Launched by Food Tank and the James Beard Foundation, the first annual Good Food Org Guide identifies and celebrates more than five hundred United States-based groups who are cultivating a better food system, including these seven from North Carolina:
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) uses farmers markets, general marketing tools, and farm-to-school programs to support local farms and build a local food economy in the Appalachian region of North Carolina. ASAP currently organizes a Local Food Campaign and certifies locally produced products as a way to educate consumers about their food.
The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association
The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association (BFAA) addresses the interests and issues of black farmers. The organization, which will soon host the first annual Save the Land: Black Farmers Benefit and Rally, now has a membership of over 1,500 members and 21 state chapters.
Eastern Carolina Organics (ECO) provides marketing and distributing services to 40 organic farms. By combining the power of numerous producers, this farmer-owned organization is able to provide fresh, sustainable produce to individuals across Eastern Carolina.
Feast Down East is a non-profit economic development program that alleviates poverty by fostering a strong local food system, and by connecting small-scale farmers to the resources they need to grow their businesses and access local markets. The organization’s Southeastern North Carolina Food Systems (SENCFS) Program hosts a number of other programs that link together farmers and buyers, such as the Farm-to-Chef Program, the Farm-to-School Program, and the SENC Foods Processing and Distribution Program, which delivers farm products to restaurants, grocers, schools, and hospitals.
North Carolina Farm Fresh provides a directory of farmers markets and pick-your-own farms to help connect consumers with the best local produce. Farm Fresh is organized and run by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Organic Growers School (OGS), formed by a group of farmers and specialists in 1993, educates and connects farmers and gardeners in the Southern Appalachian region of North Carolina. Through OGS’s Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training, farmers come together to discuss hands-on learning programs on farm production and management.
We Are All Farmers advocates for food and energy sustainability as well as environmental stewardship in the Appalachian region of North Carolina. A variety of programs are run by this small nonprofit, including a permaculture institute, a seed bank, and a coalition for young and new farmers.
