Local Food Ambassador Program
What is the LFA Program?
The Local Food Ambassador (LFA) Program promotes local foods on university and college campuses and provides training for students to more deeply engage with the food system. Local Food programming at universities encourages strong, resilient, local food systems; supports healthy lifestyles; builds economies and creates jobs; connects communities; increases food security and access; and supports sustainable farming practices.
The purpose of the Local Food Ambassador (LFA) Program is to:
- encourage local foods education and outreach on university campuses
- engage the student body through events and media promotion
- support local foods in alignment with the campus sustainability mission
- connect teams of university, farmer, and community advocates
- provide resources for food service organizations
- mentor future leaders in understanding community-based food systems.
Connecting campus, food, and community
UNIVERSITY PARTNERS
The LFA Program offers year-long paid employment to student Ambassadors. The students gain direct campaign experience; new food system professional networks; and a toolbox of relevant non-profit, food movement, and grassroots organizing skills.
The LFA Program offers year-long paid employment to student Ambassadors. The students gain direct campaign experience; new food system professional networks; and a toolbox of relevant non-profit, food movement, and grassroots organizing skills.
The Local Food Ambassador Program is a collaboration with 6 partner universities:
• Elizabeth City State University
• Fayetteville State University
• North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
• North Carolina Central University
• University of North Carolina at Pembroke
• Winston Salem State University
These six schools are publicly-funded Historically Black or American Indian Institutions that are part of the of University of North Carolina School System. These schools were chosen intentionally to:
• Center the NC 10% Campaign’s university-based local foods work in communities that are adversely affected by inequities in the food system
• Connect with and magnify existing community-based programs that support resilience to these structural inequities
• Support a more inclusive and equitable approach to engaging students to become future food system leaders committed to food access for all.
MEET THE LOCAL FOOD AMBASSADORS
MEET THE FARMERS & EXTENSION AGENTS
FARMER & EXTENSION AGENT PROFILES
Meet the farmers and the Cooperative Extension agents who have been working on Farm-to-University Programming in North Carolina through these photos, interviews, and video profiles!
LFA RESOURCES
LOCAL FOOD AMBASSADOR MANUAL
This packet can guide campuses on how to build a local food program around a paid student organizer and educator that works with a campus-based team and establishes relationships between farmers and food service providers. The packet includes introductory materials on the structure of the LFA program, the partners involved, the expectations of the student Ambassadors, the role of their supportive team members, and helpful resources for local food outreach and education.
LOCAL FOOD AMBASSADOR BROCHURE
For more information on the Local Food Ambassador Program, please see our brochure.
SUPPORT THE LFA PROGRAM
Support for the LFA Program is provided by:
Inspired by these student Ambassadors?!
Please consider supporting the Local Food Ambassador Program with a tax-deductible gift.