What is NC Choices?
NC Choices is an initiative of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems in collaboration with NC Cooperative Extension that promotes sustainable food systems through the advancement of the local, niche, and pasture-based meat supply chains in North Carolina. Our team provides information, technical assistance, educational programming, regulatory interpretation, and networking opportunities for farmers, extension agents, meat processors, buyers, distributors, and consumers.
Learn More About the NC Choices Team
What are Niche Meats?
NC Choices uses the term “niche meat” to describe pasture-raised meats raised without routine use of antibiotics or added hormones by farmers and allied businesses who are connected to their meat products either through direct sales, wholesale, or by selling to an independent branded company.
How We Work:
NC Choices believes business owners learn best from like-minded business owners. That’s why we foster peer-to-peer networking opportunities, host educational trainings and conferences for leaders in the pasture-based niche meat community to connect with and learn from one another. Read more about the Carolina Meat Conference, the largest local meat networking event in the country (hyperlink to another page) or join the NC Choices News listserv to get updates on NC Choices outreach and training events.
Need technical support? If you are a farmer, processor, meat entrepreneur, or allied business professional seeking help with production, processing, regulation, marketing, or business, please contact us. NC Choices also works with a team of advisors, Extension agents and specialists, technical consultants, and niche meat professionals to help address your questions and grow your pasture-based meat business.
Regulatory Interpretation: Regardless of where you fall in the local meat supply chain, you need to deal with regulation. NC Choices works closely with the state’s meat regulatory authority, the Meat and Poultry Inspection Division of the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA MPID), to make sure you have all the resources you need to operate your business in a safe and responsible manner. While we are not regulators, we work with NCDA MPID to distill and interpret regulation, provide supplementary resources if needed, and answer questions along the way to make sure you are operating in accordance with state and federal law.
