Source: NC PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE, 3/28/22

Advocates for small farms and ranches in North Carolina say the businesses are ready to bring local, affordable meats and produce to residents, but they need more resources. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said shoppers will be paying 3% to 4% more for food this year, and about 6% more to eat out. So, the focus is on local, sustainable agriculture to help meet the need. B. Ray Jeffers, a North Carolina-based farmer and policy and program manager for the Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI-USA), said to reliably feed communities, small farmers need more...

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