Commissioners select food hub operator for Ag Center

ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Board of Commissioners is closing in on getting the Randolph County Agricultural Center fully operational and the group took another step toward it Monday.

At the board’s January meeting, it moved forward with utilizing NC Rooted Community Agriculture for the operation of the Food Hub at the new Ag Center.

The company was established in 2025 by Lindsey and Robert Poe, the owners and operators of Poe Family Farm in Liberty, who have more than 12 years of farm experience in both poultry and commercial cut flowers, with a mission of strengthening local farms.

“I come from a long family line born and raised right here in Randolph County,” Lindsey Poe said. “When we started our non-profit, we named it ‘NC Rooted’ and we wanted it to reflect our deep roots right here in Randolph County here in North Carolina.”

Lindsey also holds a degree in public health education and has experience working with food access systems and Robert works in IT and is an Army veteran.

“We are experienced in compliance, logistics and food system planning and with all these things combined and for our love of agriculture, we are dedicated to supporting farmers and building a resilient local food system for all,” Lindsey Poe said.

She said the goal with operating the food hub is to build and manage relationships with producers, handle operational logistics, ensure food safety, oversee financial and administrative management and engage with customers to build a sustainable, community-focused business.

Proposed programs include online farmers’ market, direct-to-consumer sales, building local food markets, promoting local food, ensuring community access to fresh foods, supplying local foods to institutions and building farmer capacity.

“Because we are rooted here, we understand both the strengths of local farms and the real challenges that families face accessing fresh, affordable food,” Poe said. “NC Rooted sees the food hub as a practical, community-driven solution that supports farmers and will improve food access here in the county.”

The current operational costs are around $75,000 per year, but Poe said that multiple grant opportunities are being sought to help cover those costs.

The Agricultural Center was officially opened to the public Nov. 17 and cost around $40 million, mostly raised through state grants and local funds.

“This is a long-term commitment,” said Darrell Frye, chairman of the board of commissioners. “We’re charting new territory here for us.”

County manager Zeb Holden said: “We want this to be successful. This is a joint venture in the fact that we’re providing the space and the opportunity and whatever it will take to be successful.”

The Randolph County Board of Commissioners will next meet Feb. 2.