From a WNC Food Policy Council press release:
WNC Food Policy Council awarded $10,000 for agribusiness and food bank training
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) has awarded $10,000.00 to the Western North Carolina Food Policy Council (WNCFPC). The funding will coordinate multiple local efforts in agribusiness training and food bank capacity building to stimulate agricultural economic development and develop stronger emergency food programs.
“This funding gives us a real opportunity to begin addressing some of the needs we see on a daily basis through our policy work,” said Dr. Todd Collins, director of the Public Policy Institute at Western Carolina University, which hosts the WNCFPC. “We’ve been operating the FPC on less than $1,000 per year since we began three years ago, so this kind of funding really multiplies our ability to make an impact.”
WNCFPC, founded in 2011, brings together agriculture and food security representatives in Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, Macon, Swain and Haywood counties to address regional needs. The grant funding will leverage existing partnerships with regional community colleges, WCU, MANNA FoodBank, Cooperative Extension, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, and many other partners to bring services into each county.
The grant will provide funding for:
● Free or low-cost trainings for small- and medium-sized farms and food pantries;
● Strategic food systems planning for the region with other partners; and
● Funding for student, faculty, and expert travel to locations throughout the region.
“We are thrilled at the opportunity to work with CFWNC and regional partners to begin addressing real obstacles for agricultural businesses and food banks in our region,” said Emily Edmonds, WNCFPC’s director. “We will be releasing more information about how small farms and food security agencies can receive resources through this program in early 2015.”
For more information about the grant award, the WNCFPC, or opportunities to get involved, please visit www.wncfpc.org or contact Emily Edmonds at wncfpc@gmail.com.
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