Carolina Farm Stewardship Association

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what we do

Strengthen Local Food Systems

Here’s how we bolster local, organic food throughout South and North Carolina.

Help Farmers

We provide farmers and food hubs with the tools, resources, and technical assistance they need to be resilient, profitable, and productive.

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Education

We host conferences, workshops, meetups, and farm tours to keep you informed about the latest in local, organic food and farming.

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Advocacy

We drive local, state, and national policies to build a better food system.

Connect Consumers

We empower community members across the Carolinas to support and participate in the local food system.

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Featured
News, Articles, & Stories

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Farms on the 2024 Piedmont Farm Tour
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Microledon Farm, Conservation Planning, and a Third Perspective
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Forced-Air Cooling Is Economical & GAP-Friendly
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Seed Starting for Success
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Analysis of the Strengthening Organic Enforcement Rule
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Good Agricultural Practices—Protecting the People We Feed
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Addressing Gaps in Organic Education
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Weed Suppression Using Silage Tarps
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Find Your Pasture-Raised Holiday Turkey from a Local Farm
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Climate-Smart Farming – A Passing Phase or Farming Reinvented?
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The State of Organic Markets in the Carolinas
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Meet CFSA’s 2023 Board of Directors Candidates
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What Egg Producers Need to Know About Safe Handling Practices and the Law
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2023 Conference Scholarships & Work Exchange
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Making Amendments Work for You and Your Soil
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Managing the Tomato Fruitworm in the Carolinas
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(NC) Help Get Local Food to Communities in Need
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Your Volunteer Guide to Food Councils in the Carolinas
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North Carolina Dairy Farmers Must Adapt or Shut Down
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New Mental Health Resources for Farmers in Stressful Times
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Disappearing Legacies: Endangered Livestock Breeds of the Southeast
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How to Store Vegetable Seeds Long Term
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Meet Mary Beth Miller, CFSA Education Coordinator
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Where Can I _____ on The Piedmont Farm Tour?
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5 Reasons You Should Support and Get Involved with Your Local Food Council
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New Farms on the 2023 Piedmont Farm Tour
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13 Ways to Reduce Waste in Your Household
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Which Farms Open Early?
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25 Ways to Attract Pollinators to Your Farms & Gardens
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On the Fence? Why You Should Register for Our 2021 Conference
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5 Reasons to Grow Mushrooms in Your Garden & Farm
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Farmers Market Holiday Shopping Guide
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CFSA Policy Team Achievements in 2021
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Meet Marianna Spence, CFSA Membership Coordinator
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Membership Advocacy Program 2024: Apply Now!
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Meet Cheryl Ripperton Rettie, CFSA Finance, Administration, & HR Director
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Meet Matt Kneece, CFSA South Carolina Policy Coordinator
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Diving Deep Into Collard Diversity
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Congress Reaches Last-Minute Deal on $900 Billion COVID-19 Stimulus
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Food Access and Hunger Through a Local Food and Farming Lens
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Sales Fell for 76% of Local Farms Due to COVID-19
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70+ Organizations in NC/SC Sent a Letter to Congress About Online SNAP Payments
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Meet Mark Dempsey, CFSA Farm Services Manager
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Farmers Offer Warnings and Solutions for Climate Change
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Meet Claire McLendon, CFSA Grants Coordinator
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Farmers Markets Are Grocery Stores
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CFSA’s COVID-19 Response
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There’s Traction in Keeping Farmers Markets Open, but the Fight Continues
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COVID-19 Relief Funds Available to Farmers Starting Apr. 3
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How Farmers Are Adapting to Keep Up with COVID-19 Demand
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Farms, Food, & Ag Businesses Can Receive New COVID-19 Relief Funds
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May 4, 2020 – FarmsSHARE Press Release
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NC’s COVID-19 Response Fails Small & Mid-Sized Farms
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USDA COVID-19 Farmer Aid Program Fails Small Farms, Local Food
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Witnessing to Racial Injustice and the Value of Black Lives
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FSMA Preventive Controls Rule FAQs
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Interview with GrowFood Carolina, CFSA’s 2018 Business of the Year
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2019 Annual Awards
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6 Types of People You’ll Meet at the Sustainable Agriculture Conference
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Key Census Takeaways for the Carolinas
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A Closer Look: The Farms & Food of Central & Southern Italy (Pt. 2)
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Farm Touring for 23 Years and Counting!
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Organic Plant Breeding Yields Superior Varieties for Cucurbit Growers
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New Farms on the 2019 Piedmont Farm Tour
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Farm to School and the Piedmont Farm Tour
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Where To Buy Meat on the 2019 Farm Tour
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A Closer Look at Dairies on the Piedmont Farm Tour
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Where Can You Get Local Flowers This Season?
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Did You See That Lomax Was in Our State?
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The Farms & Food of Central & Southern Italy
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The Best Part of CFSA’s Sustainable Agriculture Conference
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A Closer Look: The Farms & Food of Central & Southern Italy (Pt. 1)
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Jan. 10: Shop for CFSA at any Whole Foods in NC or SC
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When 5% Means So Much
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2018 Annual Award Winners
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Pint-Sized on the Piedmont Farm Tour: Tips for Touring with Kids
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What It Takes to Be a Sustainable 21st-Century Farmer
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Regenerative Farming Practices for Fiber Farms
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Chickens: Free Water Equals More Free Time
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New Hurricane Relief Effort Targets Small Farms in North and South Carolina
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Prison Whiskey: A New Twist on Small-Batch Bourbon
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NC Women in Agritourism Project
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A Native Carolina Fruit That Tastes like a Tropical Vacation
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Why I Am ‘In Defense of Okra’
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Farmers Overcome Obstacles Across the Globe
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Crop Insurance Modernization
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Why The 2018 Farm Bill Must Modernize Crop Insurance
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Which Farms Open Early?
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Lessons Learned from Farmers on the 23rd Annual Farm Tour
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In Search of the Farm Lawyer, Part I: The Myth
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CFSA’s 2017 Impact Report
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Impact Reports
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A close-up of snap beans and dill.
Eating Sustainably: Is Buying Organic Worth It?
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In Search of the Farm Lawyer, Part II: Access to Legal Services
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GMO Labeling
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Merging the North Carolina Farm Tours
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Piedmont Farm Tour Features Six Farms Certified by A Greener World
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NC Dept. of Ag Helps 220 Organic Businesses Comply with Federal Audits
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Hydroponics and the Organic Label (Part Two)
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Hydroponics and the Organic Label (Part Three)
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2017 CFSA Award Winners
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Hydroponics and the Organic Label (Part Four)
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‘The Southern Harvest Cookbook’ + Sneak Peek Recipes
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Honoring a Founding Champion of Local, Organic Agriculture
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Saving the Delaware Chicken and Other Rare Breeds at Chickcharney Farm
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Eastern Triangle Farm Tour Featuring Master of Kung Moo: Dan Moore of Ninja Cow Farm
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Green Tomato Pickles and Spicy Ginger Pickles
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Pies for September
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Hot Pepper Jelly, Jerusalem Artichoke Relish and Refrigerator Pickles
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Hydroponics and the Organic Label (Part One)
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How To Shop the Farmers Market Like a Pro
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The Federal Budget Process: How The United States Allocates Spending on Federal Programs and Services
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My Eat Local Challenge: Compost in my Shoe
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5 Great Tips to Make Affordable Local Food for a Crowd
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Sierra Nevada: Local Brews, Local Foods
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Road trip! 10 NC Craft Breweries Committed to Using Local Ingredients
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A Spicy, Summer Cocktail from Heirloom Restaurant
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Organic Gardening: Creating healthy soils, organic fertilizers, and pest management strategies
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Okfuskee Farm: Young Farmers Use Holistic Management as Innovation
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Choose Your Own Adventure on the 22nd Annual Piedmont Farm Tour
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Carolina Organic Project – Gibson Farms
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Carolina Organic Project – Carolina Ground
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Carolina Organic Project – Lomax Incubator Farm
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Carolina Organic Project – Organic Integrity
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Food Labels 101: Organic, Cage-Free, Grass fed, Natural
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White Bean Stew with Brussels Sprouts
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Partnerships to elevate local food policy – Community Food Strategies, Plate of the Union and local food councils
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Why the Southeast Seed Movement Matters to Farmers and Eaters Everywhere
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Recipe for Change
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Explore the Farmer-Chef relationship at the Sustainable Ag Conference
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On-Farm Compost: Learn how to get started and manage your own system!
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Importance of Local Food in Faith Traditions
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Chicken and Grits
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Part 2: Home-Canning Heirloom Tomatoes – A Step-By-Step Guide with Safety Tips!
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Blueberries Two Ways: Blueberry-Lemon Verbena Preserves and Spiced Blueberry Chutney
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7 Hacks To Keep Your Fruits And Vegetables Fresh For Longer
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Paving the Way for Truly Ethical Meat in Restaurants
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Picking Seasonal Favorites: Advice from Farm-to-Table Pro, Angelina’s Kitchen
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Green Gazpacho with Cucumber and Perilla
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Where Does My Food Come From? 11 Fun Farm & Food Books for Kids
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Cooking with Kids – Ensalada Mixta recipe from C’est si Bon!
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What is it about tomatoes, anyway?
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Pork Trotter Pho-Ramen Fusion
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Cates Corner Farm: A North Carolina Century Farm Thrives in the 21st Century
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The Perfect Farm Tour Picnic
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Whole Wheat Ricotta & Grilled Radish Top Ravioli in Shaved Radish-Parsley Butter
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Chicken Bouillabaisse
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Acorn Squash Two Ways
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Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
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Roasted Vegetable Croquettes
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Piemonte Farm Gnocchi
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Chicken Marsala
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Apple Rose Puffed Pastry
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Do You Have to Follow the FSMA Produce Rules?
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Green Chile Beef Stew
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When TMI (Too Much Information) Is Just Enough PART 4
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Producing Vermicompost to Increase Yields (or Farm Income!)
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Michael Twitty explores the roots of Southern food at the Sustainable Agriculture Conference
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FSA County Committees
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Q&A with the NC State Vet on Avian Influenza
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The DARK Act
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Read CFSA’s Comments on FDA’s New FSMA Rules
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NC ORGANIC INPUT FINDER
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SC ORGANIC INPUT FINDER
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ORGANIC PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS FINDER
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September 11 – FDA’s Proposed Produce Rule is “Food-Safety Theatre”
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What’s Wrong With FSMA and What Needs Changing
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About FSMA
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July 22 – Why You Don’t Want to be a “Facility”
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August 20 – Agricultural Water Standards in FSMA – How it Affects Farmers
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CFSA’s Fight for Food Safety
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TAKE ACTION – Comment Now!
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June 5 – It’s Time to Change the Food Safety Debate
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June 19 – What Will FSMA Compliance Cost Farmers and Consumers?
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June 26 – Federal Food Safety Laws Could Cost Industry Millions
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Specific Ways FDA “Food Safety Modernization Act” Will Harm Sustainable Agriculture
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July 12 – ‘What is a Food Facility’? Whatever FDA Says it Is (And That’s a Big Problem)
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Honoring Bill Dow
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Barn Storm Tour for Local Food Hits 35+ Stops in Carolinas
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Organic and Non-GMO Feed and Hay Sources Finder
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Volunteer
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How to Take the Farm Tour
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Applying to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program
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Good Questions to Ask Your Farmer About Your Food
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Farm Bill 2023: Local Farms & Food Act Protects Critical Food System Investments
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Managing Soil pH on Your Farm
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FPPRA: Providing Nutritious Food for Families in Need
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SLPA: A Solution to Challenges in Local Meat Processing
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Apply for Our 2023 Financial Benchmarking Study
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ARA: Helping Farmers Deal with the Challenges of Climate Change
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2022 Questions for Candidates
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Seed Saving Builds Community, In-Person or Virtually
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Seed Saving as Part of Your Farm Plan
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Q&A With Jesse Frost: Is Transitioning to No-Till Right for Your Farm?
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Changes to North Carolina’s Honey Bee Protection Policy
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Where to Buy Local Food While Social Distancing: On-Farm Pickups, CSAs, Home Delivery, & More!
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Why Fungus Has So “Mush” to Offer
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Farm to Conference: How Kris Reid Feeds the Masses at the Sustainable Agriculture Conference
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How Does SAC Benefit Beginning Farmers?
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Raising Pigs in the Carolinas and Beyond: An Interview with Swine Specialist Rhyne Cureton
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Community Building at SAC: A Guide to All the Networking Opportunities
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Farmer of the Year
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Beginning Farmer of the Year
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Business of the Year
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Institution/Non-Profit of the Year
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Activist of the Year
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Extension Agent of the Year
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Career/Lifetime Achievement
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CFSA’s Annual Awards
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How Regenerative Agriculture Can Save Family Farms & Solve Climate Change
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Find a Pick-Your-Own CFSA-Member Farm for Summer’s Bounty
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Local Food Needs Local Politics
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Farms and Food in the State Budget
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CFSA Awards 2016
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10 Things You Can Cross Off Your To-Do List When You Come to the Sustainable Agriculture Conference
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CFSA Awards 2015
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Book Review: Bill Dow’s “What I Stand On”
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CFSA Awards 2014
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CFSA Awards 2013
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Healthy, Fresh, Local Food: An Action Plan for Increasing Availability and Access in Beaufort County, NC
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Organic Produce Marketing Survey
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CFSA Awards 2012
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CFSA Awards 2011
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CFSA Awards 2010
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Timely Policy Issues

Actions
Alerts

April 1 2017 10 Things You Should Know about the Organic Checkoff

Submit your comment about organic checkoff by April 19, 2017. If you know what you want to say, click here and...

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August 13 2021 Proposed NC House Budget Funds Local Farms to Improve Food Security

by Nick Wood, CFSA Advocacy Manager | Friday, Aug. 13, 2021 –  The North Carolina House of Representatives approved its...

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April 21 2022 Act Now to Stop Cuts to USDA Local Food Funding

by CFSA Policy Team | Wednesday, April 21, 2022 – As conventional food supply chains broke down under the...

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February 15 2023 Sign the Letter on Climate Change Solutions in Agriculture

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February 22 2023 Support Small and Medium Livestock Processors and the Farmers They Serve

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March 15 2023 Support the Agriculture Resilience Act—Farmers Are Already Doing the Hard Work

Support farmers in building soil health, sequestering carbon, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by including the ARA in the...

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March 15 2023 Ask the NC General Assembly to Fund FarmsSHARE for the Next Two Years

The NCGA House is currently drafting its budget for the next biennium, and we need your help to ensure...

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March 17 2023 SLPA: A Solution to Challenges in Local Meat Processing

Many Carolina farmers who raise animals are challenged with processing bottlenecks. This piece of bipartisan legislation that may be...

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June 7 2023 A Call to Action: Supporting Farmers and Protecting Farmland in the Triangle

By Edgar Miller, Government Relations Director for the Conservation Trust for North Carolina Across the Triangle, farmers face a...

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July 18 2023 (NC) Help Get Local Food to Communities in Need

North Carolina Action Alert Congress is in the beginning stages of writing the 2023 Farm Bill, and we are...

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Lomax Farm

The Lomax Research & Education Farm is a certified organic farm in Concord, NC, that provides land access and research-based education to farmers, students, and community members to foster a resilient local food system that protects our natural resources for future generations.