Civil Municipal Magazine - Dec 2023

93 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 12 AYDEN, NORTH CAROL INA The Eastern North Carolina Food Commercialization Center One of Ayden’s most ambitious projects is the 50 acre Eastern North Carolina Food Commercialization Center. This initiative aims to provide central food processing services for farmers, food manufacturers, and entrepreneurs, contributing to the state’s economy while adding value to local farmers’ produce. “Studies have been done in the state of North Carolina that a lot of our food processing is leaving the state and going to other states,” Tripp acknowledges. To address this, the state of North Carolina has allocated $4 million in funding to establish the center, which will focus on key services including, manufacturing and entrepreneurial support, fresh vegetable processing, processing acidified foods, cold storage, flash freeze and dry storage, and custom food processing. The center will also work with distributors to provide post-harvest services to farmers, including cleaning, cold storage, and staging deliveries. “More or less, it is a value added to our farmers,” Tripp recounts. “As you know, Eastern North Carolina has great acreage for farms, we are known as an agriculture community, and what we’re trying to do is bring value to the farmers and bring value to the people who need food. This is something that North Carolina is really focused on.” The center is expected to create jobs and attract other businesses to the area, contributing to the overall economic growth of Eastern North Carolina. As well, proximity to transportation hubs, and partnerships with educational institutions like Pitt Community College and East Carolina University position this food commercialization center as