The West Virginia National Guard Foundation, Inc. has been awarded a $543,940 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service under the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (CFDA 10.175). The grant will fund a three-year (September 2024 to September 2027) project to provide education and technical assistance to veteran farmers in West Virginia to help them access new markets for their agricultural products, including whole farm products, value-added products, and agritourism/ecotourism operations. The project will deliver programming at three locations deemed food insecure - the Base Innovations Small Business Center in Charleston, Patriot Apple Project in Summersville, and the Patriot Guardens Urban Farm in Dunbar - with the goal of reaching over 150 military-connected individuals, primarily from the West Virginia National Guard, but open to all service members. The project aims to help these farmers sell their products through direct-to-consumer channels such as farmers markets, restaurants, and community-supported agriculture.
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