Empowering Mountain Food Systems

EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) is a project focused on bringing expanded opportunities & capacity to food and farm businesses across the southwestern NC region.

Programs focus on the seven counties of Western North Carolina (Jackson, Macon, Haywood, Swain, Cherokee, Clay, and Graham) and is based at the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Cooperative Extension Office in Cherokee through a partnership between the Center for Environmental Farming Systems and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Cooperative Extension.

The program, funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission, brings together producers, food businesses, schools, and regional partners to increase business opportunities that support the expansion of the food supply chain. Diverse program elements focus on leveraging regional collaboration to enhance the local food economy, including infrastructure development, marketing, business assistance, land matching, training, and other resources to support food & farm entrepreneurs.

Moving forward, EMFS is collaborating with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Carolina Farm Stewardship Association to continue the Local Food Procurement Assistance Program. This continuation of the Harvest Health produce prescription program also receives support from the Dogwood Health Trust.