Food and Agriculture Resources

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Direct Assistance Partners for Farmers and Food Related Businesses:
Cooperative Extensions
NC Soil & Water Districts
USDA Farm Service Agency
Community College Small Business Support:
Edgecombe Small Business Center:
Katelyn Edmondson
edmondsonk@edgecombe.edu,
(252) 618-6655- Halifax Small Business Center:
Kelly Barber
kbarber968@halifaxcc.edu
252.536.7274 - Nash Small Business Center:
Tierra Norwood
tanorwood386@nashcc.edu
252.451.8233 - Roanoke-Chowan Small Business Center:
Dan Joyner djoyner4307@roanokechowan.edu, 252.862.1279 - Wilson Small Business Center:
Melissa Evans
msevans@wilsoncc.edu,
252.246.1232
Local Food Council Contacts & Resources:
- Wilson Food Council:
Michelle Brown
mbrown@wilsonnc.org
252.399.2226
www.wilsonfoodcouncil.weebly.com - Halifax-Northampton
Chester Williams
ceo@abc2nc.org
252-592-1197 - Nash-Edgecombe Just Foods Collaborative:
Ron Townley
rtownley@ucpcog.org
252.234.5965 - Upper Coastal Plain Local & Healthy Food Network:
Ron Townley
rtownley@ucpcog.org
252.234.5965
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides advice on what to eat and drink to meet nutrient needs, promote health, and prevent disease. It is developed and written for a professional audience, including policymakers, healthcare providers, nutrition educators, and Federal nutrition program operators. The U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) work together to update and release the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (Dietary Guidelines) every five years. Each edition of the Dietary Guidelines reflects the current body of nutrition science. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 is the current edition.
Organic Opportunities Prospectus Released:
Investing in the Expansion of Organic Food and Agriculture in Northeastern North Carolina March 2018: This major economic development prospectus for northeastern North Carolina brings together findings from the first place-based pilot project of the Organic Agriculture Revitalization Strategy (OARS). Based on 18 months of research, outreach, fieldwork, and convening, the prospectus maps the current state of organic food and agriculture across the regional value chain and highlights opportunities to strengthen weak links in it and to invest in its expansion.
Shared Kitchen Toolkit:
The Food Corridor, Fruition Planning and Management, and Purdue Extension Services co-created the Shared Kitchen Toolkit: A Practical Guide to Planning, Launching, and Managing a Shared-Use Commercial Kitchen. The Shared Kitchen Toolkit is a free, web-based resource that delivers guidance on feasibility and planning for new kitchen projects, as well as management practices for the day-to-day operations of shared-use kitchens. It also provides an overview of emerging kitchen models and highlights opportunities for kitchens to expand their community impact and enhance financial sustainability. It is available as a 166-page downloadable PDF.
Local Food & the CEDS
The Region's CEDS 2020 Community Development Goal is to "Create Revitalized, Healthy & Resilient Communities". The adopted Challenge #2 under that goal is to, "galvanize economic and community development opportunities in the healthy, local, export, and value added food clusters....adequately and affordably provide healthy food options to communities." pgs. 32 & 33

Relevant Studies
Sowing the Seeds for Urban Agriculture in Rocky Mount: An Analysis of Urban Agriculture Ordinances by Maggie Bailey, April 2021.
Healthy Food Access Mapping Overview