NC Choices
NC Choices, an initiative of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems in collaboration with NC Cooperative Extension, promotes sustainable food systems through the advancement of the local, niche, and pasture-based meat supply chain in North Carolina. NC Choices provides information, technical assistance, educational programming, and networking opportunities for farmers, extension agents, meat processors, buyers, distributors, and consumers.
Poultry Processing Updates:
Due to the 2017 closure of Foothills Pilot Plant, information and updates on the status of poultry processing options across the state can be found below. Click to view the following:
- Updates on the Status of Poultry Processing in the State
- List of Farmer Operators Granted Exemption to Process Birds for Other Farms (1st tab)
- List of Poultry Mobile Processing Equipment for Rent (2nd tab)
- Closest USDA Poultry Processors for Small Farmers that are Currently Accepting New Customers
- Labeling Requirements and Additional Resources for On-Farm Poultry Processing
NEW Project: NC Choices Supports Beginning Meat Producers with Business Resources, Training, and Land-Lease Opportunities
NC Choices launches a new USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher grant focused on increasing the number of beginning farmers raising meat through either pasture-based or silvopasture systems by providing them with novel land acquisition strategies, resources, and training opportunities to increase skills, decision-making tools, and the market and buyer connections needed to operate profitably.
Notably, NC Choices will help pair beginning farmers with solar farms, landowners with woodland plots for silvopasture, and land conservancy land under conservation easements across the state.
WE NEED YOUR HELP:
Are you a beginning NC meat producer (raising meat animals for 10 years or less) looking to lease land?
Are you a NC land owner with woodland acreage, land under conservation easement, or solar panel installations interested in working with grazing animal production?
NC Choices News
Silvopasture Can Mitigate Climate Change. Will U.S. Farmers Take it Seriously?
Silvopasture Can Mitigate Climate Change. Will U.S. Farmers Take it Seriously? | By Lela Nargi | Civil Eats | January 7, 2019
DECEMBER 10, 2018 | Deadline to Apply for 2018 Hurricane & Tropical Storm Disaster Program
Pasture-based livestock producers within eligible counties with damage to standing forage as a result of Hurricane Florence and/or Tropical Storm Michael are eligible for the Hurricane Florence Agricultural Disaster Program of 2018. Applications are being [...]
CFSA Announces New Hurricane Relief Effort for Small NC & SC Farms
The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association is announcing a new hurricane relief effort targeting small farms in North and South Carolina. What is the RESEED Recovery Fund? The RESEED Recovery Fund provides affordable loans to farmers [...]
Resources
NC Choices offers a large collection of resource documents and multimedia to support the farmers, extension agents, meat processors, buyers, distributors and consumers of North Carolina. See our full library of NC Choices resources here.
- NC Choices – Meat Labels: What Does “Natural” Mean? (2018) Marcello Cappellazzi 2018-11-14T15:59:07+00:00
NC Choices – Meat Labels: What Does “Natural” Mean? (2018)
- Step by Step Instructions for Filling Out Federal and State Special Claims Applications (2018) Marcello Cappellazzi 2018-10-25T11:45:06+00:00
Step by Step Instructions for Filling Out Federal and State Special Claims Applications (2018)
- Strategies to Increase Sales of Local Meat at Farmstands and Small Retailers (2018) Marcello Cappellazzi 2018-09-27T11:55:09+00:00
Strategies to Increase Sales of Local Meat at Farmstands and Small Retailers (2018)
- 2018 Niche Meat Survey Results Sarah Blacklin 2018-09-21T20:49:19+00:00
2018 Niche Meat Survey Results
- Step by Step Instructions for Filling Out Federal and State Special Claims Applications (2018) Sarah Blacklin 2018-09-19T10:31:12+00:00
Step by Step Instructions for Filling Out Federal and State Special Claims Applications (2018)
- Selecting Enterprises for Pasture-based Livestock Farms (2018) Sarah Blacklin 2018-09-19T10:31:51+00:00
Selecting Enterprises for Pasture-based Livestock Farms (2018)
- Best Practices in Poultry Processing (2018) Shane McCoy 2018-07-03T11:23:39+00:00
Best Practices in Poultry Processing (2018)
- Quick Guide to Common Label Claims (2017) JJ Richardson 2018-09-23T15:18:51+00:00
Quick Guide to Common Label Claims (2017)
- What Do All These Label Claims Really Mean? (2017) JJ Richardson 2018-03-14T10:03:34+00:00
What Do All These Label Claims Really Mean? (2017)
- Meat Tips: Navigating the Meat Counter JJ Richardson 2018-09-23T10:52:28+00:00
Meat Tips: Navigating the Meat Counter
- Meat Tips: Freezer Storage for Bulk Buying JJ Richardson 2018-09-23T10:52:28+00:00
Meat Tips: Freezer Storage for Bulk Buying
- Managing Pasture: Rotational Grazing Overview JJ Richardson 2018-09-23T10:52:29+00:00
Managing Pasture: Rotational Grazing Overview
- Managing Pasture: Stocking Systems JJ Richardson 2018-09-23T10:52:29+00:00
Managing Pasture: Stocking Systems
- Managing Pasture: Tips for Rotation JJ Richardson 2018-09-23T10:52:29+00:00
Managing Pasture: Tips for Rotation
- Pig Nutrition: Balancing Nutritional Need for Pastured Pigs JJ Richardson 2018-09-23T10:52:29+00:00
Pig Nutrition: Balancing Nutritional Need for Pastured Pigs
- Pig Nutrition: Choosing Alternative Feeds for Your Herd JJ Richardson 2018-09-23T10:52:30+00:00
Pig Nutrition: Choosing Alternative Feeds for Your Herd
- Pig Nutrition: Deciding if Alternative Feeds are Economical JJ Richardson 2018-09-23T10:52:30+00:00
Pig Nutrition: Deciding if Alternative Feeds are Economical
- NC Statewide Niche Meat Survey Results by County (2016) JJ Richardson 2018-09-24T20:40:33+00:00
NC Statewide Niche Meat Survey Results by County (2016)
- NC Processors That Slaughter, Process, & Vacuum Package For Farmers (2016) JJ Richardson 2018-10-15T16:57:40+00:00
NC Processors That Slaughter, Process, & Vacuum Package For Farmers (2016)
- FAQ Sheet for Beginning Niche Meat Producers JJ Richardson 2017-01-12T11:58:06+00:00
FAQ Sheet for Beginning Niche Meat Producers
- Breaking Down the Cost of Grassfed Beef (2016) JJ Richardson 2018-09-24T23:36:05+00:00
Breaking Down the Cost of Grassfed Beef (2016)
- Breaking Down the Cost of Pastured Chicken (2016) JJ Richardson 2018-09-24T23:36:18+00:00
Breaking Down the Cost of Pastured Chicken (2016)
- Breaking Down the Cost of Pastured Pork (2016) JJ Richardson 2018-09-24T23:36:32+00:00
Breaking Down the Cost of Pastured Pork (2016)
- NC State Local Grass-Fed Beef Production Guidelines (2016) JJ Richardson 2017-01-12T12:00:36+00:00
NC State Local Grass-Fed Beef Production Guidelines (2016)
- How to Sell Pastured Meat Products to Grocery Stores via Direct Store Delivery (2016) JJ Richardson 2018-09-24T23:46:39+00:00
How to Sell Pastured Meat Products to Grocery Stores via Direct Store Delivery (2016)
- FAQs about Processing and Marketing Beef, Pork, Lamb and Goat Meats In North Carolina and South Carolina (2006) JJ Richardson 2017-01-12T12:03:32+00:00
FAQs about Processing and Marketing Beef, Pork, Lamb and Goat Meats In North Carolina and South Carolina (2006)
- NC State Local Pasture-Raised and Pasture-Finished Beef Production Guidelines (2016) JJ Richardson 2017-01-12T12:06:21+00:00
NC State Local Pasture-Raised and Pasture-Finished Beef Production Guidelines (2016)
- NC State Local Finished Beef Production Guidelines (2016) JJ Richardson 2017-01-12T12:05:20+00:00
NC State Local Finished Beef Production Guidelines (2016)
- How to Become a Meat and Poultry Handler JJ Richardson 2017-01-12T12:04:09+00:00
How to Become a Meat and Poultry Handler
- NC Choices Technical Assistance Training Manual (2014) Shane McCoy 2017-01-12T12:08:34+00:00
NC Choices Technical Assistance Training Manual (2014)
