Extension Agent -CRD; Cabarrus

EHRA

The focus area of the Cabarrus County CRD Agent will be Community Food Systems. This agent will take the lead in county and community programs and initiatives aimed at maintaining and strengthening thelocal food system through multiple perspectives. The role will primarily concentrate on consumers, businesses, markets, and policymakers, ensuring that the specific needs of Cabarrus Countyare addressed. These needs will be identified through periodiccommunity assessments, with strategies adjusted accordingly.

The primary objective of this position is to connect local community members with local food sources by supporting localgrowers, producers, stores, markets, pantries, and food banks.

Additional support for these entities may involve identifyinggrants and funding opportunities. Furthermore, the role includesincreasing residents’ access to affordable, locally-grown food by implementing and sustaining in Cabarrus County markets and other related programs. This will be accomplished through collaboration with external organizations, the enhancement of existing programs,and the development of new initiatives.

N.C. A&T is a public, land-grant, doctoral research institution and has been the largest historically Black university in the country for the past decade. With an enrollment of 14,311 students in Fall 2024, the university offers 59 undergraduate degree programs, 36 master’s programs, and 12 doctoral programs. It is America’s top producer of Black graduates in Engineering and Agricultural Science bachelor’s programs, as well as a top five producer in numerous additional disciplines, including Liberal Artsand Communications/Journalism.

It also ranks no. 3 in master’sdegrees awarded to Black graduates in Engineering Technologies and Related Fields, no. 4 in master’s degrees in Engineering, and no.11 best business school for women in the nation.

Nationally recognized for its leadership and excellence in STEM education and research, N.C. A&T is classified as “R2-High Research Activity” in the Carnegie Classifications and is poised toachieve “R1-Very High Research Activity” status. It also holds

Carnegie’s earned credential in Community Engagement and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU)
Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation. With an annual economic impact of $2.4 billion, N.C. A&T plays a vital role asa higher-education economic driver in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region and across a state that is ranked No. 1 in the nationfor the second straight year as “best for business” by the CNBCfinancial network.

The Cooperative Extension Program at North Carolina Agriculturaland Technical State University is an educational outreachorganization within the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Cooperative Extension at A&T providesresearched-based educational information, programming and technical assistance to limited-resource audiences that address a diverse range of issues in four programmatic areas – Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, Community and Rural Development, and 4-H Youth Development.

Together with its partners – North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and state and countygovernments, a dynamic and resourceful system is formed. In addition to campus operations, The Cooperative Extension Programhas professionally staffed offices in almost half of the 100counties in North Carolina and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Cabarrus County is a county located in the southwestern region ofthe state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 Census, the populationwas 225,804,…