The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) promotes healthy food and farming systems through interdisciplinary research, teaching and Cooperative Extension programs. Recently, CEFS engaged more than 1,000 North Carolinians in a Farm to Fork initiative to gain their commitment in building the state’s local food economy. One of the outcomes of that process, From Farm to Fork: A Guide to Building North Carolina’s Sustainable Local Food Economy, highlights the policy and program initiatives needed on the state and local level. A number of working issues teams evolved, such as the Public Health and Food Access Disparities team. This working issues team includes representatives from public health, state universities, hunger relief agencies and not-for-profit organizations. Their goals focus on increasing funding for SNAP-Ed and increasing access of healthy food from North Carolina farmers to the table of people experiencing food insecurity (~13 percent of North Carolina households).

CEFS is also launching the 10% Campaign to encourage consumers to commit 10 percent of their existing food dollars to support local food producers and related businesses. Increasing access to and encouraging consumption of fresh, healthy foods is needed to combat North Carolina’s high rate of diet-related diagnosed chronic diseases in adults, such as diabetes (9.1 percent - 2006 BRFSS data), hypertension (29.2 percent - 2006 BRFSS data) and obesity (26.6 percent - 2006 BRFSS data). According to the 2009 report from Trust for America’s Health, North Carolina has the 12th highest rate of adult obesity in the nation (28.3 percent) and the 14th highest of overweight and obese youths ages 10-17.  More than one in three youths are now considered overweight or obese.  Partners from across the state work together on many levels to address these health concerns.

The 10% Campaign includes a grass-roots initiative, and we’ve   leveraged the support of the NC Cooperative Extension, who have, as a result, designated Local Food Coordinators in every county.  They will connect farmers, processors, and distributors of local, fresh food with retail businesses, non-profits, and institutions to increase availability to all North Carolinians.