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
NC Choices News
Technical Niche Meat Program Coordinator
CEFS’ NC Choices initiative is seeking a full-time Technical Niche Meat Program Coordinator who excels at building relationships with multiple stakeholders, is comfortable managing and moving a process from concept to implementation, makes key business and market-buyer connections, and can translate technical content into on-the-ground assistance for livestock farmers and allied meat business partners.
Learn More About Local Meat | First Thursdays Sept. – Dec. | Lexington, NC
Learn both meat cutting and cooking skills using chicken, pork, turkey, and beef all purchased from local farmers!
Marketing Local Meat | An NC Choices Intensive | 8.23.18
Registration is now closed for Marketing Local Meat. There are a few spots available the day of the event. $50 at the Door!
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.
- 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 2017-12-04T12:29:43+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 Waystone Design 2017-10-10T00:04:28+00:00
Meat Tips: Navigating the Meat Counter
- Meat Tips: Freezer Storage for Bulk Buying Waystone Design 2017-10-09T23:56:35+00:00
Meat Tips: Freezer Storage for Bulk Buying
- Managing Pasture: Rotational Grazing Overview Waystone Design 2017-10-09T23:46:11+00:00
Managing Pasture: Rotational Grazing Overview
- Managing Pasture: Stocking Systems Waystone Design 2017-10-09T23:41:17+00:00
Managing Pasture: Stocking Systems
- Managing Pasture: Tips for Rotation Waystone Design 2017-10-09T23:37:07+00:00
Managing Pasture: Tips for Rotation
- Pig Nutrition: Balancing Nutritional Need for Pastured Pigs Waystone Design 2017-10-09T23:32:43+00:00
Pig Nutrition: Balancing Nutritional Need for Pastured Pigs
- Pig Nutrition: Choosing Alternative Feeds for Your Herd Waystone Design 2017-10-09T23:32:11+00:00
Pig Nutrition: Choosing Alternative Feeds for Your Herd
- Pig Nutrition: Deciding if Alternative Feeds are Economical Waystone Design 2017-10-09T23:31:25+00:00
Pig Nutrition: Deciding if Alternative Feeds are Economical
- NC Statewide Niche Meat Survey Results by County (2016) JJ Richardson 2017-01-12T11:56:20+00:00
NC Statewide Niche Meat Survey Results by County (2016)
- NC Processors That Slaughter, Process, & Vacuum Package For Farmers JJ Richardson 2018-03-14T09:59:14+00:00
NC Processors That Slaughter, Process, & Vacuum Package For Farmers
- 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 2017-03-21T17:09:49+00:00
Breaking Down the Cost of Grassfed Beef (2016)
- Breaking Down the Cost of Pastured Chicken (2016) JJ Richardson 2017-03-21T16:51:50+00:00
Breaking Down the Cost of Pastured Chicken (2016)
- Breaking Down the Cost of Pastured Pork (2016) JJ Richardson 2017-03-21T16:52:55+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 2018-09-20T12:16:14+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)
- North Carolina Niche Meat Producers Survey (2013) Shane McCoy 2017-01-12T12:09:11+00:00
North Carolina Niche Meat Producers Survey (2013)
- Special Claims and the Approval Process for Niche Meat Production (2014) Shane McCoy 2017-01-12T12:08:10+00:00
Special Claims and the Approval Process for Niche Meat Production (2014)
- NC Choices’ Why Start a Local Meat Buying Club Shane McCoy 2017-01-12T12:09:40+00:00
NC Choices’ Why Start a Local Meat Buying Club
- Growth in the Niche Meat Sector in North Carolina (2011) Shane McCoy 2017-01-12T12:10:08+00:00
Growth in the Niche Meat Sector in North Carolina (2011)
