FASWG Processing, Aggregation, and Distribution (PAD)

The Central Appalachian Food and Agricultural Systems Working Group (FASWG) Processing, Aggregation, and Distribution (PAD) is a network of caring professionals who strive to accelerate the culturally responsive, small-acre mountain farming and local food economy in Central Appalachia.

You are welcome to join like-minded professionals working to see a day when we employ the region’s natural and cultural strengths to feed Central Appalachians, deeply value rural communities, share regional wealth and abundance, and empower traditionally marginalized communities to fully take part in the regional food system.

Why You Should Join

The Processing, Aggregation, and Distribution (PAD) Working Group strives to help farmers across Central Appalachia build better access to reach larger markets for their products.

Through monthly meetings, this Working Group strives to connect farmers and agricultural producers to the nonprofits/NGOs, funders, government agencies and businesses interested in impacting the potential for business growth, new jobs, and increased income that depends on the availability and access to infrastructure for value-added processing, product aggregation, and efficient distribution.

The Working Group discusses new opportunities for market growth and explores new resources to expand agricultural product distribution. New skills and knowledge you can gain from this Working Group:

Connect producers to markets
Provide and distribute educational materials
Create and promote marketing and training tools
Coordinate policy work
Facilitate collaboration among value chain participants
Some intermediary organizations also play additional roles in the value chain

This Group, and its participants, advocate (with funders, producers, and others) for the place-and-asset-based food and agriculture system we know we need.

Producers experience robust land access across the region that allows Central Appalachia to feed Central Appalachians.
Producers have the support, tools, and capital linkages necessary to establish and sustain profitable, regenerative farms. Currently plan to attain this through the eventual creation of a first-time buyers program that the group laid out in the summer of 2021 and is summarized here.
Farming in Central Appalachia is equitable and profitable because the risk and reward of farming are balanced and carbon sequestration supports farmer resilience and profitability.
Local food and subsequent nutritional security and health equity are the standards for consumers in Central Appalachia.
Central Appalachia’s processing, aggregation, and distribution infrastructure is anti-fragile because of collective planning and building; interregional production planning and distribution; strong local value chains; and mutually-beneficial rural-urban connections. In other words, the region’s infrastructure can withstand and ultimately benefit from unexpected stressors (like the COVID-19 pandemic).

Who Should Join

This Working Group strives to connect and supports those who are:

Considering implementing agriculture infrastructure (processing facilities, aggregation sites, or trucks/distribution)
Farmers or group of farmers needing PAD-related supported for accessing markets
Food hubs or others operating PAD infrastructure seeking to become more efficient and interested in regional collaboration

Join The Conversation

This Working Group meets monthly via Zoom. To get more information, contact:

Participants

Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD)
Appalachian RC&D
Community Farm Alliance
Value Chain Cluster Initiative
WV Department of Ag
Heart and Hand House
Rural Action
Grow Ohio Valley
ASD
ACEnet
Coalfield Development
WF Food and Farm Coalition
Grow Appalachia
Sprouting Farms
Community Food Initiatives
New Roots Community Farm

Stay Connected

Get the latest updates from this Working Group on CAN’s social channels

Read our current blogs

Regional Food Business Center Grant Invests in Appalachia with Funding for Food and Farm Businesses

The US government’s largest single investment in the Appalachian food system just hit our region. The U.S. Department of Agriculture […]

Connect with Producers in Central Appalachia

FASWG Processing, Aggregation, and Distribution (PAD) members have launched a Facebook group to connect producers of all skill levels and […]

A Fair Food System: Summit 6 Recap

Summit Five March 23, 2023 9:00AM–1:00PM EST Day Six Recording: https://youtu.be/fi5W6vPUm6Q Slides: CAN Summit 6 Slides Links & Additional Resources: […]

A Fair Food System: Summit 5 Recap

Summit Five January 26, 2023 9:00AM–1:00PM EST Day Five Recording: https://youtu.be/l3Dsd63S6AA Slides: CAN Summit 5 Slides Links & Additional Resources: […]

A Fair Food System: Summit 2 Recap

Summit Two August 25, 2022 9:00AM–1:00PM EST Day Two Recording: https://youtu.be/Dp4f04r7l0A Please note: YouTube copyright doesn’t allow the inclusion of the […]

A Fair Food System: Summit 1 Recap

Summit One July 28, 2022 9:00AM–1:00PM EST Day One Recording: https://youtu.be/m9naRUBzEsY Day One Slides: https://www.cannetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/A-Fair-Food-System-Day-One-Slides.pdf Speakers We are proud to welcome a […]

Additional Resources

Thriving local food economies can support the development of diversified and resilient economic bases, increase local control of wealth, empower local individuals and communities, increase self-sufficiency and decrease dependence on government benefits, and help to protect natural resources such as soil, water, and air quality.

CAN works to develop and strengthen local food value chains, which we define as supply chains infused with the triple bottom-line values of promoting financial, social, and environmental goals. Local food value chains include producers, processors, aggregators, distributors, farmers markets, wholesale buyers, consumers, and a wide variety of important supporters. In five sub-regions throughout Central Appalachia, CAN works to develop infrastructure, make connections, and build capacity to increase the profitability and sustainability of these value chains.

CAN’s participating organizations and many of our partners act as “intermediaries” in these chains. Intermediaries:

Connect producers to markets
Provide and distribute educational materials
Create and promote marketing and training tools
Coordinate policy work
Facilitate collaboration among value chain participants
Some intermediary organizations also play additional roles in the value chain

Economic Impacts

CAN tracks economic impact indicators to show the growth of the local food system since 2009. The following chart shows the growth of the CAN-supported value chains according to several key measures. All measures are calculated in relation to 2009 data; that is, 2009 numbers establish the baseline, and subsequent growth for each measure is compared as a percentage increase over the 2009 number.

The total impacts for 2018 include:

1,608 producers or food businesses participating in CAN-affiliated value chains
$20.1 Million in sales revenue to producers
$16.1 Million in purchases by 164 wholesale/institutional buyers
1,478.5 Full time equivalent jobs, including 1,195.5 year-round positions
$3 Million in value chain investment, including $2.1 Million from sources within the value chain