The Farm to Senior Services Project connects Western North Carolina seniors with fresh, local produce and nutrition education to combat health issues and food insecurity Through partnerships with local farmers and community organizations, the initiative supports local partners in creating institutional pathways for local food.
The Farm to Senior Services Project connects Western North Carolina seniors with fresh, local produce and nutrition education to combat health issues and food insecurity Through partnerships with local farmers and community organizations, the initiative empowers older adults—like participant-turned-advocate Vivian Lawrence in Burke County—to embrace healthier lifestyles and active community involvement.
On April 22, 2026, Jennifer Badger, Area Specialized Agent, Agribusiness with North Carolina Cooperative Extension and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems' (CEFS) EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) team, received one of the 2026 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Values Awards for Integrity during the CALS Celebration of Excellence.
CEFS is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Dogwood Health Trust and expand our impact in Western North Carolina.
EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS), an initiative of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), works to strengthen the local food system across 12 Western North Carolina counties and the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The arrival of Hurricane Helene underscored the importance of this work. Severe disruptions to farms, local [...]
To provide a snapshot of the importance of agriculture on the county level, the N.C. Cooperative Extension Local Food Program Team, NC State FarmLink, and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) created an infographic for each county and each Council of Government region based on a comparison of 2017 and 2022 USDA Agriculture Census data.
In response to the devastation of the WNC region, EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS), an initiative of CEFS, awarded $100,000 of its small business grant funds to assist farmers impacted by Hurricane Helene.
The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) is thrilled to announce the continuation of its groundbreaking project, EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS), with a generous grant of $1.1M from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) as well as additional matching support from Dogwood Health Trust, WNC Bridge Foundation, NC State Cooperative Extension, and other regional community partners, for a total of $2 million.
The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) is thrilled to announce the continuation of its groundbreaking project, EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS), with a generous grant of $1,186,409 from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and significant match from Dogwood Health Trust and WNC Bridge Foundation community partners as well as NC State Cooperative Extension.
Farewell from Project Director, Laura Lauffer What a wonderful ride to reflect on! As we close out the EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) project, we want to share some highlights and gratitude from our work since 2018: - We distributed over $300,000 in farmer grants, loan matches, and scholarships. - This funding leveraged over $2,000,000 [...]
