LFN Community Action Plan FINAL COMPLETE (1)

Local Food Network
COMMUNITY
ACTION PLAN
Weakley County, Tennessee
November 2016

Local Foods, Local Places Action Plan – Martin and Dresden, Tennessee
1
A mural highlights the agricultural economy of the region in downtown
Martin, TN. Image Credit: Jen Walker
Community Story
Martin and Dresden are two of five
incorporated towns located in
Weakley County, Tennessee. Dresden
is the county seat, while Martin is the
largest city and home to the
University of Tennessee at Martin.
Situated in the northwestern corner
of Tennessee, the region boasts
bountiful natural resources and
productive farmland. As one of the
state’s leading agricultural producers,
Weakley County was first known for
corn production before soybeans surpassed that crop as the leading commodity grown. Other crops
include sweet potatoes, cotton and wheat, and there are several large hog producers in the county.1
Although Weakley County is known for its large agricultural producers, several small farmers growing
food for local consumption have achieved recent success, and there is a growing demand for more local
food.
Weakley County was established in 1823 on land ceded by the Chickasaw Nation through the Treaty of
1818. The location of present-day Dresden was selected as the county seat shortly thereafter because
of its hilltop location and adjacency to one of the only natural springs in the area. The town of Martin
was established in 1873, although agricultural production and trade had been present for several
decades prior. The Nashville and Northwestern railroad was extended through Weakley County in 1861
with stations at Gleason, Dresden, Ralston, Martin, and Gardner. This transportation system, along with
good soils and ample rainfall, provided the initial infrastructure necessary for the region’s agricultural
producers to thrive.
The population of Weakley County was 34,000 as of 20152
, with roughly 11,000 of those residents living
in Martin. Dresden’s population, by contrast, is just under 3,000 people. Like many rural areas in the
United States, the population of Weakley County has been declining in recent years. The poverty rate of
Weakley County is 21.5%, which is 6.7% higher than the national average. Forty-seven percent of the
County’s school-aged children participate in the free and reduced lunch program. Weakley County was
recently named a USDA Strike Force County in an effort to address this persistent poverty in the area.
Access to fresh, healthy food is a concern of some community members in Weakley County, especially
among lower-income families with children and senior citizens. The obesity rate in the city of Martin is
34.5%–slightly higher than the 33.5% average obesity rate for Tennessee, and 86.3% of residents report
that they consume less than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The rate of child food
insecurity is 29.1% (2,000 children) for the city of Martin, compared to the state of Tennessee rate of
25.4%.3
1
Weakley County | Entries | Tennessee Encyclopedia. (March 2011). Retrieved April 10, 2016, from
http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=1480
2
http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/4746240,47183
3
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/CommunityHealth/profile/currentprofile/TN/Weakley/

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Top: City of Martin Farmers Market pavilion located in the
historic downtown; Bottom: City of Dresden Farmers
Market pavilion located just outside of downtown adjacent
to the Green Rail Trail. Images Credit: Jen Walker
The agricultural sector employs 26% of the workforce in Weakley County4
. Other major employers
include the University of Tennessee at Martin (1,000+ employees), MTD Products (725), Weakley County
School District (600), Volunteer Community Hospital (300), Walmart (250), Northwest Community
Development District (250), the City of Martin (150), and numerous mid-sized manufacturing and
distribution companies.
There are several agencies and organizations with
missions intended to further economic and
community development present in Weakley County.
The Northwest Tennessee Entrepreneur Center
(NTEC),—a local nonprofit organization and one of
the lead agencies for the Local Foods, Local Places
(LFLP) technical assistance, is headquartered in
Martin. NTEC serves to support new and existing
entrepreneurs by connecting businesses to
resources, including access to credit and capital, a
mentorship program, networking, and technical
assistance. The University of Tennessee at Martin
has a strong College of Agriculture and Applied
Sciences department and offers much to the local
community through opportunities for partnership
and learning. In the fall of 2015, community
members from Martin and Dresden formed the Local
Food Network to begin bringing together different
organizations and community members interested in
advancing the local foods system in the region.
The cities of Martin and Dresden have been engaged
in developing their respective historic downtown
districts, promoting recreation and economic
development through trail and greenway programs,
and promoting local foods through sponsoring
farmers markets. Each community recently
constructed a new farmer’s market pavilion and both
continue to coordinate the Martin and Dresden
farmers’ market activities.
In 2015, members of the Local Food Network (LFN) Steering Committee requested assistance through
the national Local Foods, Local Places program to develop an action plan for advancing the local food
system and continuing to strengthen their downtowns, improve public health outcomes and foster
economic development. The program is supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and the Delta
Regional Authority (DRA). The outcomes of this technical assistance can bring several benefits to the
community including:
4
http://www.city-data.com/county/Weakley_County-TN.html

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•Create local steering
committee
•Identify goals, issues and
opportunities
•Research & case studies
•Outreach
Assess
•Community tour
•Affirm community vision and goals
•Assess issues/opportunities
•Identify priority actions to achieve
community goals
Convene
•Action Plan
•Follow up coordination
•Mobilize resources
Next Steps
 More economic opportunities for local farmers and businesses.
 Better access to healthy local food, especially among disadvantaged groups.
 A revitalized downtown that is the economic anchor of the community.
In their request for LFLP technical assistance, the City of Martin and the City of Dresden named better
coordination among local foods producers and interested consumers—especially nutrition education
and the need to support the local economy—as a primary goal. Additionally, the LFN Steering
Committee hoped to generate greater interdependence between the rural and urban areas of the
county through increased attention to the social, cultural, economic, and environmental opportunities
afforded by local foods efforts.
The remainder of this report and appendices documents the LFLP technical assistance engagement
process, the workshop activities, and most importantly, the action plan and next steps for achieving the
community’s goals. Over the course of the three planning calls and workshop discussions, the
community’s goals evolved from those in the initial request for technical assistance to the five shown
later in this report and in Appendix A, and reflect the holistic, collaborative approach to community
development already underway in Martin, Dresden, and the wider Weakley County community.
Engagement
The technical assistance engagement process for LFLP includes three phases, illustrated in Figure 1
below. The assessment phase consists of three preparation conference calls between the LFLP team and
the local Steering Committee to establish the workshop goals, agenda, logistics, and stakeholder
invitation lists. The convening phase includes the effort’s capstone event—a two-day workshop in the
community. The next steps phase includes three follow up conference calls as well as process reporting
and documentation.
Figure 1 - Technical Assistance Process Diagram

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Day 1 evening workshop held at the Purple Iris in Dresden.
Approximately 80 people attended the event. Image Credit: NTEC
The site visit was conducted over two
days—March 21st and 22nd, 2016: a small
lunch gathering at the Northwest
Tennessee Entrepreneur Center office,
community tours of Martin and Dresden,
and an evening community meeting held at
the Purple Iris event space in Dresden (Day
1) and a community workshop at the
Northwest Tennessee Development District
offices in Martin (Day 2). The community
event and workshop were well attended by
key stakeholder groups, residents, and
local leaders (attendance list in Appendix
C). The Local Food Network published the
first Weakley County Local Food Guide just
prior to the LFLP workshop, with the public meeting on the first day serving as the official launch of this
important effort. This public meeting was the first in a planned series of community forums called
“Using Food to Build Community,” providing an ongoing platform for Weakley County residents to
gather and discuss issues and opportunities around strengthening the local food system.
Community Tour
The LFLP Steering Committee organized a luncheon on March 21st
with key stakeholders at the
Northwest Tennessee Entrepreneur Center to kick-off the project with the local leadership committee,
consultants, and federal agency representatives. Following the luncheon, the Steering Committee led
everyone on a tour of the Martin and Dresden communities including Festival Park, the Martin Farmers
Market, UTM Campus, the Brian Brown Greenway, Weakley County Recreation facilities, the McWherter
Civic Center, the Greenrail Trail, Dresden Farmers Market, and Downtown Dresden (Court Square).The
tour provided an overview of the challenges and opportunities present in Weakley County, and allowed
for informal discussions about the local food system and place-making efforts.

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THIS I BELIEVE…
Growth Opportunities
There is ample opportunity for new farmers
(young and recent retirees) to start profitable
farm businesses. Local farmers markets are a
big asset, and are growing.
Community Consensus
Weakley County residents agree on a positive
community vision and are interested in local
foods as a way to make the region a better
place to live. A stronger local food system will
create a healthier community—economically,
socially, and physically, and environmentally.
Need to Spread the Word
While the farmers market and growers are a
strength, more advertising and publicity is
needed to get the word out to all Weakley
County residents about the benefits of
supporting and eating locally grown food.
Community Equity is Important
Strengthening the local food system provides a
vehicle for social and economic justice, through
making healthy local food available to
everyone. Teaching gardening and cooking
skills is an important part of community equity.
Vision and Values
The first night of the on-site technical assistance
included a workshop attended by over 80 Weakley
County residents and several regional partners
representing state and federal agencies. Members
of the local LFLP Steering Committee welcomed
attendees to the first “Using Local Food to Build
Community” event and presented the recently
completed Weakley County Local Food Guide. The
consultant team introduced the topics and
program overview with a short presentation.
Community members and other attendees were
asked to write on notecards their response to the
statement, “This I believe about local food in
Weakley County…” which prompted participants
to think about the opportunities present in the
area. Those ideas are summarized in Figure 2.
After a locally-sourced and catered dinner, each
table completed a food system diagramming
exercise in which they listed existing components
of the food system, components that do not yet
exist but are needed, and the connections
between those components (see Appendix G). The
themes shared during the opportunities and
challenges and mapping exercises reveal many of
the group’s aspirations for economic revitalization,
improved health, entrepreneurship opportunities
afforded by local foods, community pride,
increased coordination among partner
organizations, and connected trail and greenways
between communities.
On day two of the technical assistance effort, the consultant team facilitated a day long workshop with a
smaller group of local stakeholders. This workshop began with a recap of the vision, values and goals
discussed the previous evening and then transitioned into case study presentations covering farmers’
market best practices, food system and trail assessments, entrepreneurship, farm incubator programs,
and other food system-related technical information (see Appendix F for case study slides). The
resultant discussions and exercises evolved into a refinement of the goals and the action plan
implementation tables that are summarized below (full version in Appendix A).
Figure 2 – Highlights from THIS I BELIEVE Activity

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Action Plan
The culminating product of the technical assistance and workshop efforts is a strategic action plan to
guide implementation of the community’s priority goals. The plan is organized around five goals and
includes specific actions selected by Local Food Network participants to achieve those goals. The action
plan matrix helps to further clarify, prioritize, and define roles and responsibilities for moving forward
on these actions. The goals and actions that are part of this plan are summarized below and contained in
Appendix A with full details including organizational leads, potential funding, timelines and measures of
success.
GOAL 1: Make the Northwest Tennessee Farmers Markets destinations for farm
businesses, local arts, healthy living, family and visitors
Farmers markets that function as destinations for shoppers and families have more a consistent turnout
of customers, and those customers are more likely to shop for a longer period of time. A destination
farmers market will grant farmers and other vendors at the market with the potential to sell a greater
variety and quantity of goods, and for local entertainers to showcase their talents. Additionally, this
action to increase spillover sales for surrounding business owners, and to activate the town center
(Martin), and greenway (Dresden) during market times. Education for market vendors will help with
marketing, creating better displays, navigating certification programs required to sell to restaurants and
stores, and other knowledge that will support an increase in their sales at farmers markets and other
outlets.
 Action 1.1: Program more arts and entertainment as part of regular market; expand market
offerings to include handmade high quality (juried) arts and onsite live music.
 Action 1.2: Develop a farmer’s market vendor education program to help farmers improve their
businesses.
GOAL 2: Empower and develop local people and organizational capacity to advance local
foods, local place-based initiatives
Regularly held and well attended meetings of the Local Food Network Steering Committee—along with
subcommittees to tackle discreet objectives and a bi-monthly newsletter to communicate efforts and
celebrate successes—can provide a consistent venue for continuing discussions and conducting the
networking and partnership-building necessary to advance local foods and local place-making goals.
These methods offer stakeholders a chance to share successes and solicit advice and support for moving
through difficulties, building on the momentum cultivated at the March Community Forum and
encouraging ongoing engagement among the wide diversity of community stakeholders the Network
has convened.
 Action 2.1: Establish regularly occurring meetings of the Local Food Network Steering
Committee.
 Action 2.2: Establish Local Food Network subcommittees and subcommittee goals and tasks.
 Action 2.3: Provide bi-monthly communications (newsletter) to Local Food Network to report
out on and celebrate progress and encourage additional participation in upcoming initiatives.

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GOAL 3: Make downtown areas thriving places that support local business growth, local
foods and better public health outcomes.
There is a need for more activity in downtown Martin and Dresden to draw people in and help build the
perception that each location is the ‘place to be’. Additional activities can create more foot traffic to
support local businesses, farmers markets, encourage use of the existing/proposed trails, and spur
interest in filling vacant storefronts or underutilized properties for new businesses and activities, while
making downtown areas more visually appealing can encourage people to visit and spend more time in
the downtown areas. A program to connect Weakley County downtowns and main streets by a
countywide network of bike paths and on-road bike lanes can help to promote active and healthy
lifestyles and encourage recreational-based tourism. Local maps of the trail and greenway networks can
highlight key destinations and activities (such as farmers markets) in each downtown as well as points of
interest along trails in between, encouraging both residents and tourists alike to utilize trails and
participate in community activities. Improved signage will promote the fact that there is a “there” in
downtown Martin and Dresden: the range of activities and destinations within walking or biking
distance, the diversity of shopping and restaurant opportunities, and spaces for special events and
celebrations.
 Action 3.1: Develop a program of community events to regularly occur in each downtown
(potentially alternating between communities) that highlight local foods, public health and local
businesses.
 Action 3.2: Advance downtown beautification and cleanup efforts with an emphasis on
improved greenspaces planted with native and/or edible plants.
 Action 3.3: Establish countywide greenways and trails program, including consistent mapping
and signage.
 Action 3.4: Implement improved signage and wayfinding to get visitors to downtown Martin and
Dresden and to assist visitors and locals navigating around downtown once they arrive.
 Action 3.5: Complete a downtown multimodal transportation and parking study for both
Dresden and Martin.
GOAL 4: Grow farming businesses and local food entrepreneurs
A coordinated outreach and marketing plan to promote the environmental, economic, community, and
health benefits of local foods will increase community awareness of value and opportunities of growing,
buying, and selling locally, and have a collective impact of increasing the size of the market for local
foods. Continuing education programs—especially those offered online or at convenient times for local
residents—will help to encourage and prepare entrepreneurs for business. There currently exists a wide
array of existing programs and educational opportunities offered by many different agencies;
coordination and promotion of these existing opportunities will help get the word out, especially among
students and younger residents. A shared use community kitchen or a commercial processing facility
may help in growing local food entrepreneurs, and conducting a thorough survey and
assessment/feasibility study will help to identify the specific facility that could be most useful.
 Action 4.1: Create and adopt a community outreach and marketing plan that promotes the
benefits and opportunities of growing and buying locally-grown.
 Action 4.2: Conduct an inventory of existing programs, educational opportunities, and business
development resources and create a comprehensive resource document for interested farmers

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and entrepreneurs. Use research findings to further refine program offerings identified in Action
4.3.
 Action 4.3: Provide locally available (and web/mobile enabled) continuing education programs
that serve new and established local food businesses.
 Action 4.4: Engage and encourage youth to participate in local farmers markets by providing
shared and/or free booths at the market and vendor mentoring opportunities.
 Action 4.5: Explore the potential creation of a shared community kitchen or commercial
processing space in Weakley County.
GOAL 5: Provide education and increase awareness of the benefits and opportunities of a
strong local food, local place-making program
Despite a strong agricultural ethos in the region, there are many local community members that are
unaware of the potential for growing and/or purchasing locally-grown healthy foods. Production,
preparation, and consumption are all areas where increased awareness and education is needed to
grow interest and participation in the local food economy by a broader base of community members.
New partnerships among different organizations, businesses and institutions could be leveraged to
enhance current community educational efforts. Specific attention to youth and retiree involvement can
help to create the next generation of food entrepreneurs and support healthier lifestyles.
 Action 5.1: Develop specific classes targeted to the general public on fruit and vegetable
gardening and preparing healthy meals from locally grown foods.
 Action 5.2: Establish marketing and outreach programs (combined with action 4.1) geared
toward the general public that promote the benefits and opportunities for eating healthy locally
grown foods and living more physically active lifestyles.
 Action 5.3: Establish new partnerships to promote local foods, healthy lifestyles and local
economic development efforts in coordination with action 2.2.
 Action 5.4: Engage youth and retirees in local food entrepreneurism, healthy eating and living
programs and buy local economic development (conduct in concert with actions 2.3, 4.1., 4.2,
4.4 and 5.1).
Implementation and Next Steps
Three post-workshop conference calls were held during April 2016, following the workshop. The calls
were held with the LFLP Steering Committee to refine the action plan, add clarifying language and
identify potential funding sources for specific actions or projects. Moving forward this document serves
as the framework for ongoing activities by the Weakley County Local Food Network and other local
partners.

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Appendix
Appendix A – Community Action Tables by Goal Area
Appendix B – Local and Regional Maps
Appendix C – Participants and Steering Committee
Appendix D – Funding Resources
Appendix E – Additional References
Appendix F – Presentations
Appendix G – Community Forum Comments
Appendix H – Food System Diagramming
Appendix I – Action Step Brainstorming by Goal Area

Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance Program – Martin and Dresden, Tennessee
Appendix A: Action Plan Implementation Details
Appendix A:
Action Plan Implementation
Details

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GOAL 1: Make Northwest Tennessee Farmers Markets destinations for farm
businesses, local arts, healthy living, family and visitors
Action 1.1: Program more arts and entertainment as part of regular market; expand market offerings
to include handmade high quality (juried) arts and onsite live music
Why is this important?
Farmers markets that function as destinations for shoppers and families
have more a consistent turnout of customers, and those customers are
more likely to shop for a longer period of time. A destination farmers
market will grant farmers and other vendors at the market with the
potential to sell a greater variety and quantity of goods, and for local
entertainers to showcase their talents. Additionally, this action to increase
spillover sales for surrounding business owners, and to activate the town
center (Martin) and greenway (Dresden) during market times.
Measures of Success
 Double the number of regular customers
 Increase number of farmers market vendors by 50%
 Increase the diversity of products sold (food and craft) by 50%
Timeframe for Completion
0-3 Months: Meet with existing farmers market vendors (target outreach in
April 2016) to develop ideas for live music and high quality arts/crafts
Implement music and crafts once a month (or as decided) as soon as
approved by existing vendors; may require changes to bylaws
Taking the Lead
UTM Department of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, City of Martin
Community Development, FarmersMarket VendorsCity of Dresden
Community Development, Dresden Farmers Market Manager, Martin
Farmers Market Manager
Supporting Cast
Farmers Market Boards, UTM Pottery Professor (David McBeth), UTM
Humanities and Fine Arts Department (Lynn Alexander Dean)
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
Some minor costs associated
with additional venue needs
(possibly tents, portable
toilets)
Volunteer time to build consensus and
buy-in from Farmers Market Board.
Volunteer time to audition/jury
entertainment and arts.
Possible Funding Sources
Tennessee Arts Commission, Donated time by performers, free local
media announcements
Action 1.2: Develop a farmers market vendor education program to help farmers improve their
businesses
While farmers excel at growing high-quality food products, many have
requested assistance with marketing, creating better displays, navigating
certification programs required to sell to restaurants and stores, and other

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Action 1.2: Develop a farmers market vendor education program to help farmers improve their
businesses
knowledge that will support an increase in their sales at farmers markets
and other outlets. With the nationwide implementation of the Food Safety
Modernization Act (FSMA) and the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
certification requirements of many stores and aggregators, market
vendors need a way of easily accessing the latest information to ensure
that they are benefiting from new developments. There are numerous
farmer education programs offered through UT Extension and the
Tennessee Department of Agriculture, as well as much local expertise to
be shared among current farmers and residents of Weakly County. This
action will create shared knowledge among existing and future farmer’s
market vendors on best practices for production, certification, food safety,
and sales.
Measures of Success
 An ongoing method for vendor education is developed
 Vendors participate in education programs by attending and
presenting
 Vendor market displays and signage improved
 Increase by 10% in vendor sales
Timeframe for Completion 6-18 months
Taking the Lead
Dresden Farmers Market Manager
Martin Farmers Market Manager, Northwest Tennessee Entrepreneur
Center
Supporting Cast
University of Tennessee Extension, farmers market vendors, Northwest
Tennessee Entrepreneur Center, Center for Profitable Agriculture
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
Nominal registration fees for
vendors to participate in
education/boot camps
Some costs associated with
travel for training
Agency time for training
Vendor time to complete training and
implement plans
University of Tennessee Extension, State of Tennessee Small Business
Center, Tennessee Department of Agriculture

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GOAL 2: Empower and develop local people and organizational capacity to
advance local foods, local place-based initiatives
Action 2.1 : Establish regularly occurring meetings of the Local Food Network Steering Committee
Regularly held and well attended meetings of the Local Food Network
Steering Committee can provide a consistent venue for continuing
discussions and conducting the networking and partnership building
necessary to advance local foods and local place-making goals. These
meetings offer stakeholders a chance to share successes and solicit
advice and support for moving through difficulties, building on the
momentum cultivated at the March Community Forum and encouraging
ongoing engagement among the wide diversity of community stakeholders
the Network has convened.
Measures of Success
 Expanded Local Food Network Steering Committee in place
 Regular meeting times and locations established with consistent
attendance by committee members
 Progress made on Community Action Plan goals
 Steering Committee subcommittees created and staffed
0-12 months:
 Conduct monthly meetings
 Chart progress of implementation of action plan
 Plan the next Local Food Network Community Forum Dinner
Taking the Lead Northwest Tennessee Entrepreneur Center
Supporting Cast Local Food Network Steering Committee members
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
Northwest Tennessee
Entrepreneurial Center (office
space, supplies)
Volunteer/Committee member time to
attend and follow through on actions
Northwest Tennessee Entrepreneur Center, University of Tennessee
Martin (resources from the colleges of Agriculture, Sociology, Dietetics,
Family and Consumer Sciences), University of Tennessee Extension,
Weakley County Health Department
Action 2.2 : Establish Local Food Network subcommittees and subcommittee goals and tasks
Subcommittees can target specific issues and focus on advancing key
goals and actions to include: 1) Marketing & Outreach: ongoing
communication (newsletter, Facebook, marketing events, Continued
development and maintenance of the local food guide) 2) Research :
conduct a community food system assessment and community kitchen

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Action 2.2 : Establish Local Food Network subcommittees and subcommittee goals and tasks
feasability study, collect information and data on local food efforts 3)
Partnership/Resource Development: (new partnernships and
sponsors,finding grants and other resources), and 4)
Engagement/Education: conducting ongoing education activities to
community constituencies (youth, new and aging farmers, underserved &
marginalized populations, intergenerational).
Measures of Success
 Regular progress on specific issues named above
 Regular progress on the Community Action Plan
 Increased community awareness and partnerships to advance local
food initiatives
 Number of additional community members/groups involved in
subcommittees
6 months – 2 years:
 June - Establish subcommittees and nominate co-leaders to share
responsibilities
 July - Expand Steering Committee membership through
subcommittee participation
 August - Start regular subcommittee meetings and report outs to
Local Food Network Steering Committee on a bi-monthly basis
 September - promote network activities at Soybean Festival to
report on and celebrate progress
 October – next community forum
Taking the Lead Local Food Network Steering Committee
Supporting Cast Subcommittee co-leaders (TBD based on Forum Interest cards)
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
$1,500 October Forum Dinner,
Research $10,000
Volunteer time, UTM and NTEC Staff
Time
Possible Funding Sources Farm Service Agency, USDA
Action 2.3 : Bi-Monthly communications (newsletter) to Local Food Network to report out on and
celebrate progress and encourage additional participation in upcoming initiatives
Increasing the communication from the Local Food Network to the broader
community and region may help garner additional support and
participation. Additionally, a monthly newsletter provides a way to
communicate progress and to identify needs, holding one another
accountable while also working proactively to build partnerships and meet
needs. An electronic newsletter can also include links to partner
organizations and efforts and serve as a way to solicit donations and
contact information from community members interested in supporting
the Network.
Measures of Success  Regular newsletter established (electronic/web based)

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Action 2.3 : Bi-Monthly communications (newsletter) to Local Food Network to report out on and
celebrate progress and encourage additional participation in upcoming initiatives
 Number of newsletter hits on web increases over time
 Number of new local members joining Local Food Network as a result
of newsletter links/info
 Number of new partners interested in advertising/highlight key events
in newsletter
 Establishment of Local Food Network Facebook group
0-6 months
 April - Inaugural newsletter that reports on the March Community
Forum and the availability of Community Action Plan
 July - Newsletter to Local Food Network inviting additional participation
in subcommittees
 September - Newsletter to promote and invite members to Fall
Community Forum (in October) and highlight Soybean Festival and
local Farmers Market events
 October - Highlight outcomes from Fall Community Forum and
activities of sub-committees
Taking the Lead Local Food Steering Committee Secretary
Supporting Cast
Subcommittee leaders, Northwest Tennessee Entrepreneur Center Staff
(Emma Email), Farmers Markets, additional support from local
organizations/businesses to help advertise and communicate relevant
events
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
$400 (cost of yearly Emma
subscription)
Volunteer time
Possible Funding Sources Health Council, NTEC

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GOAL 3: Make downtown areas thriving places that support local business
growth, local foods and better public health outcomes.
Action 3.1: Develop a program of community events to regularly occur in each downtown (potentially
alternating between communities) that highlight local foods, public health and local
businesses.
There is a need for more activity in downtown areas to draw people in and
help build the perception that each location is the ‘place to be’. Additional
activities can create more foot traffic to support local businesses, farmers
markets, encourage use of the existing/proposed trails, and spur interest
in utilizing vacant storefronts for new businesses and activities.
Measures of Success
 Regular program of community events is established
 Increase in sales at downtown businesses on program days
Develop program: 0 to 3 months
First event : 6-12 months, then ongoing
Taking the Lead
City of Dresden Community Development, City of Martin Community
Development, UTM Band Director (John Olrich)
Supporting Cast
University of Tennessee Martin, County Health Department, University of
Tennessee Extension, Weakley County Prevention Coalition, Tennova
Hospital, Martin and Dresden Business Associations
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
Potential costs for program logistics
(signage, utilities, stages, tents, etc.)
City staff time to develop program
Supporting partners staff time for
event planning
Sponsorships – Electric Company (WCMES), Pepsi Water, Local press to
provide advertising, Tennova Hospital, TN Arts Commission Grants
Action 3.2: Advance downtown beautification and cleanup efforts with an emphasis on improved
greenspaces planted with native and/or edible plants.
Making downtown areas more visually appealing can encourage people to
visit and spend more time in the downtown areas of Martin and Dresden.
Incorporating plantings that utilize native species and/or edible plants can
reinforce availability of growing fresh local foods, and highlight the unique
place-based attributes of Weakley County.
Measures of Success
 Active program in place with consistent volunteer/funding partners
 More improved and maintained green spaces
Dresden: New City based volunteer identified (next 1-2 years); new
program over the next 1-2 years in concert with new volunteer lead
Martin – 0-12 months
Taking the Lead
City of Dresden Community Develpment, City of Dresden Parks and
Recreation, City of Martin Community Development, City of Martin Parks
and Recreation, Martin Beautiful Committee, Lanscaping Students at UTM
Supporting Cast Find partner group to take ownership for efforts and partner with City (e.g.
Martin Beautiful Committee, TN Master Gardeners, UTM Student

7
Action 3.2: Advance downtown beautification and cleanup efforts with an emphasis on improved
greenspaces planted with native and/or edible plants.
Volunteers, Rotary, Lyons Club, etc.)
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
Costs for plantings and
infrastructure
Staff and volunteer time
Tennessee Downtown Grants, Main Street Program, National Endowment
for the Arts Grants, Local Sponsors, Tennessee DOT, City Funding, TLM
Associates (Jackson) – have bid for Brian Brown Greenway Completion
Action 3.3: Establish countywide greenways and trails program, including consistent mapping and
signage
A program to connect Weakley County downtowns and main streets by a
countywide network of bike paths and on-road bike lanes can help to
promote active and healthy lifestyles and encourage recreational-based
tourism. Local maps of the trail and greenway networks can highlight key
destinations and activities (such as farmers markets) in each downtown
as well as points of interest along trails in between, encouraging both
residents and tourists alike to utilize trails and participate in community
activities.
Measures of Success
 Countywide trail and bicycle route master plan completed
 Map of all existing countywide bike routes of trails established
 Increase in daily users of existing trails
 Increase in sales to local businesses by people visiting by
bike/connecting from trails
Countywide Map completed: Next 0 to 6 months, timed with the opening
of the Brian Brown (Martin) and Greenrail Trail (Dresden)
Countywide bicycle route masterplan completed: 1-3 years
Taking the Lead
City of Martin Parks and Rec (Brian Moore – Director) and City of Dresden
Parks and Rec (Joey Winstead – Director) to start process – present to
Weakley County Commissioner/Transportation Department – Weakley
County Mayor (Jake Bynum)
Supporting Cast
Other cities in Weakley County, Tennessee DOT, Weakley County Highway
Department, Weakley County Health Department (e.g. Walk Across
Tennessee), Chamber of Commerce, Running and Biking Groups/Clubs,
City of Martin Alderman (David Belote), City of Dresden (Lauren Bean)
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
Cost for signage/mapping
Cost of additional
infrastructure (bike
lanes/trails)
Staff time
Possible Funding Sources USDA Rural Development Community Facilities funding, Tennessee DOT

8
Action 3.3: Establish countywide greenways and trails program, including consistent mapping and
signage
Transportation Alternatives Program, Rails to Trails, TLM (Jackson)
Action 3.4: Implement improved signage and wayfinding to get visitors to downtown Martin and
Dresden and to assist visitors and locals navigating around downtown once they arrive
Improved signage will promote the fact that there is a “there” in downtown
Martin and Dresden: the range of activities and destinations within
walking or biking distance, the diversity of shopping and restaurant
opportunities, and spaces for special events and celebrations. This action
can help to encourage people to drive into town, park once and walk to
key destinations. Downtown maps can highlight “Eat Here, Shop Here,
Worship Here” destinations. Signage can include static signs and maps
(kiosks and permanent signs) as well as newer technology that enables
electronic signage to highlight current events, smart phone apps that can
be accessed by residents and visitors, and digital maps that can be
updated quickly by local businesses and organizations to highlight current
activities.
Measures of Success
 New, better signage in place
 Improved sales for downtown businesses
 More pedestrians on the street
 More wi-fi hotspot points to access information, maps and apps
Develop signage and wayfinding program: 0 to 12 months
Implementation: 1-2 years and ongoing updates and maintenance
Taking the Lead
City of Martin Alderman (David Belote) City of Martin Community
Development andParks and Rec, City of Dresden Community Development
and Parks and Rec
Supporting Cast
Chamber of Commerce, Martin and Dresden Downtown Business
Associations, Tennessee DOT, Art Committee, University of Tennessee
Martin, Civic Clubs
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
Cost of signage infrastructure Staff time
Tennessee DOT Grants, USDA Rural Development Community Facilities
Grants, Weakley County Highway Department, Local businesses
associations
Action 3.5: Complete a downtown multimodal transportation and parking study for both Dresden and
Martin
A multimodal transportation and parking study can identify specific
parking needs and strategies and opportunities for street re-routing
(converting one-way streets to two-way) to encourage safety and more
bicycle and pedestrian activity in each downtown.
Measures of Success  Study is complete
 Recommendations are implemented

9
Action 3.5: Complete a downtown multimodal transportation and parking study for both Dresden and
Martin
 Bicycle, pedestrian infrastructure and shared parking in place
 Increase in use of downtown areas by walkers and cyclists
1-2 years for study
2-3 years for implementation
Taking the Lead
City of Dresden (to serve as pilot study location that could be replicated
elsewhere)
Supporting Cast Weakley County, Tennessee DOT, local downtown businesses
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
Cost for study
Cost for infrastructure
Staff time
Possible Funding Sources City capital funds, Tennessee DOT

10
GOAL 4: Grow farming businesses and local food entrepreneurs
Action 4.1: Create and adopt a community outreach and marketing plan that promotes the benefits
and opportunities of growing and buying locally-grown food.
A coordinated outreach and marketing plan to promote the environmental,
economic, community, and health benefits of local foods will increase
community awareness of value and opportunities of growing, buying, and
selling locally. The increased awareness can strengthen local demand for
locally-sourced foods, goods, and services as well as foster new business
interest. Coordinating these marketing and outreach efforts across
agencies can help to create a concise and consistent message that saves
time and money by avoiding duplication of efforts.
Measures of Success
 An outreach and marketing plan is developed, adopted, and utilized by
stakeholder agencies and organizations
 Increased attendance at farmers markets
 Increase traffic/activity on social media
 Increase in number of vendors at farmers markets
 Increased participation/sales at promoted events
0-6 months: Plan is developed
6 months—ongoing: Plan is utilized
Long-term – increase farm to consumer connections and facilities
Taking the Lead Local Food Network Sub-Committee
Supporting Cast
Marketing and Outreach Subcommittee, Northwest Tennessee
Entrepreneur Center,Western TN Department of Agriculture (Colleen
Courey), and Pick TN
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
Consider hiring a marketing
consultant to assist with
completing the initial study
Volunteer and partner staff time
Local media sponsors (for ongoing outreach/advertising), USDA Rural
Development, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Delta Regional
Authority, other small business incubator related programs/grants
Action 4.2: Conduct an inventory of existing programs, educational opportunities, and business
development resources and create a comprehensive resource document for interested
farmers and entrepreneurs. Use research findings to help identify and refine program
offerings developed under Action 4.3.
Many currently existing programs and opportunities for farmers and
entrepreneurs are underutilized and unknown to potential participants.
Better coordination and promotion of these efforts can help ensure that
limited resources are spent wisely and new educational program offerings
are additive and not duplicative. Additionally, creating a resource “hub’

11
Action 4.2: Conduct an inventory of existing programs, educational opportunities, and business
development resources and create a comprehensive resource document for interested
farmers and entrepreneurs. Use research findings to help identify and refine program
offerings developed under Action 4.3.
that includes a comprehensive and regularly-updated list of offerings will
help people considering starting a farm or business understand the
breadth of support and resources that are available through multiple
agencies.
Measures of Success
 Local education/resource guide established
 The guide is posted and distributed through all agencies involved with
entrepreneurship and business support
 Results of research guide efforts under Action 4.2
 Develop online portal – online learning opportunities, knowledge
sharing, events, community information, increased awareness and
participation in programs and activities
Timeframe for Completion 0 – 12 months
Taking the Lead Northwest Tennessee Entrepreneur Center , UT Extension, UTM
Supporting Cast
USDA Farm Services Agency, UT Extension, Tennessee Development of
Agriculture, NTEC, University of Tennessee Martin
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
TBD – cost of
research/creating the web
based hub of information
Agency staff time
Grants and technical resources from: USDA Farm Services Agency Rural
Development, UT Extension, Tennessee Development of Agriculture,
Northwest TN Entrepreneur Center, University of Tennessee Martin, Delta
Regional Authority, Launch TN, Pathway Lending (Tennessee based CDFI),
and other small business/economic development agencies
Action 4.3: Leverage organizational capacity described under Goal 2 to advance knowledge sharing
and education on benefits, issues and opportunities related to local foods, local
economies, local places and healthy living. Provide locally available (and web/mobile
enabled) continuing education programs that serve new and established local food
businesses.
The Local Food Network can create peer-to-peer learning and information
exchange and also serve to attract additional resources such as technical
expertise and best practices from other communities and sectors.
Intentionally designing learning and sharing opportunities into network
activities can strengthen local capacity and knowledge on addressing key
community issues. A functioning Network creates new local leadership and
problem solving capacity. Additionally, while there are several
opportunities for continuing education across the state, many business
owners are not able to attend because of the travel distance or the time of
day the courses are offered. More course local offerings, and the ability to

12
Action 4.3: Leverage organizational capacity described under Goal 2 to advance knowledge sharing
and education on benefits, issues and opportunities related to local foods, local
economies, local places and healthy living. Provide locally available (and web/mobile
enabled) continuing education programs that serve new and established local food
businesses.
access these courses online, will help to increase local knowledge about
best practices and help local farmers and business owners stay apprised
of regulatory and legal issues that continue to evolve relative to the
production and sale of local foods. These efforts could be linked with
participation and resources associated with the NextFarm businesses
development start up program run by NTEC.
Measures of Success
 A continuing education program is established (set number of
workshops/registered participants)
 Increased awareness and knowledge of local foods and downtown
revitalization goals/issues
 Number of course/program offerings
 Number of attendees participating
 Number of new businesses/or expanded business testimonials
resulting from program participation
 Google Analytics website traffic tracking
0 - 6 months establish education subcommittee to define program needs;
6 months – 2 years to develop and implement new educational programs,
workshops, courses, information exchanges
Taking the Lead
Local Food Network Subcommittee and Northwest Tennessee
Entrepreneur Center
Supporting Cast
USDA Farm Services Agency, Local Producers, UT Extension, Tennessee
Department of Agriculture, Write Up the Road, University of Tennessee
Martin, 4H, Future Farmers of America, Young Farmers and Ranchers
Association, Future Business Leaders of America, Homeschoolers,
Girl/Boy Scouts of America, Martin Housing Authority Teen Center
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
TBD based on educational
program needs
Volunteer and agency staff time
Grants from: USDA Farm Services Agency and Rural Development, Delta
Regional Authority, Launch Tennessee, Pathway Lending (Tennessee
based CDFI) and other small business/economic development agencies
Action 4.4: Engage and encourage youth to participate in local farmers markets by providing shared
and/or free booths at the market and vendor mentoring opportunities
Students and young entrepreneurs need the experience of selling their
goods early on in their process of establishing a small business or
discerning a future career path. While there are many opportunities for
youth to learn to tend crops and farm animals through school and
community programs like FFA and 4H, there are not many opportunities

13
Action 4.4: Engage and encourage youth to participate in local farmers markets by providing shared
and/or free booths at the market and vendor mentoring opportunities
for them to gain experience in the marketing of their products. This action
exposes the youth to key business skills and mentorship opportunities
with established farmers at the market, which can create a future
generation of local farmers. This action also engages students in the local
food network and connects them with growing resources and educational
opportunities available in Weakly County.
Measures of Success
 Number of new youth farmers/vendors at farmers markets
 Increased interest and demand for booth space by youth at farmers
market
 Positive financial returns for youth vendors
 Informal mentorship between established farmers and youth
0-6 months recruitment of young farmers
Ongoing efforts to retain/engage new ‘class’ of youth vendors on a regular
basis
Taking the Lead
Local Food Network Subcommittee –Martin and Dresden Farmers Market
Managers, Weakley County UT Extension- 4H
Supporting Cast
Future Farmers of America, 4H, Extension Agents, Local schools, 4H
Toolkit on Youth Farmers Marketing, Martin Housing Authority, Dresden
High School
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
$5,000 (for youth
engagement/marketing
courses and resources)
Staff time
Possible Funding Sources USDA Beginning Farmers and Ranchers program
Action 4.5: Explore the potential creation of a shared community kitchen or commercial processing
space in Weakley County
A shared-use commercial processing kitchen could provide a space for
entrepreneurs interested in testing small-batch processing of their value-
added products for sale at farmers markets and local stores. A
commercial community kitchen would create space to conduct cooking
classes and for new caterers and food trucks to grow their businesses.
The size, location, and equipment for a new food facility differs greatly
based on the interests of entrepreneurs and community groups, and on
the scale of production output—a commercial kitchen is very different than
a commercial food processing space. This action is necessary to explore
the potential feasibility and use of a shared use food facility in Weakley
County so that the path forward is clear and the correct partnerships can
be formed to implement a building project, and ensuring that the facility is
a viable project in the future. The study will define the type of facility,
building size, equipment needed and focus for the program of the facility

14
Action 4.5: Explore the potential creation of a shared community kitchen or commercial processing
space in Weakley County
(catering, pre-prepared foods, classes, canning, processing, etc.)
Measures of Success
 Surveys and focus groups are utilized to gauge the level of interest
and types of uses wanted in Weakley County.
 A feasibility study is conducted to determine the potential for use,
funding, and expected outcomes for the desired type of commercial
food facility
Administer surveys and focus groups (and local food assessment): 3- 9
months
Conduct feasibility study: Fall 2016 – Spring 2017
Taking the Lead
Local Food NetworkSubcommittee, Northwest Tennessee Entreprenuer
Center, UTM
Supporting Cast
Cities, University of Tennessee Extension, University of Tennessee Martin
Agricultural Department, Northwest Tennessee Entrepreneurial Center,
USDA Rural Development, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Weakley
County Health Department, Local Healthcare Providers
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
Cost to create and administer
surveys ($1k)
Cost for feasibility study ($15k)
Volunteer time and staff time to
complete study process
USDA Rural Development, Community Development Block Grants, Delta
Regional Authority Grants/Loans, city capital funding, Weakley County
capital funding, Society of St. Andrews, Pathway Lending (Tennessee
based CDFI)
GOAL 5: Provide education and increase awareness of the benefits and
opportunities of a strong local food, local placemaking program
Action 5.1: Develop specific classes targeted to the general public on fruit and vegetable gardening
and preparing healthy meals from locally grown foods
Despite a strong agricultural ethos in the region, there are many local
community members that are unaware of the potential for growing and/or
purchasing locally grown healthy foods. Production, preparation, and
consumption are all areas where increased awareness and education is
needed to grow interest and participation in the local food economy by a
broader base of community members. Preliminary classes could be
conducted in concert with demonstrations at farmers market, focusing on
the fruits and vegetables in season and for sale that week.
Measures of Success
 Participation in classes and demonstrations
 Increase in sales of locally grown foods resulting from class demos
(particularly at farmers markets)
 Increased demand/supply of locally grown foods that are featured in
demo classes

15
Action 5.1: Develop specific classes targeted to the general public on fruit and vegetable gardening
and preparing healthy meals from locally grown foods
0-12 months (target October 2016) to prepare classes/curriculum by
location/target audience:
 Farmers market venues for cooking/nutritional demos, piloting at
Dresden Farmers Market summer of 2016
 Local schools, community centers, church kitchen venues
 Healthy shopping and nutrition classes at nonprofit pantries/food
distributors
Taking the Lead Local Food Network subcommittee
Supporting Cast
University of Tennessee Extension, University of Tennessee Martin
Dietician Program, Weakley County Health Department – access to
resources and volunteers, farmers markets, public health departments
and healthcare providers, churches, non-profits (food banks, pantries) and
state government
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
$500 (cooking demo stage
and equipment)
Volunteer time
Donated foods, University of Tennessee Martin, University of Tennessee
Extension, non-profits, professional culinary staff (local restaurant chefs),
professional nutritionists/dieticians
Action 5.2: Establish marketing and outreach programs that build on Action 4.1. but expand
messaging and education to incorporate health related benefits of buying, preparing and
eating local healthy foods; and living a healthy lifestyle that includes opportunities for
more walking and biking in the community.
Building on the outreach and marketing plan described in Action 4.1,
designing and implementing programs that celebrate and highlight the
benefits of eating healthy, locally grown foods will strengthen public
knowledge and support of healthy lifestyles. Additionally, this action
provides opportunities to highlight the benefits of place-making efforts,
such as improving the walkability of downtown areas and completing trails
and greenways, as key components of a healthy community.
Measures of Success
 Attendance at promoted events and activities
 Increased public awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles,
including both eating local, healthy foods, and utilizing bike and
walking trails
 More people walking and biking in the community
 Improved public health statistics
0-6 months: Participate in the creation and adoption of the Marketing Plan
(Action 4.1)
6 months – 2 years: Establish farm to table restaurant week in
downtowns; Establish Healthy Family Fun days (combine farmers markets,

16
Action 5.2: Establish marketing and outreach programs that build on Action 4.1. but expand
messaging and education to incorporate health related benefits of buying, preparing and
eating local healthy foods; and living a healthy lifestyle that includes opportunities for
more walking and biking in the community.
trail activities, health fairs, etc. in downtowns)
Taking the Lead
Local Food NetworkSubcommittee , City of Dresden/City of Martin
Community Develpment, Weakley County Health Department, Weakley
County UT Extension
Supporting Cast
Local healthcare providers, local wellness/health enthusiasts, parents and
teachers
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
Potential costs of advertising
and events
Volunteer time
Partner with local foundations and other organizations (Tennova e.g.
Hospital, Walk Tennessee, etc.) with strong interest/ties to improving
community health outcomes, in-kind articles and advirtisements in local
press and radio
Action 5.3: Establish new partnerships to promote local foods, healthy lifestyles and local economic
development efforts in coordination with Action 2.2
Untapped capacity and resources exist in the region. Need to find
opportunities to leverage these resources locally and cross-pollinate
across different institutional, private, non-profit and public missions/goals
to better leverage limited resources. “Many hands make light the load.”
Measures of Success
 Increased organizational resource sharing
 Increased levels of resources available to support the implementation
of actions, events and initiatives
 Improved public health outcomes
 Growth in local businesses
0-6 months: establish Engagement subcommittee (see Action 2.2) and
identify/contact new potential partner organizations
6 months – 2 years: create new partnerships and engage with UTM
students more regularly on volunteer efforts
Taking the Lead Local Food Network Subcommittee
Supporting Cast
Health Council, UTM College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, private
employers, non-profits, hospitals, clinics
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
N/A Volunteer time
Possible Funding Sources N/A

17
Action 5.4: Engage youth and retirees in local food entrepreneurism, healthy eating and living
programs and buy local economic development (conduct in concert with actions 2.3, 4.1.,
4.2, 4.4 and 5.1)
Youth and retirees possess untapped potential to bring in additional
capacity and energy to the local foods movement. More attention to
cultivating the involvement of youth can help to create the next generation
of food entrepreneurs and healthier lifestyles, while engaging older
residents can encourage the passing of knowledge from one generation to
the next.
Measures of Success
 Increase in enrollment for Agricultural studies in high schools and the
community college
 More youth are engaged in local food system opportunities and
programs
 Increase in number of new local farmers representing youth and
retiree demographics
 Healthier options available/utilized by seniors
0-6 months: FFA and 4H clubs, Future Business Leaders of America
engaged and presentations/knowledge exchange opportunities created
6 months - 2 years: introduce new entrepreneurial programs aimed at
businesses focused on local foods
Taking the Lead Local Food Network Subcommittee or Task Force
Supporting Cast
Local schools, parents, FFA, 4H, FBLA, Senior Centers, AARP, other youth
organizations and health/ag enthusiasts
Cost Estimate
Dollars Time
TBD – cost for programs Volunteer time
Grants (targeted for youth groups), UT Extension, Farm Bureau, USDA
Farm Services Agency

Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance Program – Martin and Dresden Tennessee
Appendix B:
Local and Regional Maps

Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance Program – Martin and Dresden Tennessee
Appendix C:
Community Participants
Local Food Network Committee Members
Community Forum Participants

Local Foods, Local Places Community Forum Dinner
First Name Last Name What is your farm/job/community title?
Christopher Ables VOLUNTEER, Media Design Consultant, UTM
Johnny Adaway UTM Student
Kate Ange Principal - Renaissance Planning
Lauren Bean
City of Dresden Community Development Director, Dresden Farmers
Market Manager, LFN Committee
David Belote City Alderman/TSF Director, Martin
Brenda Biggs Beekeeper, Gleason
Ronald Biggs Beekeeper, Gleason
Timothy Brady
Dixie Chile Ranch (Farm) /Write Up The Road Publishing & Media
(Business Editor), LFN Committee
Georgia Brown VOLUNTEER, UTM
Sue Byrd Chair and Professor, Textiles, Clothing and Fashion Merchandising, UTM
Stephen Clayton Emergency Services
Hannah Clayton Community Volunteer
Colleen Coury Regional Coordinator/Public Affairs, TN Department of Agriculture
Kim Crawford Legal Assistant
Jim Crawford James P's Special Recipe, Homemade BBQ Sauce
Gregory Dale Southern Region Community Economic Development Coordinator
Barb Darroch Assistant Professor of Plant and Soil Science, UTM
John Drummond Sunnyside Farm
Darlene Drummond Sunnyside Farm
Syrena Flowers West TN Director - Governor's Foundation for Health and Wellness
Paula Gale Professor Soil Science, UTM
Nicolle Gallagher Hidden Hill Farm CSA
Richard Gallagher Hidden Hill Farm CSA, Martin Farmers Market Manager
Samantha Goyret Director Weakley County Local Food Guide, NTEC, LFN Committee
Chip Gurkin Environmental Protection Specialist, US EPA
Jeffery Hames Pepsi TN HR Manager 2
Elton Hamilton Purple Iris of 1895 Owner
Bob Hathcock Retired Professor, Soil Sciences, UTM
Joel Howard Area Director, USDA Rural Development
Kimberly Howard Community Volunteer, LFN Committee
Kay Hudson Steele Plant Company, LFN Committee
Larry Hudson Steele Plant Co. LLC
Rachel Hughey
Gleason Downtown Revitalization Club Member, Waitress at Richie &
Reggie's in Dresden
Terri Jenkins-Brady Dixie Chile Ranch / Write Up The Road Publishing & Media (Editor)
Jahaan Jones UTM Student, Weakley County Press
Aggie Kovacs Volunteer, Community Member
Jeff Lannom Weakley County Extension Director
Robin Last Growing Garden Coordinator
Jacquelyn Laws Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Tennova Volunteer Hospital
Ava Laycook Dietetian Weakley County Health Department
Sydney Lintner VOLUNTEER, UTM
Bryce Martin WLJT Crew (with Laura Standifer)
Greg Mathenia Farm Service Agency County Executive Director
Sherri McCarter Community Development Specialist, USDA Rural Development
Dede McClure
Weakley County Health Department, Primary Care Nurse Assistance,
LFN Committee
Richard McIntosh Farm owner/operator Vine & Branch Farm
Linda McIntosh Farm owner/operator Vine & Branch Farm

Amy McLean Social Work Professor - UTM
Margaret Nagai VOLUNTEER, UTM University Scholar
Sharon Osborne Utopia Farm
Steve Osborne Utopia Farm
Beth Ostenson Teacher
Joseph Ostenson Assistant Professor of Psychology, UTM
Elizabeth Packard VOLUNTEER, UTM
Alethea Parker Southeast Partnership Coordinator, USDA Food & Nutrition Service
Eric Pelren Natural Resources Professor, UTM
Suzanne Pelren Pre-School Program Director, First United Methodist Church
Jacki Pierce Community Member
Michael Pierce Community Member
Denis Michael Pierce Ag, Geosciences and Natural Resources: FARM MANAGER, UTM
Diana Poole City of Gleason, Mayor
Carol Reed
Executive Director, Northwest Tennessee Entrepreneur Center, LFN
Committee
Audrey Roberts Community volunteer/farmer, Martin Beautiful Committee Member
Aaron Rowland Professor Sociology, UTM
Michael Salazar HUD Management Analyst
Valerie Sanders Steele Plant Farms
Ken Sanders Steele Plant Farms
Beverly Shelby UT Extension Agent - Family and Consumer Sciences, LFN Committee
Lesa Snider Jo P's Sweet Treats
Laura Standifer Segment Producer & Editor for WLJT channel 11, Live Green TN Show
Rachna Tewari Assistant Professor - Agribusiness, UTM
Brad Thompson
Director of Economic and Community Development, City of Martin, LFN
Committee
Barbara Virgin Weakley County Chamber of Commerce
Jen Walker EPA Contract Consultant
Chelsea White Public Health Educator
Francine Wingate Oma's Country Kitchen (baked goods)
Todd Winters Dean, Department of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, LFN Committee
Ben Wolski WLJT Crew (with Laura Standifer)

Local Food Network Steering Committee 2017
Name Association Email Phone Address City
Ashley Kite-Rowland Community Volunteer kiterowland@gmail.com 865.223.2441 Oxford Street Martin
Beverly Shelby
Family Consumer Science Education-
Weakley County UT Extension Agent bshelby1@utk.edu 731.364.3164 PO Box 168 Dresden
Brad Thompson
Director of Community Development,
Martin bthompson@cityofmartin.net
731.588.2507 /
Cell:
731.225.1107 PO Box 290 Martin
Brian Carroll
Dietician, Dietetic Internship Director,
Department of Family and Consumer
Sciences, UTM bcarro18@utm.edu
Mobile:
618.727.0523 ;
Office
731.881.7102
UTM, 330 F
Gooch Hall Martin
Carol Reed
Executive Director, NWTN Entrepreneur
Center carol.reed@nwtdd.org 731.587.4213 206 White Street Martin
Dede McClure
Weakley County Health Department,
Primary Care Nursing Assistant Dena.McClure@tn.gov
731.364.2210 ext
124 9852 Hwy 22 Dresden
Dr. Todd A. Winters
Dean of the College of Agriculture and
Applied Sciences, UTM winters@utm.edu 731.881.7251 UTM, Brehm Hall Martin
Hannah Clayton Community Volunteer hancla3@yahoo.com 425.501.4175 Todd Street Martin
Kay Hudson Steele Plant Company hudsonk3@yahoo.com 731.648.5476
Steele Plant Co
LLC. 202 Collins
St Gleason
Lauren Fletcher
Market Manager Dresden Farmer's
Market, Dresden City Hall
dresdencommunitydevelopment@
gmail.com 731.364.2151
117 W. Main
Street Dresden
Samantha Goyret
Program Administrator, NTEC / Local
Food Network Coordinator nwtnfoodguide@gmail.com 731.281.4770 206 White Street Martin
Timothy D. Brady The Dixie Chili Ranch dixiechileranch@gmail.com
731.225.0456
(Cell)
731.749.8567
(Home)
3159 E. Union
Grove Road Kenton
Trista Snider
Weakley County School Nutrition
Supervisor Trista.Snider@wcsk12tn.net 731.364.3347
759 Linden Street,
Suite A Dresden

Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance Program
Appendix D:
Funding Resources

Page 1
Local Food Systems Funding Programs – Federal/State
Cities and towns can strengthen their local food systems through a variety of federal projects and
programs. The USDA and other federal agencies are committed to supporting local food systems –
whether it’s by working with producers, engaging with communities, financing local processing and
distribution, or helping retailers develop local food connections. Below is a list of just some of the
resources available. This information and more can be found on the USDA’s Know Your Farmer,
Know Your Food initiative website at www.usda.gov/knowyourfarmer.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
Farmers’ Market and Local Food Promotion Program
This new program makes $30 million available annually to farmers markets, other direct producer-
to-consumer venues, and other businesses in the local food supply chain. Funding is evenly split
between two components: Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) for direct consumer-to-
producer marketing opportunities, and Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) for local and regional
food business enterprises. Both FMPP and LFPP have a maximum grant of $100,000, and the
LFPP applicants must have 25% matching funds or in-kind donations. By supporting development
and marketing activities for farmers markets, food hubs, roadside stands, agri-tourism activities
and other producer to consumer markets, the program can help small and mid-sized farmers
access markets. For more information, visit http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FMPP (FMPP) or
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/LFPP (LFPP).
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
The purpose of USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is to enhance the
competitiveness of specialty crops, including locally grown crops. These investments strengthen
rural American communities by supporting local and regional markets and improving access to
fresh, high quality fruits and vegetables for millions of Americans. These grants also help growers
make food safety enhancements, solve research needs, and make better informed decisions to
increase profitability and sustainability. Organizations or individuals interested in the SCBGP
should contact their state departments of agriculture – which administer the grant program – for
more information. The 2014 Farm Bill significantly increased funding for the program. More
information is available here:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateN&rightNav1=
SpecialtyCropBlockGrant0Program&topNav=&leftNav=CommodityAreas&page=SCBGP&resultType.
Organic Cost Share Programs
The 2014 Farm Bill also gave USDA new tools and resources to support the growing $35 billion
organic industry by more than doubling previous support through the organic cost-share programs,
making certification more accessible than ever for even the smallest certified producers and
handlers. Organic producers and handlers can now apply directly through their State contacts to
get reimbursed for up to 75 percent of the costs of organic certification, up to an annual maximum
of $750 per certificate. More information is available at
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateQ&leftNav=Na
tionalOrganicProgram&page=NOPCostSharing&description=Organic%20Cost%20Share%20Progra
m&acct=nopgeninfo.

Page 2
Federal State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP)
This grant program provides matching funds to state departments of agriculture, state agricultural
experiment stations, and other appropriate state agencies to assist in exploring new market
opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products, and to encourage research and innovation
aimed at improving the efficiency and performance of the marketing system. FSMIP is designed to
support research projects that improve the marketing, transportation, and distribution of U.S.
agricultural products. FSMIP is a collaborative effort between Federal and State governments –
matching funds go toward projects that bring new opportunities to farmers and ranchers. More
information is available at www.ams.usda.gov/fsmip.
USDA Rural Development
Business and Industry Guarantee Loan Program
The purpose of USDA’s Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program is to improve,
develop, or finance business, industry, and employment and improve the economic and
environmental climate in rural communities. Through this program, USDA provides guarantees on
loans made by private lenders to help new and existing businesses gain access to affordable
capital by lowering the lender’s risk and allowing for more favorable interest rates and terms.
Projects that are eligible under the locally or regionally produced agricultural food products initiative
may be located in urban areas as well as rural areas. Locally or regionally produced agricultural
food products are loan guarantees made to establish and facilitate entities that process,distribute,
aggregate, store, and/or market locally or regionally produced agricultural food products to support
community development and farm and ranch income. The term “locally or regionally produced
agricultural food product” means any agricultural food product that is raised, produced, and
distributed in the locality or region in which the final product is marketed, so that the total distance
that the product is transported is less than 400 miles from the origin of the product, or in the State
in which the product is produced. The Business and Industry Loan Guarantee program is available
on a rolling basis throughout the year. More information is available here:
http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-industry-loan-guarantees/
Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG)
The primary objective of USDA’s Value-Added Producer Grant Program (VAPG) is to help agricultural
producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of bio-based
value-added products. VAPG grants are available to producers or producer groups in urban and
rural areas. Eligible projects include business plans to market value-added products, evaluating the
feasibility of new marketing opportunities, expanding capacity for locally and regionally-grown
products, or expanding processing capacity. More information is available here:
http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants.
Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program
USDA’s Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant program provides infrastructure support in rural
communities under 20,000 people. Grants and loans have been used for commercial kitchens,
farmers markets, food banks, cold storage facilities, food hubs and other local food infrastructure.
Grants are available to public entities such as municipalities, counties, and special-purpose
districts, as well as non-profits and tribal governments. Grant funds can be used to construct,

Page 3
enlarge, or improve community facilities and can include the purchase of equipment required for a
facility's operation. More information is available here: http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-
services/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program.

Page 4
Rural Business Development Grants
This new USDA-RD program essentially combines the former Rural Business Enterprise Grant
program (RBEG) and the Rural Business Opportunity Grant program (RBOG). The competitive grant
program supports targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the
development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas. Programmatic
activities are separated into enterprise or opportunity type grant activities. Towns, cities, state
agencies, and non-profit organizations are among the eligible applicants.
Enterprise type grant funds must be used on projects to benefit small and emerging businesses in
rural areas as specified in the grant application. Uses may include:
 Training and technical assistance, such as project planning, business counseling/training,
market research, feasibility studies, professional/technical reports, or product/service
improvements.
 Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion,
renovation, of buildings, plants, machinery, equipment, access streets and roads, parking
areas, utilities.
 Pollution control and abatement.
 Capitalization of revolving loan funds including funds that will make loans for start-ups and
working capital.
 Distance adult learning for job training and advancement.
 Rural transportation improvement.
 Community economic development.
 Technology-based economic development.
 Feasibility studies and business plans.
 Leadership and entrepreneur training.
 Rural business incubators.
 Long-term business strategic planning.
Opportunity type grant funding must be used for projects in rural areas and they can be used for:
 Community economic development.
 Technology-based economic development.
 Feasibility studies and business plans.
 Leadership and entrepreneur training.
 Rural business incubators.
 Long-term business strategic planning.
For more information, visit: http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-business-
development-grants.
USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
EQIP provides cost-share and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers in planning and
implementing conservation practices that improve the natural resources (e.g. soil, water, wildlife)

Page 5
on their agricultural land and forestland. A practice supported through EQIP is the installation of
seasonal high tunnels (also known as hoop houses), which are unheated greenhouses that can
extend a producer's growing season while conserving resources. In addition, EQIP can help
producers transition to organic production or help those growers already certified maintain their
certification. More information is available here:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/eqip/
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Community Food Projects
Community Food Projects are designed to increase food security in communities by bringing the
whole food system together to assess strengths, establish linkages, and create systems that
improve the self-reliance of community members over their food needs. Grants are intended to help
eligible private nonprofit entities in need of a one-time infusion of federal assistance to establish
and carryout multipurpose community food projects. More information is available here:
http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/cfp/cfp_synopsis.html.
Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program
The 2014 Farm Bill created the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program to support
projects to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables among low-income consumers
participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by providing incentives at
the point of purchase. There are three categories of projects: (1) FINI Pilot Projects (awards not to
exceed a total of $100,000 over one year); (2) Multi-year, community-based FINI Projects (awards
not to exceed a total of $500,000 over no more than four years); and (3) Multi-year, FINI Large-
Scale Projects (awards of $500,000 or more over no more than four years). All grants must have
the support of the State agency responsible for the administration of SNAP and include effective
and efficient technologies for benefit redemption systems that may be replicated in other States
and communities. For example projects and details on grant requirements, visit their website at
https://nifa.usda.gov/program/food-insecurity-nutrition-incentive-fini-grant-program
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program
This program provides grants to organizations that train, educate, and provide outreach and
technical assistance to new and beginning farmers on production, marketing, business
management, legal strategies and other topics critical to running a successful operation. The
Agriculture Act of 2014 provided an additional $20 million per year for 2014 through 2018. The
reasons for the renewed interest in beginning farmer and rancher programs are: the rising average
age of U.S. farmers, the 8% projected decrease in the number of farmers and ranchers between
2008 and 2018, and the growing recognition that new programs are needed to address the needs
of the next generation of beginning farmers and ranchers. More information is available here:
http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/beginningfarmersandranchers.cfm.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program
SBIR grants help small businesses conduct high quality research related to important scientific
problems and opportunities in agriculture. Research is intended to increase the commercialization

Page 6
of innovations and foster participation by women-owned and socially and economically
disadvantaged small businesses in technological innovation. Grants can be applied towards many
areas or research, including projects that manage the movement of products throughout a supply
chain, develop processes that save energy, and capture and relay real-time market data. More
information is available here: http://nifa.usda.gov/program/small-business-innovation-research-
program.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
The mission of the SARE program is to advance sustainable innovations in American agriculture.
SARE is uniquely grassroots, administered by four regional offices guided by administrative councils
of local experts. Non-profit organizations, researchers, and individuals producers are eligible to
apply. More information is available here: http://www.sare.org/.
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)
AFRI is charged with funding research, education, and extension grants and integrated research,
extension, and education grants that address key problems of National, regional, and multi-state
importance in sustaining all components of agriculture, including farm efficiency and profitability,
ranching, renewable energy, forestry (both urban and agroforestry), aquaculture, rural communities
and entrepreneurship, human nutrition, food safety, biotechnology, and conventional breeding.
Providing this support requires that AFRI advances fundamental sciences in support of agriculture
and coordinates opportunities to build on these discoveries. This will necessitate efforts in
education and extension that deliver science-based knowledge to people, allowing them to make
informed practical decisions. For more information:
http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/afri/afri.html.
USDA Farm Service Agency
Microloan Program
The Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) microloan program is available to agricultural producers in rural
and urban areas and provides loans of up to $35,000 on a rolling basis. Streamlined paperwork
and flexible eligibility requirements accommodate new farmers and small farm operations. Larger
loans are also available through FSA. Contact your local FSA office and visit
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/farm-loan-programs/microloans/index for more
information.
Farm Storage Facility Loans
These loans finance new construction or refurbishment of farm storage facilities. This includes cold
storage and cooling, circulating, and monitoring equipment, which can be particularly important to
those growing for local fresh markets. Interested producers should contact their local FSA office
and visit
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/newsReleases?area=newsroom&subject=landing&topic=pfs&newsty
pe=prfactsheet&type=detail&item=pf_20140310_frnln_en_prg.html.
USDA Food and Nutrition Service
Farm to School Grants

Page 7
Farm to School Grants are available to help schools source more food locally, and to provide
complementary educational activities to students that emphasize food, farming, and nutrition.
Schools, state and local agencies, tribal organizations, producers and producer groups, and non-
profits are eligible to apply. Planning, implementation, and support service grants are available
from $20,000 to $100, 000. More information and resources are available at
www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
As of 2014, more than 2,500 farmers’ markets nationwide are set up to accept SNAP’s electric
benefit transfer (EBT) cards. Benefits can be used to purchase many of the foods sold at farmers’
markets, including fruits and vegetables, dairy products, breads and cereals, and meat and poultry.
They can also purchase seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat. More
information about SNAP benefits at farmers’ markets is available from USDA here:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/ebt/learn-about-snap-benefits-farmers-markets.
WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)
This program provides coupons for local food purchases to women, infants, and children that are
eligible for WIC benefits. The coupons can be used to purchase eligible foods from farmers,
farmers’ markets, and roadside stands. Only farmers, farmers’ markets, and roadside stands
authorized by the State agency may accept and redeem FMNP coupons. Individuals who
exclusively sell produce grown by someone else such as wholesale distributors, cannot be
authorized to participate in the FMNP. For more information, visit:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/fmnp/overview.
Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
This program, similar to FMNP, awards grants to States, United States Territories, and federally-
recognized Indian tribal governments to provide low-income seniors with coupons that can be
exchanged for eligible foods (fruits, vegetables, honey, and fresh-cut herbs) at farmers' markets,
roadside stands, and community supported agriculture programs. For more information, visit:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/sfmnp/overview.
Funding Programs in Support of Other Livable Community Projects
The programs listed below are popular resources that support a variety of livability projects. The
publication “Federal Resources for Sustainable Rural Communities” is a useful guide from the HUD-
DOT-EPA Partnerships for Sustainable Communities that describes several additional resources:
 http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov/partnership-resources/federal-resources-
sustainable-rural-communities-guide
National Endowment for the Arts Our Town Grants
The National Endowment for the Arts’ Our Town grant program is the agency's primary creative
placemaking grants program. Projects may include arts engagement, cultural planning, and design
activities. The grants range from $25,000 to $200,000. Our Town invests in creative and
innovative projects in which communities, together with their arts and design organizations and
artists, seek to:
 Improve their quality of life;

Page 8
 Encourage greater creative activity;
 Foster stronger community identity and a sense of place; and
 Revitalize economic development.
More information: http://arts.gov/grants/apply-grant/grants-organizations
EPA Brownfields Programs
 Area-wide Planning Pilot Program: Brownfields Area-Wide Planning is an EPA grant program
which provides funding to recipients to conduct research, technical assistance and training
that will result in an area-wide plan and implementation strategy for key brownfield sites,
which will help inform the assessment, cleanup and reuse of brownfields properties and
promote area-wide revitalization. Funding is directed to specific areas, such as a
neighborhood, downtown district, local commercial corridor, or city block, affected by a
single large or multiple brownfield sites. More information:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/areawide_grants.htm.
 Assessment Grants: Assessment grants provide funding for a grant recipient to inventory,
characterize, assess, and conduct planning and community involvement related to
brownfields sites. Eligible entities may apply for $200,000 and up to $350,000 with a
waiver. More information: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/assessment_grants.htm.
 Revolving Loan Fund Grants: Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grants provide funding for a grant
recipient to capitalize a revolving loan fund and to provide subgrants to carry out cleanup
activities at brownfield sites. More information is available here:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/rlflst.htm.
 Cleanup Grants: Cleanup grants provide funding for a grant recipient to carry out cleanup
activities at brownfield sites. An eligible entity may apply for up to $200,000 per site. More
information is available here: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/cleanup_grants.htm.
Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)
The Federal Highway Administration’s TAP provides funding for programs and projects defined as
transportation alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities,
infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced
mobility, community improvement activities, and environmental mitigation; recreational trail
program projects; safe routes to school projects; and projects for planning, designing, or
constructing boulevards and other roadways largely in the right-of-way of former Interstate System
routes or other divided highways. In rural areas, these funds are typically allocated by state
departments of transportation. For more information, visit:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/guidance/guidetap.cfm. For more information on Safe Routes to
School projects and programs (which are eligible for funding under TAP), visit:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/safe_routes_to_school/.

Appendix E: References

Page 1
USDA Know Your Farmer Know Your Food
The Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative is a USDA-wide effort to carry out the
Department’s commitment to strengthening local and regional food systems. The Know Your
Farmer Know Your Food website provides a “one stop shop” for resources, from grants and loans to
toolkits and guidebooks, from agencies and offices across the Department. The website also
contains the Know Your Farmer Know Your Food Compass Map, which shows efforts supported by
USDA and other federal partners as well as related information on local and regional food systems.
 http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/knowyourfarmer?navid=KNOWYOURFARMER
Farmers’ Markets General
USDA National Farmers Market Directory
Provides members of the public with convenient access to information about U.S. farmers’ market
locations, directions, operating times, product offerings, and accepted forms of payment.
 http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/
USDA’s “National Farmers Market Manager Survey”
Nearly 1,300 farmers’ market managers responded to this national survey conducted in2006.
 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5077203&acct=wdmge
ninfo
USDA’s “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at Farmers Markets: A How-To
Handbook”
This 2010 report from USDA describes how farmers’ markets can accept SNAP benefits. SNAP is
the federal government’s nutritional assistance program. It was formerly known as food stamps.
 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5085298&acct=wdmge
ninfo
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s “Sharing the Harvest: A Guide to Bridging the Divide
between Farmers Markets and Low-Income Shoppers.”
This 2012 report from ASAP describes strategies for bridging the divide between farmers’ markets
and low income shoppers.
 http://asapconnections.org/local-food-research-center/reports/
USDA’s “Connecting Local Farmers with USDA Farmers Market Nutrition Program Participants”
This 2010 report from USDA describes how providing transportation can help low-income
individuals overcome barriers to accessing farmers markets.
 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/farmersmarkets

Page 2
Farmers’ Markets Management
Oregon State University’s “Understanding the Link Between Farmers’ Market Size and Management
Organization.”
This report, supported by the USDA, explored internal management issues of farmers’ markets and
describes tools that can help make farmers’ markets sustainable.
 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5071342
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s “25 Best Practices for Farmers’ Markets.”
This report describes 25 best practices in the areas of management, regulations, risk management,
food safety, improving vendor sales, and marketing/outreach/promotion/social media.
 http://asapconnections.org/tools-for-farmers/hosting-a-farmers-market/farmers-market-
makeover/
Food Hubs
USDA’s “Moving Food Along the Value Chain: Innovations in Regional Food Distribution”
This 2012 report from USDA examined eight case studies of food value chains and provides some
practical lessons about the challenges they face and lessons learned.
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateA&navI
D=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&leftNav=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&page=FoodHub
ResearchReleasesBlogs&description=Food%20Hub%20Research,%20Releases,%20Blog%2
0Posts,%20and%20Articles
USDA’s “Regional Food Hub Resource Guide”
USDA released this primer on food hubs and the resources available to support them in 2012.
 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5097957
Michigan State University’s and Wallace Center’s “State of the Food Hub – 2013 National Survey
Results”
This survey of more than 100 food hubs across the United States quantifies the scope, scale, and
impacts of local food hubs.
 http://www.wallacecenter.org/resourcelibrary/state-of-the-food-hub-2013-national-survey-
results
Wholesome Wave’s “Food Hub Business Assessment Toolkit”
The toolkit provides tools to access a food hub businesses’ readiness for investment.
 http://www.wholesomewave.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/HFCI-Food-Hub-Business-
Assessment-Toolkit.pdf

Page 3
Community Kitchens
Culinary Incubator’s Community Kitchen Database
This site provides a description and interactive map of community kitchens across the United
States.
 http://www.culinaryincubator.com/maps.php
Community Gardens
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Community Gardens Website
 http://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/healthtopics/healthyfood/community.htm
Vermont Community Garden Network’s Garden Organizer Toolkit
 http://vcgn.org/garden-organizer-toolkit/
Farm to School
USDA’s Farm to School Website
USDA provides information on its website about Farm to School programs and how to get one
started in your community.
 http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/implementing-farm-school-activities
 http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school
Land Use
American Planning Association’s (APA’s) “Zoning for Urban Agriculture”
The APA in 2010 prepared an article on urban agriculture zoning in its March 2010 Zoning Practice.
 https://www.planning.org/zoningpractice/2010/pdf/mar.pdf
American Planning Association’s (APA’s) “Zoning for Public Markets and Street Vendors”
The APA also prepared an article on zoning for public markets in its February 2009 Zoning Practice.
 https://www.planning.org/zoningpractice/2010/pdf/mar.pdf
Other
CDC’s Report “Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the
United States”
Report documenting strategies to implement for obesity prevention.
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/resources/recommendations.html
Food Value Chains: Creating Shared Value to Enhance Marketing Success

Page 4
The report provides an overview of how food value chains are initiated, structured, how they
function and the business advantages and challenges of this approach.
 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateA&nav
ID=FoodValueChainsPageWholesaleAndFarmersMarkets&rightNav1=FoodValueChainsPage
WholesaleAndFarmersMarkets&topNav=&leftNav=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&page=Fo
odValueChains&resultType=&acct=wdmgeninfo
Wholesale Markets and Facility Design
Provides technical assistance and support to customers regarding the construction of new
structures or the remodeling of existing ones. These facilities include wholesale market, farmers
markets, public markets, and food hubs.
 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateN&nav
ID=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&leftNav=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&page=WFMWh
olesaleMarketsandFacilityDesign&description=Wholesale%20Markets%20and%20Facility%
20Design&acct=facdsgn
Organic Agriculture
USDA is committed to helping organic agriculture grow and thrive. This is a one-stop shop with
information about organic certification and USDA-wide support for organic agriculture.
 www.usda.gov/organic
Fruit and Vegetable Audits
Audits for Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices can help producers access
commercial markets by verifying that fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled, and
stored in the safest manner possible to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards.
 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateN&pa
ge=GAPGHPAuditVerificationProgram
USDA Certification for Small and Very Small Producers of Grass-fed Beef and Lamb
Allows small and very small-scale producers to certify that their animals meet the requirements of
the grass-fed marketing claim standard, helping them differentiate themselves and communicate
value to their customers.
 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/GrassFedSVS
Local and Regional Market News
Provides reports on local and regional food outlets, providing producers and consumers with instant
access to prices from farmers markets, farmers’ auctions, food hubs, and direct-to-consumer sales,
providing support to even the smallest farmers and producers.
 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/MarketNewsLocalRegional

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