This USDA NIFA funded project aims to strengthen climate resilience within the Central Appalachian regional food system. The project focuses on the possibilities of policy to effect change, and includes both research and extension activities. The work is guided by a participatory policy approach called Joint Fact Finding (JFF). A participatory committee of food system leaders will jointly guide the research and identification of policy levers alongside the project’s institutional lead. The extension efforts focus on capacity building on using JFF as an extension tool to support policy lever identification within food systems and communities. 

Current members of the participatory committe include: 

  • Tom Redfern, Rural Action
  • Spencer Moss, West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition
  • Liberty Newberry, West Virginia Local Food Value Chains Initiative (VC2)
  • Amy Richardson, Community Farm Alliance
  • Molly Nicholie, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
  • Chumper Walker, NC Cooperative Extension Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians County Center
  • Jenn Tuft & Gina Raicovich, Western North Carolina Food Justice
  • Matt Kneece, Carolina Farm Stewards
  • Francesca Constantino, Virginia Association of Biological Farming
  • Maureen McNamara Best, Local Environment and Agriculture Project 

For more information, please contact Lia Kelinsky-Jones at liak9@vt.edu.