The West Virginia Farmers Market Association (WVFMA) and Refresh Appalachia (Refresh) recently obtained funding for two mobile poultry processing units through a grant from The Conservation Fund. Many farmers interested in producing poultry for commercial markets are unable to do so due to the lack of available processing facilities. These mobile units will help local producers become more efficient in their poultry processing procedures. This partnership creates new economic opportunities for producers desiring to raise poultry, but lacking the specialized equipment and training needed to effectively prepare their products for market. The grant further provides for training of farmers in the use of the poultry processing units.
WVFMA and Refresh will conduct several training sessions throughout the southern coalfield regions of West Virginia utilizing the mobile units. The trainings will demonstrate proper usage of the mobile units and provide information on pastured poultry production techniques. This partnership advances the mission of both groups by helping to provide access to resources and education to farmers markets and their producers in the state of West Virginia.
The WVFMA is a membership-based organization that helps connect resources and provides trainings to aid farmers markets and their vendors throughout West Virginia. Since 2007, the WVFMA has worked collaboratively to help farmers markets across the state grow and thrive. Their mission is to strengthen the viability of farmers markets across West Virginia through training, networking, marketing and branding, and access to resources.
A social enterprise of the Coalfield Development Corporation, Refresh Appalachia is an economic and workforce development initiative in southern West Virginia. By providing training in farm and food entrepreneurship, the initiative aims to transform the lives of young people and those displaced from the coal mining industry. Refresh provides training, marketing, and distribution services for farmers.
Parween Mascari, Executive Director for the WVFMA, noted that “we are pleased to participate in this partnership with Refresh Appalachia because we believe that enhancing
opportunities for farmers market vendors is integral to our mission of sustained viability for farmers markets in West Virginia. We recognized that our farmers market producers lacked access to equipment and training that would allow them to sell poultry products.” Savanna Lyons, Program Director for Refresh Appalachia, added, “Farmers are already approaching us because they see the demand for free-range chickens and turkeys. With the mobile processing units, these farmers will be able to process poultry on their own farms using top-notch facilities and safe, humane practices. We believe this service and training will create some exciting new opportunities in the coalfields.”
The WVFMA and Refresh Appalachia plan to hold a series of poultry processing workshops for producers over the summer. Dates for the workshops will be posted soon at www.wvfarmers.org and www.refreshappalachia.com. If you are a farmer in southern West Virginia who plans to raise pastured poultry and would like to use a mobile processing unit, contact Refresh Appalachia at sales@refreshappalachia.com. For more information about the West Virginia Farmers Market Association or to become a member, contact Erica Gallimore at egallimore.wvfma@gmail.com.
