Resources
For backyard growers, farmers, foodies, advocates, and local food entrepreneurs—explore the hot topics in local food systems and find resources here.
Beginning Farmers:
Horticulture:
- Facebook Group: Backyard Farming in Columbia
- SC Master Gardeners
- Clemson Extension’s Home Garden Information Center
Markets:
Financing and Grants:
Foodies
- Sustainable Midlands
- Slow Food Columbia
- Sustainable Carolina
- Become a gastronome
- Wild Foraging
- Agrisystems Productivity & Profitability - Professional Development
- South Carolina Farm to School Program
- Food2Market
Regulations:
- CFSA Regulation Guide (organics, GAPS, labeling)
- SC Department of Agriculture - Grading and Inspection Programs
- USDA Commodity Specific Audit Programs
Local Food System Resources:
APA Planning Advisory Service (PAS) Reports
- A Planners Guide to Community and Regional Food Planning: Transforming Food Environments, Facilitating Healthy Eating (PAS 554)
- Urban Agriculture: Growing Healthy, Sustainable Places (PAS 563)
APA Policy Guide
Other APA Resources
- APA Food System Planning Brochure
- Planning for Food Access and Community – Based Food Systems: A National Scan and Evaluation of Local Comprehensive and Sustainability Plans
- APA Food System Planning White Paper (Precursor to the Policy Guide)
South Carolina Resources
- Making Small Farms into Big Business: A plan for infrastructure investments to connect small farms in SC to local markets
- Growing Food and Opportunities in South Carolina: Economic and Community Development through Healthy Food Access
- Local Food and Farm Assessment: Mount Pleasant, SC
- South Carolina Health + Planning Toolkit: A Healthy Eating and Active Living Policy Guide
- The Economic Impact of Agribusiness and the Return on the Certified South Carolina Grown Campaign
- The State of Nutrition and Food-Systems Change in SC (USC Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities Policy Brief)
- SC Health and Planning Advisory Committee Resources
Local Food System Assessments from Other States