What We Do

The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) is a farmer-driven, membership-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that helps people in the Carolinas grow and eat local, organic foods by advocating for fair farm and food policies, building the systems family farms need to thrive, and educating communities about local, organic agriculture. 

Our key program areas are:

Founded in 1979, we are the oldest and largest sustainable agriculture organization in the Southeast. For over three decades, we have successfully united farmers, consumers and businesses to build a just, healthy food and farming future.

About CFSA

OUR MISSION

We help people in the Carolinas grow and eat local, organic food by advocating for fair farm and food policies, building the systems that organic family farms need to thrive, and educating communities about local, organic farming.

OUR VISION

Create a regional food system that is good for consumers, good for farmers and farmworkers, and good for the land.

OUR VALUES

As an organization:

  • We champion a food system that is secure and stable.
  • We respect the role of the farmer, processor, distributor and consumer in the system.
  • We support efforts to provide consumers healthy, safe, quality food.  These efforts include:
    • promoting organic standards,
    • preserving non-genetically modified seeds and heritage breeds and
    • recovering locally-adapted breeds and seeds.
  • We revere our natural resources and are responsible for protecting these resources for future generations.
  • We believe providing resources for the producer, purchaser and policymaker encourages accountability from the field to the fork.

> Learn more about CFSA’s vision for a just, healthy food system in the Carolinas in our 2014 Strategic Plan.

Our Leadership

CFSA is governed by our members

The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) is governed by a diverse board of directors, elected by our members at the CFSA annual meeting. Our board includes farmers, business leaders, agriculture educators, and concerned citizens. Learn More →

Our Members

Members are the heart and voice of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association

CFSA has over 2,300 members in the Carolinas — farmers, urban gardeners, local businesses and non-profit organizations, government agencies, foodies, tree-huggers, activists, health nuts, and locavores — all working together to help people in the Carolinas grow and eat local, organic food. Learn More →

Farm Services

We encourage farmers to use sustainable and/or organic production practices.

CFSA has expanded our programming and staff support for farmers as part of our flagship Organic Carolinas Initiative.  The goal of this initiative is to build on regional assets and successes to establish a world-class organics industry in the Carolinas, and double the size of the organics sector in the region by 2020. Learn More →