WVFFC staff spent a good bit of time at the Capitol this month. It has been an exciting session for local food!
With help from the Hub's Director of Community Engagement and Policy, Stephanie Tyree, we met with numerous legislators, talked at length with Commissioner Walt Helmick, and organized the WVFFC-supported Meat Processing Working Group to speak with decision-makers. It is encouraging to see how much support for local food is brewing at the Capitol. As the legislature starts to wrap up, here's an update on what has taken place.
Farmers, health advocates, agency officials and others from around the state came together on Tuesday, January 29 for the "Road Map for the Food Economy" Working Conference in Bridgeport, WV. Culminating a year of work and learning since a similar event last year, the conference showcased efforts to bring more healthy local food from farm to table in West Virginia.
Green Wheeling Initiative is a grassroots organization comprised of educators, farmers, entrepreneurs and professionals dedicated to strengthening the local food supply in the Wheeling area. Watch our new Fresh Ideas in Action piece to learn about how this group is transforming Wheeling with community gardens and a 10% shift towards local food.
There has never been a better time to go into farming,” said Paul Mock, a well-established hydroponic farmer in Morgan County, in a speech at the 2012 WV Small Farm Conference. Though it may be surprising news at a time when America is losing farmers nationwide, more and more West Virginia farmers — and agricultural experts — are starting to say the same thing.
In the past few years, West Virginia has seen immense growth in the “farm-to-table” movement. The state’s rapidly increasing number of farmers markets, now 93 in total, has helped numerous small farms. However, if the goal is to build local economies and create jobs by substituting more of the state’s $8.9 billion food consumption with food produced in West Virginia, then farmers markets will not be enough. Local products will need to travel to eaters through a much wider variety of avenues, including restaurants, cafeterias, and grocery stores.
On July 16, 2012, The West Virginia Farmers Market Association announced that it has selected ten markets for participation in its Farmers Market Training Network Pilot Program.
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There has never been a better time to go into farming,” said Paul Mock, a well-established hydroponic farmer in Morgan County, in a speech at the 2012 WV Small Farm Conference. Though it may be surprising news at a time when America is losing farmers nationwide, more and more West Virginia farmers — and agricultural experts — are starting to say the same thing.