Advisory Committee
Abbey Piner
Abbey Piner works with the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) as Project Director of Community Food Strategies, a multi-organizational project team supporting a network local food policy councils across North Carolina that are increasing the capacity of local communities to influence their food systems. Abbey has worked at the intersection of food and community development for over a decade, from the roots of the urban farms in Washington DC, to urban gardening with youth in North Carolina, to systems change work at the intersection of community and food policy. Abbey is from Eastern North Carolina, brings expertise in public health, community organizing, urban agriculture, and community engaged land-based design with degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University.
Community Food Strategies works to empower local food councils and networks to create community-led collaboration and equitable policy change at the local, state and national level. This multi-organizational initiative engages project team members from six different organizations whose work focuses on building alliances and providing tools, trainings, and statewide structure to a growing network of local food councils across North Carolina. Since Community Food Strategies’ began in 2013, the network of food councils across NC has grown from 5 to 35 (as of early 2018). Our vision is an equitable food system that is community driven and improves the quality of life for all.