EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems
What is Empowering Mountain Food Systems?
EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) is a project launched in 2019 to focus on expanded opportunities & capacity for food and farm businesses across the western NC region. In 2022, we expanded our programming to serve regional food councils and launched a Healthy Harvest program supplying local food to communities with food access challenges throughout the region.
In 2024, we launched a new program phase in 12 regional counties and the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. A regional supply chain assessment led by Appalachian State University provides the structure to enhance the regional food supply chain, focusing on food hubs, commercial kitchens, commissaries, and farmers markets. The assessment will inform infrastructure and training programs for stakeholders throughout the region.
Our team is based at the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Cooperative Extension Office in Cherokee through a partnership between the Center for Environmental Farming Systems and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Cooperative Extension.
The EMFS team is grateful to Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Extension Director, Chumper Walker for hosting our team since 2019. The new project will work closely with Chumper to expand local food production and distribution working with tribal farmers in the Qualla Boundary and residing in Cherokee and Graham counties.
Pictured (L to R): Chumper Walker, EBCI Extension Director; Laura Lauffer, Project Director; and Jess Mrugala, Program Coordinator
Our work is funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission, The Dogwood Health Foundation, and WNC Bridge Foundation. The team brings together producers, food businesses, Small Business Centers, and regional partners to increase business opportunities that support the expansion of the food supply chain. Diverse program elements focus on leveraging regional collaboration to enhance the local food economy, including infrastructure development, marketing, business assistance, land matching, training, and other resources to support food & farm entrepreneurs.
The local food access program led by Jess Mrugala is collaborating with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Carolina Farm Stewardship Association to continue the Local Food Procurement Assistance Program. This continuation of the Harvest Health produce prescription program also receives support from the Dogwood Health Trust. An additional project funded by the USDA Regional Food Systems Partnership Program supports our work with regional food councils to build regional food systems and address food access.
The initiative has focused on several priority areas over the years, including promoting job creation and infrastructure development, providing business development and training, and growing local food entrepreneurs.