PAD’S GUIDING GOALS
- Expand Processing, Aggregation and Distribution infrastructure throughout Appalachian Regional Food Business Center geographic footprint to support growth based on business opportunities.
- Implement and support climate-smart, creative, and light infrastructure. (facilities and distribution)
- Promote and advocate for strategies that replicate successes in other regions that create and promote markets for agricultural products and supporting infrastructure.
PAD CO-CHAIRs
Co-chairs play vital roles in leading Working Groups and serve on CAN’s Leadership Team. Co-chairs are regional leaders in the just economic transition of Central Appalachia.
CEO at Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD)
Director of Operations at ACEnet
ABOUT PAD
The Processing, Aggregation, and Distribution Sub-Working Group is a collaborative network of practitioners, organizations, and businesses working to strengthen the middle of the food supply chain across Central Appalachia.
This group focuses on improving the infrastructure and coordination needed to move locally and regionally produced food from farms to markets efficiently, equitably, and at scale. By aligning efforts across aggregation hubs, food hubs, processors, distributors, and institutional buyers, the group works to build a more resilient and economically viable regional food system.
HISTORY
The Food and Agriculture System Working Group has gone through a few changes over the years. Initially, it was one group, then broke into three, and has now come back together as one group with 3 separate areas of focus, scheduled throughout the year.
The PAD sub-working group was created initially to address the need for streamlined infrastructure in Appalachia. We realized there was a need for both additional infrastructure and better planning and utilization of existing infrastructure and determined that one way of addressing these needs was through networking and communication.
Over time, partners identified the need for a dedicated space to:
- Coordinate investments in infrastructure
- Share operational knowledge
- Reduce duplication of effort
- Align regional strategies
Since its formation, the group has convened regularly to map assets, identify gaps, and advance collaborative solutions. More recently, the group has served as a space for learning, with webinars and presentations by experts in various PAD-related topics.
If you are interested in joining PAD, click below.
For more information about CAN, visit these pages: