North Carolina Partners

The Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina currently is working to strengthen our grassroots network and has develop a strategic plan for the state and similarly the Farm to Preschool Network brings together numerous partners strategizing on farm to early education. Our partnership make our efforts what they are in NC, and we pride ourselves on the agency and community-based partnerships and working collaboratives. Since 1997 the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has offered The Farm to School Program, distributing fresh, locally grown produce to public schools. The program surpassed $1 million in sales in 2011-12 and continues to assist North Carolina farmers get their produce into school cafeterias. Growing Minds is Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project's farm to school program in western NC. This comprehensive program provides training, resources and technical assistance for community members interested in school gardens, local food in cafeteria, farm field trips or cooking classes with local food. The Center for Environmental Farming System and 4H co-hosts FoodCorps in NC, supporting nine sites currently from boarder to boarder, working to connect kids to food through school gardens, nutrition education and consuming healthy food in the school cafeteria. CEFS also leads a broad partnership in a collaborative working in farm to early education.

Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Partners during ASPHN’s Farm to ECE Grant Program