Promoting health through transdisciplinary local food system partnerships: Insights from the North Carolina Local Food Council

The North Carolina Local Food Council (NCLFC) brings together leaders from diverse sectors to strengthen local and regional food systems, pro­mote equitable local food access, and drive eco­nomic growth. The NCLFC’s Community Health Working Group advances community health by integrating local food systems into health and well­ness interventions through effective partnerships. In this reflective essay, we describe the NCLFC’s approach to identifying statewide priorities to sup­port local and regional food systems while empha­sizing community health and well-being, and share insights, strategies, and lessons learned from the Community Health Working Group, focusing on a case study from the NC Medicaid 1115 Waiver Healthy Opportunities Pilots (HOPs). Our two-year collaboration yielded valuable insights, particu­larly regarding member engagement challenges and the need for standardized guidelines to integrate local food into health initiatives. Efforts to embed local food within health and healthcare systems necessitate fostering cross-sector partnerships, dis­mantling barriers, and defining clear roles, all of which are within the scope of the local food policy councils throughout the state. We hope our experi­ences and lessons learned will guide other states considering Medicaid 1115 waivers. Future efforts should focus on comprehensive, bottom-up strate­gies that foster transdisciplinary partnerships and drive structural improvements toward healthier, more sustainable food systems.