This document summarizes a meeting of the Local Foods Advisory Committee for North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Transylvania County. It discusses the goals of Cooperative Extension to empower communities and apply university research locally. The committee provides feedback on the needs of the local farming community, such as support for small businesses and farmers markets. Committee members engage in a survey to help Extension better understand priorities and meeting preferences for farmers in the region.
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Local foods advisory committee
1. Local Foods
advisory
committee
North Carolina Cooperative
Extension August 28th, 2014
2. What does Cooperative
Extension do????
• “Empower people and provide solutions”
• We are the link between the research at the
University and its practical application on
the ground.
• Its our job to help find the answers.
• Help you tell your story.
3. Our 4 goals during a time of
change
• Define and focus our most competitive and
needed programs
• Strengthen our impacts and value to the
citizens, the counties, and North Carolina
• Create financial flexibility to align our
resources to priorities
• Develop a staffing model that aligns to our
new fiscal reality, provides competitive
salaries, and strengthens our workforce
capacity and value.
4. Current Priorities in
Transylvania County
• Farm production issues
• Respond to consumer questions
• Small business development/ investigating new
markets
• Our farmers market
• Grants (Ag Options, USDA, TVA, NRCS, ect.)
• Presentations to groups (Master Gardeners, Youth
Camps, Schools, Non-profits, etc.)
• Pollinator conservation
• Hunger awareness?
5. What we’re asking
• Help Cooperative Extension’s local foods
program focus on the needs of this
community
• Be an advocate for Cooperative Extension
• Assist with the execution of the goals we
create
• Provide feedback and constructive criticism
on how we’re doing
• Meet 3-4 times a year.
6. What is your definition of local?
A. Transylvania
County
B. North Carolina
C. Within 50-100
miles
D. Within 100-
200 miles
E. From ‘Merikuh
North Carolina
Within 50-100 miles
Transylvania County
Within 100-200 miles
From ‘Merikuh
17%
8%
0%
17%
58%
7. What type of work do you do?
A. Farming- livestock
B. Farming- Fruit
and veggie
production
C. Farming- Row
crops
D. Farm Support-
Governmental
E. Farm support-
Non-profit/
private
31%
Farming- Row crops
Farm Support- Governm...
Farming- livestock
Farming- Fruit and veggi...
Farm support- Non-profit...
54%
8% 8%
0%
8. What time works best for you
to meet?
A. Early mornings
(with Breakfast)
B. Mid day
C. After work
(5:30ish)
D. Weekends
Early mornings (with Br...
Mid day
After work (5:30ish)
Weekends
92%
0%
8%
0%
9. I am willing to pay $3.00 for
breakfast
A.True
B. False
True
0%
False
100%
10. My favorite college football
team is:
A. NCSU
Wolfpack!!!
B. I hate freedom
NCSU Wolfpack!!!
67%
I hate freedom
33%
11. What are your major barriers
to success?
• Heavy pest pressure?
• Access to consistent markets?
• Market saturation?
• Access to credit/ capital?
• Poor communication/ collaboration between
groups?
• ????
12. What kind of projects would you
like to see CES focus on?
• Crop Mob?
• Assisting the farmers market with expansion?
• Improving collaborations with private industry?
• Grant opportunities?
• Small business management?
• Improving collaboration among farmers?
• Food insecurity/ hunger awareness?
• Ag breakfasts?
• Livestock workshops (fencing, vaccinations,
FAMACHA, meat processing)?
• ????