USDA Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Appalachian Partnership Awarded USDA Grant

An Appalachia food program received a grant to help provide healthy foods and strengthen local food financing programs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Rural Development West Virginia State Director, Ryan Thorn announced a partnership with ReInvestment Fund to award Appalachian FoodWorks Partnership a $1.6 million grant.

“Access to affordable, fresh, and healthy food is something that every West Virginian should have, no matter where they live,” said Thorn. “President Biden and Rural Development are committed to supporting local and regional food systems so people won’t need to travel far from home to find fresh, healthy food. The Appalachian FoodWorks Partnership will be an invaluable resource to help bring health options to our most underserved communities.”

The Appalachian FoodWorks Partnership combines state government (West Virginia Department of Agriculture), West Virginia University (Center for Resilient Communities and Family Nutrition Program), community-based lenders (Partner Community Capital), and the nonprofit sector (West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition).

The partnership aims to enhance food access, supply chain resilience and economic development by deploying grants, loans and technical support.

“This will project work with the West Virginia Rural Grocer Network, West Virginia Department of Agriculture, Partner Community Capital and the WVU Center for Resilient Communities to provide personalized support and technical assistance, coupled with grants and low-interest loans to locally-owned grocery stores and mid-tier value chain businesses,” said Spencer Moss, executive director of the West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition. “It’s through these activities that the project will help business not just be sustainable but thrive as they provide essential services to the community.”

Appalachian FoodWorks is one of 16 nationwide public-private partnerships the Reinvestment Fund chose to receive this American Rescue Plan funding.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.

How COVID-19 Affected The Way We Shop On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, shortly after the first COVID-19 case hit West Virginia four years ago, our way of simple day-to-day living drastically changed. Many of those alterations dealt with how we went shopping. Randy Yohe spoke with West Virginia Retailers Association President Bridget Lambert on COVID-19’s effect on retail – and how our shopping lives have forever been changed.

On this West Virginia Morning, shortly after the first COVID-19 case hit West Virginia four years ago, our way of simple day-to-day living drastically changed. Many of those alterations dealt with how we went shopping. Randy Yohe spoke with West Virginia Retailers Association President Bridget Lambert on COVID-19’s effect on retail – and how our shopping lives have forever been changed.

Also, in this show, we have the latest story from the The Allegheny Front – a public radio program based in Pittsburgh that reports on environmental issues in the region. We listen to their story about the updated growing plant hardiness zone map from the USDA.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University.

Eric Douglas produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

French Creek Freddie Given Federal Reprieve, Will Forecast Friday

A one-day clearance from federal officials will allow French Creek Freddie to make his shadow-based prediction Friday, Feb. 2.

Note: This is a developing story and may be updated.

A one-day clearance from federal officials will allow French Creek Freddie to make his shadow-based prediction Friday, Feb. 2.

Initial reports Wednesday stated that the West Virginia State Wildlife Center would be closed Friday due to issues with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s annual relicensing procedure.

However, on Thursday morning Sen. Joe Manchin sent out a press release stating U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack assured him “that French Creek Freddie will have the opportunity to look for his shadow tomorrow morning.”

The press release went on to say work continues to fully reopen the wildlife center.

Shortly after, Gov. Jim Justice also sent out a press release with details about Friday’s ceremony.

According to the release, the celebration is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, February 2, at 10:00 a.m., when French Creek Freddie will emerge to reveal whether an early spring is on the way or if winter will continue for another six weeks. Members of the public are invited to attend at 9:50 a.m. for the opening ceremony.

The event will also be live-streamed on Justice’s YouTube page.

USDA Temporarily Closes State Wildlife Center, No French Creek Freddie This Year

With Groundhog Day on Friday, Feb. 2, fans of animal meteorology were dealt a blow Wednesday.

Punxsutawney Phil may be the most popular weather-predicting groundhog, but French Creek Freddie is the local favorite. However, fans will not have a chance to watch the four-legged forecaster this year as the West Virginia State Wildlife Center where Freddie lives is closed indefinitely and the Groundhog Day Ceremony is canceled.

During his regular briefing Wednesday, Gov. Jim Justice explained that the closure was related to an issue with a fence.

“Our state Wildlife Center in French Creek is temporarily closed due to an abrupt decision by the USDA to no longer recognize an indefinite variance, on a secondary committed containment fence that was issued 24 years ago,” he said.

In a press release after the briefing, Justice clarified that the abrupt decision was part of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s annual relicensing procedure. As the relicensing process and inspection are pending approval, the Wildlife Center is unable to exhibit animals and will be closed to the public until a new license is secured.

Justice says this, along with a challenge by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the state’s trout stocking program are “a move by folks that are trying to punish states.”

“I’m calling on President Biden to stop this all-out war on West Virginia by his federal agencies,” Justice said in his press release. “It’s so blatantly targeted at our state and our people because we happen to disagree on political issues. It’s just plain wrong.”

According to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Freddie’s weather-predicting career got its start in 1978, when former West Virginia State Wildlife Center Superintendent Bill Vanscoy responded to a reporter on Groundhog Day if there was a groundhog on site and if it had seen its shadow. Freddie can be viewed year-round once the facility re-opens.

25 Projects Support Rural W.Va. Communities

Twenty-five communities in West Virginia will receive money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development program to lower energy costs, improve basic infrastructure and strengthen resilience.

USDA Rural Development State Director Ryan Thorn said the program is investing more than $8.7 million in the state.

“Whether it’s helping a rural small business cut utility costs or helping a rural community provide clean and reliable drinking water, modern infrastructure creates good-paying jobs and supports opportunities for rural West Virginians to build brighter futures,” Thorn said. “Helping our rural communities and small businesses grow and prosper is what we’re all about at Rural Development, and the investments announced today are a testament to that commitment.”

The investments announced Thursday are made available through the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program, and the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program.

In total, Rural Development is investing $8,753,907 in 25 projects across West Virginia. A few examples include:

River Riders, an adventure resort in Jefferson County, will use a $201,658 REAP grant to purchase and install an 84 kilowatt (kW) solar array. The project annually is expected to save the business $3,587 per year and will replace 97,022 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, enough electricity to power eight homes.

In Mingo County, the City of Williamson will use a $4.9 million low-interest loan through the Water and Waste Disposal Program to upgrade its water treatment, storage, and distribution systems. This project will benefit approximately 3,191 rural West Virginians.

The Southern Appalachian Labor School, in Fayette County, will use a $24,720 Community Facilities Grant to repair the roofs for two of its community center facilities. The organization owns and operates two 911/Red Cross Emergency Shelters located at the historic Oak Hill School and Beards Fork School.

Funding for these programs is made possible, in part, by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

For more information about USDA Rural Development in West Virginia, visit www.rd.usda.gov/wv or contact your local Rural Development office.

Marshall To Build Workforce Training Center At ACF Site

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Program presented a $550,000 check to establish Marshall’s welding and robotics training center near the university’s campus.

State and local officials, as well as representatives from Marshall University, received a federal grant to redevelop an industrial site in Huntington Tuesday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Program presented a $550,000 check to establish Marshall’s welding and robotics training center near the university’s campus.

The center will be built on the site of ACF Industries, which for decades built railcars and was one of the region’s largest employers.

The rails are still embedded in the concrete at the facility, but instead of building trains, it will now train a new workforce.

Brandon Dennison, Marshall’s vice president of economic and workforce development, said to expect more of these efforts.

“We’re going to see very real, very tangible investments leading to good paying jobs and building the new Appalachian economy of the future,” he said.

Construction is set to begin early next year, with the center in operation in 2025.