Refresh Appalachia is a program of Coalfield Development focused on developing, shaping, and supporting agriculture and Central Appalachia's food system.

This program has 4 main objectives:

Expand agricultural knowledge, understanding, and opportunity through paid on-the-job training experiences.
Strengthen and develop the agricultural sector through creative and collaborative partnerships and projects.
Promote and facilitate aggregation and distribution for agricultural producers.
Explore, experiment, and implement innovative and regenerative agriculture practices on degraded lands.

Significant 2024 Milestones

Technical Assistance

This year marked the first rollout of the Appalachia Regional Food Business Center (ARFBC), which, among other resources, helps connect food and farm businesses connect to Certified Technical Assistance Providers (C-TAPs) closest to them who provide support in accessing new markets and more. We are proud to serve as a C-TAP for the ARFBC!

Learn More About ARFBC

Farm to School

After joining the team in late 2023, our Farm to Institution Coordinator, Lydia Cyrus, established the foundation for our Farm to School initiative, with over 6,000 students engaged just in 2024.

Collaborative Growth

In 2024, we joined forces with eight partners to strengthen the agriculture workforce in Appalachia and expanded our efforts to advance Farm to School development across the region, fostering greater collaboration and long-term community impact.

Regional Impact

This year, we engaged 6,000 students, trained over 200 individuals, and brought in more than $5 million in agricultural investment to Appalachia.

Appalachia Regional Food Business Center (ARFBC)

Refresh Appalachia is a proud Partner and Certified Technical Assistance Provider (C-TAP) of the ARFBC. The ARFBC supports a more resilient and competitive food system throughout all of Appalachia. The Center supports farm and food producers by providing:

localized assistance to access local and regional supply chains
technical assistance needed to access new markets
for small- and mid-sized producers, support in overcoming barriers to market access, with a focus on underserved farmers and food businesses
Business Builder Subaward grants

With a long-standing commitment to the farms and food businesses in the region, the ARFBC works to foster a food economy that benefits business owners, stakeholders, and consumers throughout the entire region.

For more information about the ARFBC and Business Builder Grants, click below to learn more.

For technical assistance support, reach out to Shelly Keeney, our Regional Food Coordinator.

Supporting Appalachia:

How to Get Involved:

Donate

Consider making a tax-deductible donation to Coalfield Development with the subject "Refresh Appalachia" to support our ongoing work.

Sign up for our email list to receive general updates on trainings and opportunities by emailing us at Refresh(at)coalfield-development.org

Some of our Partners:

Visit us on Facebook:

Keep up with Refresh Appalachia on social media! See the latest news, updates, and what our crew is up to over on our Facebook page.

The total cost of the Growing Renewed Opportunities for Workers in Appalachia (G.R.O.W Appalachia) program is $5M, and includes Workforce Readiness and Professional Success (WRAPS), Mountain Mindful, Refresh Appalachia, and Revitalize Appalachia programming. $1.5M (30%) is funded through the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Grant, and the remaining $3.5M (70%) of the program is funded by allowable federal and non-federal funding.