I am Lisa, your Local Foods Extension Agent and part of the EMFS team. We at EMFS hope you are doing well, staying safe and finding peace during this difficult time. We also wanted to let you know that as of right now we are continuing to maintain operations and provide support for our clients. [...]
The Mountaineer is helping us get the word out about our free "How to Make More Money on the Farm" seminar. Check out the article here: https://www.themountaineer.com/news/business/learn-how-to-increase-farm-income-at-winter-seminar/article_65d2c218-2360-11ea-b578-27668323973c.html Event Information and Registration The How to Make More Money on the Farm event is being held in three different counties to help as many food related businesses [...]
EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) is excited to announce that Waynesville Soda Jerks is the first recipient of the EMFS grant and loan program! The program is designed to “buy down” the cost of purchasing equipment or infrastructure for farm and food businesses, and is a partnership between Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIFund) and EMFS, [...]
The local paper that covers Macon county did a wonderful article on how EMFS is helping local farms and food businesses. Check it out here: https://www.themountaineer.com/news/grant-program-seeks-to-grow-farm-incomes/article_abada3a2-226b-11ea-9ae9-777687c056e7.html
Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIFund) and EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) are teaming up to provide affordable financing and support to small– and mid-scale and limited resource farmers and food businesses to obtain the infrastructure they need to expand and grow their businesses. What’s the Program For? This grant/loan program is designed to “buy down” [...]
Paid student apprenticeships with area food and farm businesses are now open for applications from WNC students. The apprenticeship program is part of the EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems Project in the seven western counties of North Carolina, including the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The Mountain Food & Farm Apprenticeship Program [...]
Watch Lisa Gonzalez, EMFS Regional Local Foods Agent for the EBCI Cooperative Extension Center, talk about the Haywood County Ag Summit and the importance of agricultural businesses in the regional economy! Watch on WLOS HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Agribusiness is already doing big business in Western North Carolina. But a summit Thursday focused on [...]
EmPOWERIng Mountain Food Systems and EBCI NC Cooperative Extension hosted Tes Thraves, the NC Farm to School Program Coordinator, to discuss local food purchasing for K-12 schools in the region. EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems seeks to increase farmer income through education, business support and infrastructure development, and supporting institutional purchasing in schools helps to address [...]
The Empowering Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) program has launched in our region! We are part of NC Cooperative Extension and receive additional funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Cherokee Preservation Foundation. Our goal is to offer financial, technical and business support to regional farms and food businesses. We are working with numerous regional [...]
