A coalition of individuals and organizations from Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes, Watauga and Grayson Counties is exploring the feasibility of a locally based healthy food system. The food system would bring healthy food into local communities, schools, hospitals, and restaurants. It would also build opportunities for value added production for local use and export. Jobs and income would be generated throughout the region. The development of this system is in line with a 1993 report "Toward a Sustainable Economy in Western North Carolina: Ashe and Watauga Counties" funded by Z. Smith Reynolds and completed by the Sustainable Development program at ASU. It recommends the following

"Expand the importance of agriculture in Watauga and Ashe Counties, emphasizing both full-time and part-time farming that benefits local people in need of economic opportunities, especially those struggling to hold on to their land and farms. Diversity should be the prime consideration in new agricultural development. A variety of new crops and enterprises should be actively developed and supported."

Since that report was written there has been a renewed interest in local food across the country, which has increased the number of small farms in production. Based on experience with New River Organic Growers this has held true for Ashe, Watauga and Wilkes Counties as well.

To establish a local food system there are certain pieces of infrastructure that need to be in place. Fortunately there are many components of the system already in place in the area including the following:

1. A local growers' co-op (New River Organic Growers) which includes farmers from Ashe, Alleghany, Watauga and Wilkes County. NROG recently received a grant to purchase a refrigerated truck and hire a marketer to distribute to local restaurants and grocery stores. This has established the beginnings of a local food delivery system.
2. A community kitchen which is currently closed.
3. Two thriving farmers markets in Ashe and Watauga counties and new ones in Alleghany and Grayson Counties.
4. Cattle farms, dairy farms and goat and pig farms
5. A meat processing plant in Wilkes County
6. A grist mill in Trade, Tennessee
7. Ashe County cheese factory and a local goat dairy
8. Appalachian State University with a sustainable development program.
9. Full time sustainable Cooperative Extension agent for Ashe and Watauga counties
10. Bio diesel program at ASU

While food is being produced in the region there is not a viable local distribution and processing system hence virtually all of the meat and dairy is sent off the mountain. At least half of the fruits and vegetables produced (through NROG) are shipped to Eastern Carolina Organics for distribution to restaurants and stores throughout North Carolina. Most of this food can be kept here if we can pull together all of the local resources into an integrated system. This will require a comprehensive plan and some additional funding but it will be a major step towards implementing aspects of both the 1993 economic plan developed by ASU and the Angelou Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy of 2003.

A fully developed local food system would include the following:

1. Farmers to grow fruits and vegetables to sell to restaurants, hospitals, schools and colleges. While NROG has a core of growers (which has tripled between 2000 and 2009) additional farmers will need to be recruited to meet the demand.
2. Farmers to raise cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens to be processed and sold locally.
3. A bottling and processing plant to revive the local dairy industry which would allow the sale of milk locally. It would also create a source for value added milk products such as cheese, ice cream, and butter.
4. A network of local restaurants, hospitals, stores, and colleges committed to buying local healthy food.
5. A multi purpose community kitchen. The kitchen would be utilized to process food for institutions to deliver it in the manner it is needed (e.g. chopped cabbage, onions). It would also be an incubator for small business food enterprises and value added products. Local needs based food programs would also be able to use the kitchen for processing of gleaned food.
6. Expansion of the meat processing plant in Wilkes County to meet the expanded need.
7. A strong partnership with ASU to assist with business technology and agricultural research as well as purchase of food for the campus food system.
8. A strong, well developed marketing program.
9. A food system storage and distribution center which would include freezer and refrigeration systems as well as trucks for delivery.
10. Governmental entities that realize the economic value of a local food system and are committed to its growth and viability.
11. Expansion of the ASU bio diesel program

The development of a local food system is a long range proposal. Some aspects of the system are developed and need little support. Others are immature and need some development while some need work from the ground up. We are proposing that a long range plan be developed for the implementation of the food system with support regionally from producers, processors and transportation entities. Preservation of the existing commercial kitchen at Family Central is a part of the long range plan.

We have received a commitment of assistance from John Pine of the ASU Appalachian Research Institute for Environment, Energy and Economics. Congresswoman Foxx is excited about the project and has committed her offices' assistance with grants. Representative Cullie Tarleton and Senator Steve Goss are in favor of the project and have committed to help in any way possible. We also have the support of New River Organic Growers and Stokes Core and the Purple Sweet Potato Project.