Food System Initiatives Archive

North Carolina Growing Together

North Carolina Growing Together (NCGT) was a six-year (2013-2018) USDA-funded project led by the Center for Environmental Farming Systems. The overarching goal was to achieve greater food security by enhancing the economic viability of small and mid-scale farms and fishing operations and their communities.

This website archive contains news, resources, research, and other information about the project.

Whole Crop Harvest

Whole Crop Harvest takes a supply chain approach—with research and education activities along the supply chain from farm through intermediary buyers and commercial food preparers—with the goal of identifying and piloting economically efficient ways to minimize production loss, and, in turn, augment farm revenues.

North Carolina Food Resiliency Plan

In 2020 and 2021, the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) and the Duke World Food Policy Center (WFPC) analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the North Carolina (NC) food system. The project team produced both short-term and long-term recommendations and principles for a food systems philanthropic investment strategy that moves away from charity models to root causes of inequity and contributes to food system resilience.

UFOODS

UFOODS (University Food Systems) was a two-year project designed to develop new market opportunities for farmers by building collaborative supply chains links from farms to university campuses in North Carolina.

Bringing New Farmers to the Table

A collection of resources to support beginning farmers in North Carolina. Includes the New Farmer Toolbox and the Incubator Farm Project.

From Farm to Fork: Building a Sustainable Local Food Economy in North Carolina

In 2008 and 2009, CEFS convened hundreds of food system stakeholders across the state in regional meetings, which concluded with a statewide summit, to develop “game changer” strategies to transform North Carolina’s food system.

N.C. Sustainable Local Food Advisory Council

Through the efforts of the “Foundations and Baselines” Working Issue Team of the Farm to Fork Statewide Initiative, legislation was proposed and passed to establish a Sustainable Local Foods Advisory Council.