Small acreage landowner market access in appalachia

This $6,000,000 Cooperative Agreement award was issued on September 19, 2024 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service under the Inflation Reduction Act Landscape Scale Restoration program (CFDA 10.731). The award aims to improve access to emerging environmental markets for small acreage landowners and enhance ecosystem services in the Appalachian region.

Key products and services to be delivered under this grant include: providing forest farming technical assistance to 125 landowners; connecting landowners with forest botanicals markets; offering seed-to-sale training and certification to 136 producers; establishing herb hubs in Virginia and Ohio to support marketing, processing, aggregation, and distribution; executing a demonstration project to access carbon credits for abandoned mineland reclamation; and providing workforce development opportunities. The award involves a coalition of non-profit organizations, including Rural Action Inc., Appalachian Sustainable Development, United Plant Savers, and Appalachian Voices, working in partnership with Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Cowan Community Action Group, and Rising Appalachia.