The Greenbrier Valley Local Foods (GVLFI) will host a facilitated meeting for local producers in late September for the purpose of providing more information about the possible development of a Processing, Aggregation and Distribution (PAD) project. The purpose of the meeting is to gather feedback about the feasibility from the local community. The GVLFI along with the Value Chain Cluster Initiative (VC2) and the Central Appalachian Network (CAN) are working on this study. The PAD would provide aggregation, light processing and distribution of produce grown within the Greenbrier Valley. A PAD can enable the small-scale growers in the region to join together to serve larger buyers such as local schools, hospitals and other institutions. The GVLFI plan is that, as these Greenbrier Valley producers grow their businesses, related entrepreneurial activity will also increase, thus benefitting the economy of the region as a whole. The GVLFI, an initiative of the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation, continues its work developing the local food economy within the Greenbrier Valley of West Virginia. A primary focus of the GVLFI is developing the local infrastructure necessary to enable Greenbrier Valley produce growers to expand their production capacity and earning potential. It is the intention of the GLVFI to include and support Greenbrier Valley producers, consumers, and others who are interested in developing local foods and agriculture. More information on the GVLFI can be found on their website at: greenbriervalley.org. Questions may be directed to Quincy Gray McMichael Lewis at QLewis@GVEDC.com or 304-497-4300.
