Earline E. Middleton serves as Executive Director of the Eva Clayton Rural Food Institute, where she leads efforts to strengthen a fair and sustainable rural food system by supporting small and underrepresented farmers, expanding access to nutritious food, and advancing rural economic growth.

 

Earline brings more than three decades of experience from the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, where she served as Vice President of Partner Services and Public Policy and played a key role in advancing anti‑hunger legislation, strengthening federal nutrition programs, and expanding child nutrition initiatives such as Kids Café and Summer Meals. Known for her collaborative leadership, she created Talking Councils to build communication and capacity among partner agencies. At ECRFI, Earline continues her commitment to rural communities by working with farmers, partners, and policymakers to remove barriers and build a more equitable food ecosystem. She serves on multiple statewide councils, including the Kerr‑Tar Food Council, the Food is Medicine Coalition, the NC Benefits Coalition, the CEFS Advisory Council, and the NC Local Food Advocacy Coalition.