NC Local Food Council
Working Collaboratively Across the State to Support North Carolina’s Local Food Systems
Vision, Mission, and Relationships
OUR VISION
The NC Local Food Council envisions an equitable and resilient local food system that supports the health and well-being of all North Carolinians through economic vitality and diversity in our farms, fisheries, and markets, and accessible, culturally appropriate foods for all.
OUR MISSION
The NCLFC mission is to convene a network of state and regional food system leaders from cross-sector organizations using a collaborative systems approach to provide education, research and other resource-based tools to support healthy, diverse, equitable, and resilient local food systems.
Specifically, this council will facilitate:
Interaction between members to coordinate programs, guidance, and support for building NC local food systems
Communication, resources, guidance, and collaboration between local councils and the statewide council
Formal and informal education and research about best practices related to statewide food, agriculture, and fisheries issues
OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL FOOD COUNCILS
The North Carolina Local Food Council collaborates with Community Food Strategies to mutually support local food councils across North Carolina. In their shared mission to support food councils, the NCLFC and Community Food Strategies have distinct roles.
North Carolina Local Food Council
The NCLFC creates and shares research-based resources that facilitate local food systems development at the community level - in local food councils - and at the state and regional levels - within agencies and institutions.
Community Food Strategies
Community Food Strategies works specifically to provide on-the-ground resources, communications, network facilitation, and general support for the network of local food coalitions across North Carolina.
Who We Are
Representing Organizations and Agencies Across North Carolina
Members of the NCLFC are statewide organizations and agencies that were appointed to the previously legislated Sustainable Local Foods Advisory Council or others approved for membership by existing NCLFC members. NCLFC council members meet monthly to connect, collaborate, and update. Below, you’ll find our current members and the organizations and agencies they represent.
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Abbey Piner
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Ali Stone
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Alice Ammerman
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Alyssa McKim
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Amanda Hege
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Angel Cruz
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Anette Hiatt
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Ashley Thomas
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Barry Nash
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Brett Rapkin-Citrenbaum
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Dana Choquette
WNC Regional Representative
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Delphia McCoy
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Erica Calderon
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Hannah Dankbar
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Jennifer Bedrosian
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John Morck
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Jordyn Appel-Hughes
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Karen Stanley
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Kelly Warnock
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Kenya Joseph
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Laurel Edwards
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Maggie Funkhouser
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Makayla Johnson
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Marianne Weant
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Marlene Castillo
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Michelle Schroeder-Moreno
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Monica McCann
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Morgan Malone
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Reginald Speight
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Sara Clement
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Sara Runkel
Meet our Regional Representatives
Regional representatives are important members of the council, they are a liaison and advocate, bridging the gap between the state food council and local food councils.
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Kelly Warnock
Triangle Regional Representative
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Delphia McCoy
Southeast Regional Representative
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Alyssa McKim
Triad Regional Representative
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Dana Choquette
Western Regional Representative
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Makayla Johnson
Northeast Regional Representative
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Kenya Joseph
Charlotte Regional Representationve
Our History
Summary
Since 2001, North Carolina has recognized the importance of bringing people together across sectors to strengthen local food systems. What began as a state-level food policy council has evolved into the North Carolina Local Food Council, a statewide led network of organizations, agencies, community leaders, and food systems partners who work together to support NC’s local food systems.
Today, NCLFC connects people and organizations working toward vibrant farms and fisheries, healthy communities, thriving local economies, equitable food access, and resilient ecosystems. Across North Carolina, local food work is shaped by the state’s rich agricultural heritage, growing urban and rural connections, and a shared understanding that food is deeply connected to health, economic vitality, culture, environment, and community resilience.
As more partners recognize the importance of local food systems, NCLFC provides a space for collaboration, shared learning, and collective action. Farmers, fishers, food councils, nonprofits, universities, health care professionals, public agencies, businesses, philanthropies, and community members all have a role to play in shaping a more resilient and equitable food future for North Carolina.
A strong local food economy helps preserve farmland, waterways, fisheries, and rural communities while protecting water, soil, and natural resources. It also expands access to healthy and culturally appropriate foods, supports community health, creates opportunities for local businesses, strengthens food security, and improves quality of life for food producers and communities across the state.
Since 2001, North Carolina's statewide food council has evolved from a government-appointed policy body into an independent, collaborative network that brings together diverse partners to strengthen local food systems. While its structure has changed over time, its core mission has remained the same: connecting people, aligning efforts, and advancing solutions that support farmers, food businesses, and communities across North Carolina.
2025 to Present
Strengthening Collaboration in a Time of Change
In recent years, North Carolina’s food systems have faced increasing uncertainty. Federal food and agriculture investments have become less predictable, state funding has not fully replaced lost resources, and farmers, food councils, and community-based organizations continue to navigate challenges related to markets, staffing, disaster recovery, and program continuity.
In this context, NCLFC plays a critical role as a statewide space for connection and coordination. The Council strengthens relationships, supports shared learning, and helps local experiences inform statewide strategies. Through working groups, regional representation, and full Council convenings, NCLFC helps partners identify emerging needs, share resources, align efforts, and develop collaborative responses to the issues affecting farms, fisheries, food access organizations, and communities across North Carolina.
2020 to 2024
The North Carolina Local Food Council during the COVID-19 Pandemic
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted food access, supply chains, local markets, and community-based food systems across North Carolina. As organizations shifted to remote work and communities faced rapidly changing needs, NCLFC served as a central space for partners to connect, share information, and coordinate response efforts. These approaches were also necessary for developing Emergency Response Resources post Hurricane Helene, specifically to support land owners after natural disasters.
During this time, NCLFC helped compile resources, promote locally grown and harvested products, support the Visit NC Farms app, identify ways for food banks and community programs to continue serving people safely, and assist local food producers in strengthening their online marketing presence. In October 2020, NCLFC established the Remote Internship to Support Enterprises for Local Foods program, known as RISE, which connected college students with local food organizations to provide additional support for farms, fisheries, and food systems partners.
As the immediate crisis subsided, NCLFC’s working group model continued to serve as a foundation for collaborative action. The pandemic underscored the importance of trusted relationships, community-informed priority setting, and sustained connections between local experience and statewide institutions. The Food Inspired-Resilience & Equity (FIRE) Internship was a flagship program during this time that was a collaborative (co-led with Center for Environmental Farming Systems and Community Food Strategies) and innovative education and workforce development initiative to expand the capacity of grassroots food coalitions while building the next generation of rural food system leaders. NCLFC continues to build on that role by supporting local food councils, farmers, and partners during ongoing periods of uncertainty and change.
2013
The North Carolina Local Food Council
The Council’s work was unfinished and members felt there was still great benefit for the state in working together on food systems in a cross-sector way. As a result, even though the Council lost its legislative mandate, members continued its work. Through strategic planning, the council changed its name, developed a revised mandate and accompanying goals, and established committees which have evolved over time as needs change. The Council continues to grow and has added new members and has policies in place to guide future work and development, and its history informs our future. You can learn more about our guiding principles here and in this document.
2009
The North Carolina Sustainable Local Food Advisory Committee
The second statewide food council (the North Carolina Sustainable Local Food Advisory Committee) was founded to build the local food economy to create jobs, promote local food sales, preserve and protect the natural environment, reduce carbon emissions, and increase food access and security for all North Carolinians among many other goals. The council was established through legislation in 2009 and housed in the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The bill came out of a statewide initiative, led by the Center for Environmental Farming Systems and its many partners, to develop a statewide strategic action plan for building N.C.’s food system. Many groups and individuals worked hard to make the legislated council a reality. The council had representatives from several state agencies, organizations, businesses, and farmer and fisher groups and individuals. It covered agricultural production and business, food-related health issues, hunger, environment, land preservation, and more. The list of council members appointed by the legislature, commissioner of agriculture and governor can be found here. Most of these entities are still represented on the current council.
The legislated council had many wins, such as new programs, policy changes, and new collaborations to build a better local food system. Accomplishments can be found summarized in this Power Point presentation and this document. In addition, more details can be found in the annual reports of the council. In spite of its success, the council was unfortunately sunsetted in 2013 by a new legislature, along with many other boards and commissions.
2001
The First State Food Policy Council
In 2001, N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps established the first State Food Policy Council for North Carolina. The council was part of a new national network of councils coordinated by Drake University’s Agricultural Law Center. The goals of this first council were to coordinate food policy, primarily in state agencies, promote the use of state products in N.C. institutions, and meet the needs of the state’s hungry. It was the first multi-sector effort focused on food at the agency level and included representatives from agriculture, private industry, hunger relief agencies, the legislature, and a number of state government agencies. While it only existed for two years, a key win was securing a state funding match for the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program.