is part of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) launched in 2019 to focus on expanded opportunities & capacity for food and farm businesses across the Western NC region. They work with 12 mountain counties from Cleveland to Swain including McDowell.

With a renewed focus on business assistance and supply chain resolutions, EMFS has a couple of new exciting opportunities to get involved and grow your business:

Be a part of the Supply Chain Assessment

Are you a stakeholder in a food hub, commercial kitchen, commissary, farmers market, or meat processor? If so, we’d love to hear from you! The results from this study will help us to offer educational programs that matter most to you

Attend a Workshop

From adding agritourism to succession planning, we’re covering all the business topics you need to know more about. Check out the EMFS Events page to learn more and register. McDowell will be hosting several of these workshops either in person or virtual.

Empowering Mountain Food Systems has hired Jennifer Badger, an Area Specialized Agent (ASA) Agribusiness. Jennifer is from Brevard, NC and graduated from NC State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business Management. Prior to working in Extension, she held positions at The Fresh Market and Food Lion working as a buyer for Local Foods. She is excited to return home to WNC and support her neighbors by providing 1:1 business coaching and workshops to increase agricultural income across the region.