Industry and Commodity

Materials in this section of the website have been provided courtesy of fruit and vegetable industry partners (especially our own NC partners). Want to promote NC grown fruits and vegetables, then here are some tools and weblinks to help you do that.

Eat Smart NC Bring Fresh Produce to Your Setting

Who is it for?
Anyone who would like to have fruits and vegetables, especially locally grown, available to buy in their worksite, place of worship, neighborhood, etc through a direct partnership with a farmer/produce vendor.

How do you get it?
This resource is distributed electronically and can be downloaded on this page.

How is it used?
Planning and resource tool which provides benefits to purchasing and eating more locally grown fruits and vegetables, options available to bring produce into different settings, and steps to success featuring NC examples. Also featured are weblinks to state and national resources available to work with farmers or produce vendors to bring and sell more locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables in multiple settings.

Eat Smart North Carolina: Bring Fresh Produce to Your Setting is a planning and resource tool for anyone who would like to have fruits and vegetables, especially locally grown, available to buy in their worksite, place of worship, neighborhood or at any gathering place.

The guide provides practical information on developing a partnership with a local farmer/produce vendor to bring and sell fresh fruits and vegetables in a variety of settings. Bring Fresh Produce to Your Setting also highlights why fruit and vegetable consumption is important to the health, environment and economy of North Carolina.

Whether your setting (worksite, church, community, etc) is considering starting a farmerís or produce vendorís market, joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) or beginning a produce buying club, this guide walks you through all of these options and the steps and resources to build success.

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Eat Smart NC Bring Fresh Produce to Your Setting Guide: Standard version for desktop printing, website posting and screen reading.
Eat Smart NC Bring Fresh Produce to Your Setting Guide: High resolution version for professional printing.

NC Grown Fruit and Vegetable Taste Testing Scorecard
Want to do taste tests of NC grown fruits and vegetables with kids or adults? Try using this easy tool for a variety of settings.

Goodness Grows in NC in living Color and in Season
This handouts shows how consumers can choose a wide variety of colorful, NC grown fruits and vegetables each day, plus it helps consumers and educators know when NC Produce is in Season.

NC Department Of Agriculture and Consumer Services 5 A Day Marketing
The NCDA&CS has a full time nutritionist who helps consumers and educators learn more about the many health benefits of eating more NC grown fruits and vegetables.

Ideas for Working with Retailers to Celebrate National 5 A Day Week
This guide provides ideas for ways to work with retailers on promoting 5 A Day.

Tips for Working with Supermarket Retailers
This guide provides tips for ways to establish collaborative partnerships with supermarket retailers to promote fruit and vegetable sales

Farm to School Successes and Resources
This 54 page document from the National Farm to School Program provides case studies and resources for bringing the farm to school as well as nutrition education.

North Carolina Department of Agriculture official website. This site provides agricultural information about the state of North Carolina. There are market news, calendar of events, soil testing, recipes, news releases, history and overview of NC agriculture, links to farmers markets, and much, much more.

Find North Carolina Farm Fresh products with our search of roadside farm markets, pick-your-own farms, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms, Certified Roadside Farm Markets, retail nurseries and garden centers, and state-owned farmers markets and community farmers markets at a location near you.

The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission official website. The site provides nutritional and historical facts about the sweet potato. There are tips for buying, storing and serving sweet potatoes as well as recipes. Information about the Commission is also provided. There is a children’s section with games and facts geared for the little ones. Links to other sweet potato sites are provided.

Produce Marketing Association. This is a trade association website for those who market produce. The site provides hundreds of links to various commercial industry giants such as Sunkist, Dole, Del Monte, and state commodity associations. You do not have to be a member to access the links and the websites.

Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University Fruit and Vegetable website. The page provides links to several sites that provide market information about produce i.e., current market trends and prices. There are also links to several large produce companies for commodities like lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes, onions and garlic.

The Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) consumer education foundation whose mission is to be the catalyst for creating a healthier America through increased consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables. PBH is chair of the National 5 A Day Partnership, consisting of government agencies, non-profit organizations, and industry working in collaboration to expand 5 A Day efforts to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables for improved public health. The 5 A Day for Better Health program is the nation’s largest public-private nutrition education initiative with 5 A Day coordinators in each state, territory, and the military.