Integrating Food Systems and Local Food in Family and Consumer Sciences: Perspectives from the Pilot Extension Master Food Volunteer Program

Cooperative Extension programs across the United States are embracing food systems and local food as a new topic area. Previous studies indicate that successful local food programming requires crossprogram collaboration. However, research in this area has underrepresented Extension educators from non-agricultural program areas, although understanding their perspectives is key to fostering a * Corresponding author: J. Dara Bloom, Assistant Professor and Local Foods Extension Specialist, Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences, North Carolina State University; 512 Brickhaven Drive, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA; +1-919-515-8475; dara_bloom@ncsu.edu b Joanna Massey Lelekacs, Local Food Program Manager, NC State Extension, North Carolina State University. Lelekacs is now Director of Education, North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. c Gretchen L. Hofing, MPH, RD, NBC-HWC, SNAP-Ed Steps to Health Coordinator, Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences, North Carolina State University. Hofing is now Program Coordinator, Duke Integrative Medicine. d Robyn Stout, NC 10% Campaign State Coordinator, Center for Environmental Farming Systems, North Carolina State University. e Morgan Marshall, Extension Area Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina Cooperative Extension, New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender County Centers. Marshall is now Marketing and Event Assistant, Asheville Event Co. f Kristin Davis, Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Mecklenburg County Center. Funding Disclosure The development of the Extension Master Food Volunteer program was made possible through funding from NC Cooperative Extension’s FCS Program, the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences, and a grant from the NC ECA and FCS Foundation. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development ISSN: 2152-0801 online https://www.foodsystemsjournal. org 198 Volume 9, Issue 2 / Winter 2019–2020 cross-program collaboration. The case study presented in this paper examines qualitative evaluation data from the pilot year of the NC State Extension Master Food Volunteer (EMFV) program, which provides training in food systems and local food to Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) educators and their volunteers. Data from semistructured interviews with educators in the pilot program and from focus groups with their volunteers provide the opportunity to explore areas of intersection and divergence between local food and the FCS program area in order to determine how to best integrate FCS and local food. Findings suggest that integrating local food into FCS programming will require special attention to potentially controversial issues that require educators and volunteers to communicate with the public about scientific issues that also invoke personal values, such as pesticide use and genetic engineering. We also found that educators and volunteers felt that promoting local food was not always compatible with an FCS focus on healthy eating. Overall, this case study demonstrates the potential to engage FCS educators and volunteers in cross-program, community-based food system projects, and to provide public education in the growing field of food systems and local food.