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  • About | Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition

    The Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition (AFFC) is a network of forest farmers, forestland owners, universities, and governmental and non-governmental organizations About the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition The Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition (formerly Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition) is a network of forest farmers, forestland owners, universities, governmental and non-governmental organizations that share a common goal of improving agroforestry production opportunities and farming capabilities among forest farmers. Our collective aim is to increase awareness of forest-grown medicinal, edible plants and products (non-timber forest products or NTFPs ) through education and relationship building, and support conservation efforts through stewardship of existing plant populations and forest farming of these native botanicals. During the March 2024 Gather to Grow Forest Farming Conference in Roanoke, VA, the Appalachian Beginning Forest Farming Coalition announced the evolution of our name to the "Appalachian Forest Farming Coalition". Please note that we are making changes on the website and our social accounts, but will remain the same coalition as we move into the future, and next phase of forest farming growth, community, and networks across the country. AFFC Team John Munsell, AFFC Project Director Professor and Forest Management Extension Specialist, Department of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech Margaret Bloomquist, AFFC Co-director Research Scholar, Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University Sara Jackson, Project and Resource Coordinator Agroforestry Project Coordinator, Department of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech

  • Forest Farming Webinar Series | ABFFC

    Join us for a series of 5 free webinars: Forest Farming In Focus! Each webinar we will discuss a different NTFP species in-depth with experts and experienced forest farmers! Forest Farming In Focus: A Deeper Dive Winter Webinar Series (2022) Thank you to everyone who joined us live for our 2022 winter webinar series! We now maintain this webinar series as an online resource for beginning and experienced forest farmers. Read on to find webinar resources for this series including: -Pre-webinar packet (101 level & basics) -Webinar recordings and presentation slides "Forest Farming In Focus" is a series of 5 winter webinars that are designed to be a deeper dive into forest farming species, topics and practices. In 2022, AFFC and our partners joined hands to create this special webinar series for experienced forest farmers who want to dive deeper into common non-timber forest products and expand their understanding of forest farming species and practices. Each webinar in this series will bring together experts in the field, experienced forest farmers, and learning resources for our topic. Together we will explore forest farming species and practices, as well as engage in discussions with experienced forest farmers with years of expertise. webinar series on youtube more forest farming videos Tree Saps & Syrups Forest Farming Ramps Forest Farming Fungi Forest Farming Ginseng Goldenseal & other NTFPs Tree Saps & Syrups 201: A Deeper Tap into Species, Processes, and Products Join Kate Fotos of Future Generations University and a panel of producers as they step into the world of saps and syrups produced from maple and other tree species. Learn how production processes vary by species to ensure quality, and take a tour of the latest technologies and value-added strategies. Kate Fotos of Future Generations University Britney Hervey Farris of Family Roots Farm Rachel Taylor of Frostmore Farm Missy Moyers-Jarrells of Laurel Fork Sapsuckers Syrups - Pre Webinar Resource (pdf) "Digging Deeper into Ramp Forest Farming" In this webinar, Dr. Burkhart will provide the latest research updates on ramp forest farming, site selection, nutritional and medicinal properties, as well as sustainable husbandry and harvest methods. He will also be joined in the second half of the webinar by Steve Schwartz of Delaware Valley Ramps (Equinunk, PA) for a lively discussion. Eric Burkhart of Penn State University Steve Schwartz of Delaware Valley Ramps Ramps - Pre Webinar Resource (pdf) Beyond the Basics: Forest Farming Fungi Join Hannah Hemmelgarn and hear from Tradd Cotter and Rick Felumlee for an exciting in-depth discussion: beyond the basics of fungi forest farming! With an emphasis on outdoor cultivation, and a handful of species and practices perfectly suited to forest farming, we will hear from Hannah and our special line up of top experts with years of knowledge and experience in forest fungi productions. Hannah Hemmelgarn of University of Missouri Tradd Cotter of Mushroom Mountain Rick Felumlee of Mayapple Farms Fungi - Pre Webinar Resource (pdf) "Digging deeper into ginseng forest farming" In this webinar, Dr. Burkhart will provide some research updates on ginseng forest farming site selection, crop protection, pest/disease management, and emerging leaf harvest opportunities. He will also be joined for the second half of the webinar by forest farmer Ed Daniels (Shady Grove Botanicals, WV) and Anna Plattner and Justin Wexler (Wild Hudson Valley, NY) for a lively discussion of these topics and more. Eric Burkhart of Penn State University Ed & Carole Daniels, Shady Grove Botanicals Anna Plattner & Justin Wexler, Wild Hudson Valley Ginseng - Pre Webinar Resource (pdf) "How to make money growing Goldenseal and other NTFPs" In this webinar, Jeanine Davis, Margaret Bloomquist, and Joe from 'up the creek' will talk about growing woodland botanicals other than ginseng. They will put an emphasis on selling and marketing these plants and discuss several types of operations and realistic financial expectations. Jeanine Davis and Margaret Bloomquist of NCSU's New Crops and Organics Program Joe from "Up the Creek" in Western North Carolina Goldenseal - Pre Webinar Resource (pdf)

  • Calendar | Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition

    The ABFFC calendar features training, workshops, webinars and regional events, from the ABFFC as well as our partners. Please like and follow our Facebook page to keep up to date about online learning opportunities from our partners! Community Forest Farming Calendar The Community Forest Farming Calendar features online and in person events, workshops, webinars from the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition and our partners . On demand videos and webinars are available in our Forest Farming Video Library . View Calendar on Homepage AFFC's Forest Farming Office Hours Northeast Forest Farming Coalition Events Midwest Forest Farming Coalition Events View Past Events

  • Forest Farming | Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition

    Welcome to the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition! We promote the practice of forest farming by educating, supporting and connecting current and future forest farmers. APPALACHIAN FOREST FARMER COALITION GROWING OPPORTUNITIES BENEATH THE CANOPY JOIN our email list for forest farming news and announcements LEARN more with forest farming resources and a dedicated video library CONNECT with our growing community of forest farmer and partners GROW with Forest Farming Office Hours, webinars, and in person training What is the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition? The Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition (AFFC), is a network of forest farmers, forestland owners, universities, and governmental and non-governmental organizations that share a common goal of improving agroforestry production opportunities and farming capabilities among forest farmers. Established in 2014, our collective aim has been to increase awareness of forest-grown medicinal, edible plants and other non-timber forest products (NTFPs) through education and relationship building, and support conservation efforts through stewardship of existing plant populations and forest farming of native botanicals. About AFFC AFFC's Partners are you a potential or beginning forest farmer? do you have forest farming questions? If so, be sure to check out our Forest Farming Resource section where you can find a clearinghouse of information about Forest Farming, non timber forest products and more. We are also excited to continue our popular Forest Farming Office Hours in 2025 , where we connect with forest farmers from all over Appalachia and beyond, discuss seasonal forest farming topics and answer questions. All regions and experience levels are welcome! New to Forest Farming? Start Here! 2025 Forest Farming Office Hours Community Forest Farming Calendar The Community Forest Farming Calendar features training, workshops, webinars and regional events with the AFFC and from our partners. Please be sure to follow our Facebook page and online community to learn about online and in-person learning opportunities throughout the year. Northeast Forest Farmers Coalition Events Midwest Forest Farming Coalition Events Forest Farming Footnotes Seasons greetings from the Appalachian Forest Farming Coalition! Click on the buttons below to view the latest Forest Farming Footnotes Newsletter. This edition features several updates and announcements, 2025 Forest Farming Office Hours, Catalyzing Agroforestry website information, new videos and more. After all that 2024 has brought us, we are most grateful for this wonderful group, and the work being done in this and other regions. We send our best wishes to everyone for wellness, warmth, and a wholehearted Holiday Season. Sincerely, The AFFC Team Read the December Footnotes Subscribe to the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition email list below for future newsletters, updates, announcements and more.

  • Membership | Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition

    Through your participation and support, the Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition can provide free access to many resources for agroforestry, and an ever growing network of support though partners, communities, technical assistance and essential training to forest farmers like you. ABFFC Membership Through your participation and support, the Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition can provide free access to many resources for forest farming and agroforestry, and an ever growing network of support though partners , communities , technical assistance and essential training to forest farmers like you. We promise to protect your information, and privacy. Please read through our privacy policy for more information about how we use your survey answers for demographic purposes only, and to better connect to our members through events, regional conferences and hands on training. Member Become a Member (it's free!) Help us improve and expand the coalition by filling out our short membership survey! We promise to protect your information and privacy . Membership Sign-up Membership Benefits Hands-on Training & Support Hands-on workshops on all aspects of operations: choosing and preparing a site, management planning, organic production and certification, forest grown verification, best handling and processing practices, value added production techniques, forest farming business planning and record keeping. Unique opportunities to see value-added facilities and productive forest farms. Forest Farming Resources This coalition clearinghouse website houses a wide array of online and video resources for forest farmers on diverse topics from industry basics to cultivation to value added production and beyond. The coalition will also help link members to free and reduced rate seed distribution programs and house an equipment share forum to assist growers in accessing tools for harvest and processing. Bi-annual Appalachian Forest Farmer Chronicle. Connecting and Networking Growers Forest farmer and industry stakeholder meetings will offer opportunities for growers to connect with buyers, organic certifiers, representatives from verification and other labeling programs. Growing communities full of folks interested in all aspects of forest farming and every skill level. Regional Technical Assistance Network Forest farmer to forest farmer mentorship program. Access to university extension and other agency personnel for FAQs and assistance with site and habitat management planning. Forest Farming Community Newsletter Join our email list to be one of the first to receive our seasonal Forest Farming Footnotes newsletter, which brings together the best of our regional partners, trainings, events, forest farming classifieds, and regional happenings! Other ways to support the Coalition! J oin our email list Share the word about ABFFC Ask about forest farming Learn more about forest farming in our video library Participate in our forest farming community on Facebook Check out our Forest Farming Footnotes newsletter and archive Attend online or in person events and trainings Fill out a survey , which helps inform our resources, and future projects Follow ABFFC on Facebook and Instagram Read and share our newsletter

  • Community | Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition

    The aim of the Appalachian Forest Farmers Coalition is to connect the various agencies, groups, people and resources with an interest in our forests. What better way to do that than creating an inclusive Forest Farming community, as diverse as our forests themselves? Comprised of forest far Forest Farming Community The aim of the Appalachian Forest Farmers Coalition is to connect the various forest farmers, partners and groups, community projects, organizations and universities that are taking part in growing the future of forest farming and agroforestry in Appalachia and beyond. There are plenty of ways to participate in the forest farming community person and virtually: Regional Partner Organizations host regular in-person and online events. Use the map below to explore or find links to our partners below. AFFC's Forest Farming Office Hours is a monthly discussion about forest farming topics, Q&As, and to hear about what other farmers are doing in their neck of the woods. Follow our page or join our group on facebook to stay up to date about opportunities, events, ask questions to the group, and more. AFFC's email list shares all of this and more through occasional email announcements, news and updates, as well as virtual and hands on learning opportunities across the Appalachian region. The Forest Farming Video Library on YouTube is home to 200+ on demand videos and webinars about non timber forest products, forest botanicals, value added products and more. Click to open and explore AFFC Partners in Google Maps Partners Partner Universities Supporting Organizations AFFC Partners AFFC Partner Universities AFFC Supporting Organizations Funding for the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition has been sponsored by The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program

  • Initiatives | Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition

    These projects-in-development are part of the AFFC's goal of bringing better forest farming resources to the Appalachians and beyond! Please help us learn more about the needs of forest farmers like you buy filling out our short surveys on each page. Thank you in advance! AFFC New Initiatives These projects-in-development are part of the AFFC's goal of bringing better forest farming resources to the Appalachians and beyond! Please help us learn more about the needs of forest farmers like you buy filling out our short surveys on each page. Thank you in advance. ARC ARISE ARC ARISE Wild Stewards Alliance WSA American Forest Farming Association AFFA Catalyzing Agroforestry Grant Program EMEF

  • GATHER TO GROW | AFFC

    2026 Gather to Grow Forest Farming Conference Save the date announcement and details coming soon.

  • FEEDBACK | AFFC

    Please leave feedback so that we can make the AFFC website better! ABFFC Feedback Page Appalachianforestfarmers.org aims to be a perennial resource f or forest farmers of all experience levels. We value and welcome your feedback to help us improve this website and its resources. Website Feedback First Name Last Name Email Phone Message Submit

  • Value Added Products | Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition

    This video series provides insights into various ways that non-timber forest products can be used to bring further value to the forest farmer. Forest botanical production can be taken a step further by processing different plant parts into medicines, creams, essential oils, salves, teas, and othe Forest Farming Value Added Products This video series provides insights into various ways that non-timber forest products can be used to bring further value to the forest farmer. Forest botanical production can be taken a step further by processing different plant parts into medicines, creams, essential oils, salves, teas, and other value-added products. Value Added Products Essential Oils Producers VAPs Value Added Products Many NTFPs can be processed for wholesale with Good Harvest Practices (GHPs) and sold directly to a buyer or aggregator, or they can be used to create Value Added Products (VAPs). These VAPs can often times raise the price point in a retail setting or reach different markets where you can fetch a premium price for a specialty product. Creating VAPs with non timber forest products can be appealing to folks who already make those kinds of products, are already home buisnesses/small buisnesses, or want to diversify what they are already doing with forest farming. Explore the page below to learn more about VAPs, and how they can take non timber forest products to a new level. Please be sure to explore our youtube channel , and if you have forest farming questions, you can ask them in our FB page or group , or attend an event for networking and hands-on learning. Join us as we go behind the scenes to show a glimpse of where these herbal concoctions can be made, how different products are created, and what the business model is for each company we interviewed. Our hope is to provide a broad view behind the herbal products industry, from growing medicinal herbs in the forest as seen in our forest farming videos, to drying and post harvest handling, to finished products that incorporate these forest botanicals. EOs Essential Oils Producers Producers of Value Added Products

  • 2022 Events | AFFC

    2022 ABFFC Partner Events A big thank you to all of our participants and hosts in the ABFFC partner events of 2022. From the mountains of Western North Carolina to the forests of Pocahontas County, West Virginia, forest farmers from all around gathered to share in hands-on learning opportunities and community building. Please see highlights for each events below and be sure to keep up with our regional partners! If you are a beginning forest farmer, we invite you join our newsletter to hear about forest farming news, updates and events near you, or bring your forest farming questions to our FB community . 2022 West Virginia Forest Farming Forum 2022 Southern Ohio Forest Farming Conference 2022 WNC Forest Farming Series 2022 Sassafras Moon Herbal Festival & Forest Farming Conference WVFFF 2022 West Virginia Forest Farming Forum We would like to thank all of our partner groups and attendees for making the 2022 West Virginia forest farming forum a huge success in Marlinton WV! On Saturday we enjoyed a beautiful day of networking and learning with teachers and speakers, culminating in a dinner at the Pocahontas County Opera House. Thanks to all who visited the Yew Mountain Center on Sunday to finish off the weekend with yet another day of immersive learning. Please continue to stay in touch and utilize the resources provided by Yew Mountain Center and the ABFFC. If you have any follow-up questions, we invite you to get in touch or ask and start discussions about forest farming topics in our FB group . SOFFC 2022 Southern Ohio Forest Farming Conference We would like to thank all of our partner groups and attendees for making the 2022 Southern Ohio Forest Farming Conference a wonderful event for two years running! All weekend we enjoyed the amazing hospitality of the United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary and our hosts Rural Action , as we covered all the forest farming bases, from beginner basics to advanced business practices. Please stay in touch and utilize our forest farming resources. If you have any follow-up questions, we invite you to get in touch or ask and start discussions about forest farming topics in our FB group. WNC FFS 2022 WNC Forest Farming Series Thank you for a wonderful series of forest farming workshops and tours in Western North Carolina! With our partners the Organic Growers School , this series was based on the format for the CRAFT Farmer Network and Tour program, which connects beginning and experienced farmers and producers throughout the WNC region. " Integrating Forest Farming into Existing Farm Enterprises " at Thatchmore Farm Our June session at Thatchmore Farm , "Integrating Forest Farming into Existing Farm Enterprises " had a great group. From heating greenhouses with wood, to yaupon holly and ramp propagation we had a day full of learning and sharing. Thank you to our hosts Tom, Karen, and Liz Elmore for sharing your time and knowledge. " Encouraging Mushroom Production within a Forest Ecosystem: A Practical Approach to Collaborating with Nature " at the Forest Farmacy In August we went to Madison County, NC for "Encouraging Mushroom Production within a Forest Ecosystem: A Practical Approach to Collaborating with Nature " with Forest Farmacy . We enjoyed a lovely day of integrating fungi into the forest farm practices. Our hosts Chris Parker and Kat Houghton generously shared their amazing knowledge and land. We got our hands dirty inoculating straw with spawn for participants to bring home. " Planting and Propagation of Forest Farmed Botanicals " at Green Heart Gardens We concluded the series in August at Green Heart Gardens in Buncombe County, NC. Our host Lori Burra of HerbMamma , offered her knowledge of planting a wild simulated forest farm and diverse methods for producing woodland botanicals and stewarding the forest plants. Participants enjoyed a beautiful afternoon with propagation, planting, and ginseng seed-sowing activities. 2022 Sassafras Moon Herbal Festival & Forest Farming Conference SassyFest What a plant-filled and inspiring weekend! A giant thank you to our hosts, partners, vendors and everyone who attended. We are grateful to be part of this wonderful event and this outstanding community. Read more about SassyFest here! On September 24, an incredible 2,500 people attended the Sassafras Moon Herbal Festival in downtown Erwin, TN to explore products from 40+ herbal vendors and learn from speakers at 7 FREE herbal classes. Then, on September 25, ABFFC & ASD co-hosted the SOLD OUT Sassafras Moon Forest Farming Conference at Blackberry Blossom Farm. We enjoyed concurrent classroom sessions in the morning and hands-on learning stations at a local forest farm throughout the afternoon.

  • ARC ARISE | AFFC

    Proposed Work Long Term Goals Regional Toolkit Project Design ARC Alignment Project Activity Regional Activities Technical Initiatives Accelerating Forest Farming in Central Appalachia: Strengthening Market Connections and Collaboration for Long-Term Sector Impact and Sustainability Accelerating Forest Farming in Central Appalachia: Strengthening Market Connections and Collaboration for Long-Term Sector Impact and Sustainability” is a regional and multistate project designed to support continued expansion of the ABFFC work and prepare for ARISE implementation funding. The work will result in long-term transformational goals all critical to establishment of the Appalachian forest farmers as leaders in this global market. Proposed Work Long Term Goals Proposed Work – Planning into Implementation The ARISE Project uses a multifaceted strategy to support Appalachian forest farmers, traditional wild harvesters who implement sustainable forest farming methods, and associated regional stakeholders. The planning work prepares for a five-year project to accelerate technical assistance, value-added market and technology development, sector capacity and efficiency initiatives, as well as efforts to raise industry investments and consumer awareness all of which underpin the economic viability of individual and collective business ventures across Central Appalachia and increase the long-term sustainability of a value-added NTFP supply chain. The project strengthens existing partnerships and programs in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Proposed programs and services will deliver a broad spectrum of market-centered opportunities for Appalachian residents and localities to transform a deeply rooted, traditional economic sector and create a sustainable platform for continued growth as the marketplace evolves. Planning will allow for an intensive focus on some of Appalachia’s most distressed communities, places where many individuals have knowledge of and experience with NTFPs but have long been poorly compensated for their efforts. Further, access to individuals in these communities can be challenging for a variety of reasons (lack of broadband, limits to enterprise development due to income challenges, despair factors linked to persistent poverty). The planning project will establish implementation methods and pathways to expand outreach, increase value-added trade, and encourage participation in a rising trend: just compensation and increased economic benefits for the citizens and communities where these natural resources thrive. This multistate project will touch 133 counties across Central Appalachia in seven states. Long Term Implementation Goals The work will result in long-term transformational goals all critical to establishment of the Appalachian forest farmers as leaders in this global market. Long-term transformational goals include: Position Central Appalachia’s forest farming sector at the forefront of the region’s future bio-economy; Become the global marketing, processing, aggregation, and distribution model for sustainable forest farmed products; Capture an unprecedented share of local, regional, national, and international value-added forest farming markets; Develop an Appalachian forest farming brand recognized the world over; Ramp and revolutionize forest farming planting stock, seed sales, mycelium and spore production, and tree-tapping equipment enterprises; Elevate, coordinate, and connect forest farming tourism, cultural identity, and justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives; Grow the number of financially sound forest farming businesses predicated on sustainable whole-forest management; Leverage and sustain highly successful ongoing technical training and assistance for forest farmers and technical service provider consultants; Increase the reach and impact of current forest farming business recruitment, public awareness, and workforce development programs through product placement, experiential and technical education, and community engagement and tourism initiatives; Expand market activity and the physical presence of medium- and large-scale forest farming dependent industries in Appalachia; Celebrate Appalachian forest farmers as ecosystem services stewards who protect land, water and air quality, climate,biodiversity, and other natural resources; and Spur the next phase of Appalachian forest farming in meaningful, impactful, and sustainable bioeconomic regional development. Regional Toolkit Intersecting the ARISE Regional Multistate Collaboration Toolkit Insights and Strategies Project Design Project Design Process and Figures Section ARC Alignment Project Activity Alignment with ARC Strategic Investment Goals and Objectives Primary ARC Goal: Building Appalachian Businesses - Individual producers become small- and medium-sized business owners through technical assistance and participation in regional activities. Existing businesses (forest farming operations, primary buyers, nurseries, cottage businesses, tourism enterprise) expand revenue as supply chains grow and national and international investments increases. Secondary ARC Goals: Building Appalachia’s Workforce Ecosystem - By building and strengthening relationships, and coordinating and facilitating trainings, we will create an enabling environment for agroforestry to be a viable industry cluster for Central Appalachia. Building Regional Culture and Tourism - Appalachia has a rich history of forested homesteading combined with use and celebration of our resilient and fecund forest commons. Build producer networks, NTFP markets, and connecting these with the broader tourism economy allows this rich history to take center stage in narratives about Appalachia, and in tourist experiences of Appalachia. Project Activity Rationale, Framing, and Coordination The following summary identifies key focus areas, informed by previous and ongoing work, specifically designed to address the need for additional resources and expansion of the ABFFC footprint for transformational sector growth. The impact of ABFFC initiatives to date is clear. Training and recruitment events are sold out, the number and scale of forest farms is growing, forest farming is increasingly celebrated in regional, national, and international media, communities in the region increasingly extol forest farming, and sector challenges and opportunities have led to on-the-ground solutions. Building on the coalition’s success requires additional investments to expand sector growth and sustainability. The number of potential forest farmers who seek assistance is on the rise in terms of enterprise development (such as start-up support and training) with potential to maximize returns on investments. They seek business diversification by incorporating NTFPs into their production systems and/or by participating in substantial public and private investments in climate-smart commodities as well as carbon sequestration and water quality trading income streams. The project is designed to maximize impact using known strengths of ABFFC partners to support specialized technical activities combined with partner organizations who bring standing networks and relationships along with deep knowledge of their respective landscapes and goals. Knowledge and skills are shared across the seven-state region with a neutral facilitator assisting in the equitable distribution of financial resources, project administration, and scheduling support. The framework for managing a balanced and broadly impactful project occurs across two simultaneous tracks: 1) sub-region baseline activities that continue producer recruitment and support, market connections and promotion, and sector sustainability; and, 2) region-wide technical initiatives that address existing bottlenecks identified over the course of the Coalition’s growth. Regional Activities Sub-region Baseline Activities Local partner organizations oversee direct engagement and support in their particular areas of responsibility, known in this project as a sub-region (state, collection of counties). Baseline activities include providing technical assistance and training along with producer and entrepreneurial recruitment and outreach. Outreach and support activities also engage existing technical service providers to integrate agroforestry support services into existing land-use programs. As needed, the VT/ABFFC facilitator coordinates support by local or regional partners. Newer and longstanding partners are positioned to expand the ABFFC footprint and its role in continuing regional growth. This allows for provision of coalition-forged practices to a broad region. Further, because local partners best understand their networks and localities, community engagement and public awareness/education are delivered through them to realize proximal impacts supporting coherent multi-state goals and objectives. Local community engagement activities receive support through the neutral facilitator/lead applicant by connecting with communications and outreach professionals engaged in the project. These measures include an intentional focus on traditionally underserved communities (BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, socially disadvantaged) based upon an ongoing financial producer support program funded by a private family foundation. To summarize, sub-region baseline activities include: Continuation of technical assistance and training, as well as ongoing market development Producer/business recruitment and outreach Community engagement and public awareness/education including direct engagement with local development district and locality leadership Region-wide Technical Initiatives Select partner organizations address specific challenges identified through ongoing work and prepare the cluster to accelerate regional and direct producer impact. Leadership assignments are based on specialized expertise and experience that chosen partner organizations possess and are informed by input from all partner organizations via technical topic committees. Initiative leaders are also responsible for advancing the state of knowledge in their respective technical specialties and distributing information along with documenting findings for distribution to all participants across the region. It is important to note that all technical leaders receive a high level of support from other organizations. Cooperative relationships exist through past and ongoing ABFFC efforts, allowing for efficient and effective launching of proposed work by virtue of ARISE investments. Technical activities have been identified as critical needs in order to advance the Appalachian agroforestry economic cluster toward a broadly coordinated and efficient regional NTFP sector: Technical Initiatives

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