it; you have truffle oil, truffle salt and truffle sandwiches!" Anike said.

Truffles take about five years to grow.

That means another three or four years before those growing under the trees at A&T can be harvested to show how successful the crop may be in North Carolina.

Once the truffles mature and are ready to harvest, farmers typically use specially trained truffle sniffing dogs to find them.