Growing Small Farms: North Carolina CHOICES Project

The North Carolina CHOICES Program is seeking 10 farmers to participate in a new project to produce one of three types of pork products - certified organic, environmentally-friendly, and antibiotic-free - and to market these products directly to consumers through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

About Direct Marketing and CSAs
Direct marketing has been shown to be an effective way for farmers to keep more profits from the sale of their products. Community Supported Agriculture, also known as subscription farming, can take away some of the risks associated with direct marketing because consumers prepay for a season’s worth of product. Before farmers prepare for their growing season, they know how many consumers they will have and can plan accordingly. Because farmers are selling directly to consumers, they can set their own price for products based on their cost of production. There are many examples of successful CSAs that provide weekly produce to consumers throughout the growing season. We believe that there is a market for packaged frozen meat products as well.

Learn more about Community Supported Agriculture...

We have partnered with several sustainable and environmental organizations whose membership is interested in supporting agricultural products produced by local farmers and/or in a more environmentally-friendly way than conventional agriculture. Many of these consumers currently have limited purchasing options when it comes to meat products. The North Carolina CHOICES Program wants to help North Carolina farmers take advantage of this niche in the pork market.

Benefits of Participation
As members of the program, farmers will have access to technical and marketing support from the collaborators. This includes information on best management practices in the alternative production systems, assistance in identifying and accessing processing facilities, advice on marketing, and access to marketing channels developed by program partners.

Members will market their products to consumers through a website hosted and managed by the program. North Carolina CHOICES will conduct a major consumer campaign about the benefits of supporting local farms that use alternative production strategies. On the website, consumers will be able to read about production standards and participating farms and choose which one to buy from. Also, because products will be pre-sold to consumers, farmers have a guaranteed market for quality products.

Responsibilities of Farmer Participants
Farmers are expected to cover all costs of production including animals, feed, veterinary care, processing, transportation, and delivery to customers (remembering that product has been pre-sold).

Because we are researching the opportunity for a different marketing approach, farmers will be required to keep good records concerning the care of their animals and financial information regarding their farm enterprise. This information (including financial data) may be shared with project leaders and other participants, though individual farm records will be kept confidential. Research data (including fecal and blood samples, pasture measurements, etc.) may be collected from farms. Farmers may be asked to participate in survey questionnaires and may be featured as part of farm field trips or virtual tours. All necessary steps to ensure biosecurity will be taken.

As the project grows and more farmers join, it will be important for experienced farmers to help new members. Participants must be willing to mentor one new project partner in their area after one year of participation.

Product Labeling Requirements
One of the goals of the project is to encourage small-scale hog production in a system that directly connects producers and consumers. Initially, participating farmers may not market more than 50 hogs per year through the program. Producers raising more than 50 hogs must sell the additional animals through other market avenues. Because of legal limitations on new hog farms, new producers may not exceed 250 animals.

Products will be sold under one of three different product labels based on how hogs are raised. The three product labels are described below.

Raised without Antibiotics
Participating farmers may use a range of production and waste management practices. They must have a commitment to raising pigs without the use of antibiotics. All animals must receive quality health care. When intervention is necessary to ensure animal welfare, antibiotics will be administered. However, pork from treated animals may not be sold under this label.

Eco-Pork
Participating farmers must use production practices following the guidelines of an animal welfare organization such as the American Humane Association or the Animal Welfare Institute. Pigs must be raised in alternative housing such as deep-bedded hoop houses, barns, or on pasture. They may not be raised in conventional confinement systems using lagoons for waste management. Farmers must also work closely with project partners to develop sound environmental waste management plans to minimize negative impacts on soil, air, and water quality. Like the antibiotic-free label, animals sold under this label may not receive antibiotics.

Organically Certified Pork
Participating farmers must raise pigs in a way that meets the guidelines of the USDA National Organic Program and must work to become certified organic. Organic standards include requirements concerning production practices, animal welfare and environmental stewardship. Some examples of these requirements are housing that includes access to the outdoors and certified organic feed and bedding. For more information on Organic Livestock standards visit the NOP website. Cost share programs to defer the cost of organic certification may be available.

Application Information
If you are interested in participating in the North Carolina CHOICES Program or if you have any questions regarding the program, please contact:

Susan Jelinek Mellage
Program Manager, North Carolina CHOICES
Center for Environmental Farming Systems
North Carolina State University
Box 7609
Raleigh, NC 27695
(919) 513-7346

To apply for the Program, download an application and send it to the address above. All applications must be received by November 15, 2004. Applications will be reviewed and an initial pool of farmers will be contacted for an interview and farm visit. Farmers selected for the project will be determined by December 15, 2004.

About North Carolina CHOICES
The mission of North Carolina CHOICES is to help farmers build markets and demand for locally-produced agricultural goods and to raise consumer awareness about how a family’s food dollar can make a difference in supporting the local economy and protecting the environment.

North Carolina CHOICES is a partnership of NC State University, NC A&T University, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), Rural Advancement Foundation International USA (RAFI), Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA), American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC), Red Gate Farms, NC Sierra Club, NC Environmental Defense, NC Coastal Federation, Neuse River Foundation, Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), and Sustainable North Carolina.

This page last updated January 16, 2006.

North Carolina CHOICES Project

Connecting Farmers with Consumers