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What separates NC State University from other schools? The same thing that connects it to every corner of North Carolina: NC State Extension. Working hand-in-hand with our partners at N.C. A&T and 101 local governments, we conduct groundbreaking research that addresses real-world issues in communities across the state.

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Hannah Dankbar, N.C. Cooperative Extension

Hannah DankbarLocal Food Program Manager

About Extension

NC State Extension is the largest outreach program at NC State University. Based in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, we reach millions of North Carolina citizens each year through local centers in the state's 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Learn More About NC State Extension

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About
Fork to Farmer

Fork to Farmer Initiative

Funding of this program has come through a Farmers Market Promotion Program Grant administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Video Production

The local food movement is transforming the agriculture and food services sector. This is particularly true in North Carolina where both the number of farms selling directly to consumers and the value of those agricultural products sold have increased (Census of Agriculture, 2012). Farm to table restaurants play a significant role in this transformation. The model of using locally sourced produce, protein, and dairy is trending in the high-end restaurant sector resulting in numerous high-profile chefs receiving notable awards and showing significant business success.

A goal of the Fork to Farmer Initiative is to generate greater public awareness of the chef-farmer collaborations and the inputs that each of them brings to the table in order to increase visits to local farms and diversify farm income by leveraging the high visibility of famous chefs with a record of supporting local small farms.

This initiative is led by a team of NC State Cooperative Extension economic development, local food, and tourism specialists. Fork to Farmer (1) makes short videos about well-known farm to table chefs and the small family farmers that supply their restaurants; and (2) develops and delivers agritourism training for these farmers to prepare them for farm visits by restaurant clientele and others.

For a more complete understanding of the Fork to Farmer video project, check out this short documentary.

Review all of the videos.

Vacationer-Supported Agriculture

A second major goal of the Fork to Farmer initiative is to generate new markets for small-scale farmers. One new market channel developed through the Fork to Farmer initiative is Vacationer-Supported Agriculture. This program connects vacationers with local food through the online pre-sale of bags filled with locally-sourced and aggregated product.

In 2020 the Vacationer-Supported Agriculture program is present in all Brunswick County beaches and also serves Surf City in Pender County and Wrightsville Beach in New Hanover County. The Vacationer-Supported Agriculture program will be expanding into other coastal and mountain communities in 2021 and beyond.

The Vacationer-Supported Agriculture program has been recognized by the National Association of Community Economic Development Professionals, the NC State Grange Foundation, and the North Carolina Association of Cooperative Extension Specialists.

NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension, which staffs local offices in all 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

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N.C. Cooperative Extension has offices in every county

Fork to Farmer

Campus Box 7602
NC State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7602

(919) 515-2813 forktofarmer.ces.ncsu.edu

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