Four West Virginia communities were highlighted in Washington, D.C. this week during a national summit that supports local food initiatives across the country. Local Foods, Local Places is a federal initiative meant to help communities create healthy and economically vibrant neighborhoods.
The event this week at the nation’s capital was attended by 70 local leaders and participants of the initiative. Four West Virginia projects were spotlighted at the summit, making West Virginia the state with the most local food success stories at this year’s event.
The Wild Ramp in Huntington, and the town of Williamson, in Mingo County, were featured for increasing access to healthy foods in their areas, and for boosting the local economy through farmers’ markets
Local food advocates from Rainelle and Wheeling also spoke about their communities’ programs to promote the local food economy – and how their work connects to economic development.
The Local Foods, Local Places initiative is sponsored by several different federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).