West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition

Snap stretch program doubles or triples ebt/snap (formerly known as Food stamps) expended more than $397,000 in 'stretch dollars' while capturing another $344,000+ in federal Food assistance in the local Food system equating to $1,205,634 in economic impact. This program continues to encourage expansion of Food accessibility priorities made locally by farmers around the state.

Farm to school programs in both mcdowell and randolph counties operated over the course of the year. Educational agriculture equipment for teaching practices such as growing microgreens were purchased for classroom use across mcdowell county. In randolph county, the first local farmers market was started in helvetia by a group of youth entrepreneurs planning to add a larger market of goods beyond produce sales in future years.

Foodshed programming and activities provided for investments in local cooperatives and community based economic development focused cohorts. In harrison county, a local cooperative reached value-added production goals by securing a pelletizer to produce wet hops to be sold to local markets for members in the surrounding area. In pocahontas county, the local market there built out a community wide commercial kitchen space to provide for value-added goods to be sold directly into the on-site market. Finally, at another location in pocahontas county, the materialswere purchased to install a cold storage and wash and pack facility for further market opportunity in the area.