Appalachian Regional Commission: Local Food Economies

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is devoted to building thriving communities and economies across the Appalachian Region, defined by ARC as a vast area covering 423 counties across 13 states, stretching from Mississippi to New York. ARC selected KK&P in 2020 to research and publish a comprehensive study of local food and agriculture economies across the Appalachian Region– the first study of its kind in several years. The Region’s food systems and food economies are as diverse as its landscape and its nearly 26 million residents, with key products ranging from commodity corn and soy to large and small-scale animal agriculture, and from hay and horticulture to niche forest products like mushrooms and ginseng. Over the course of a year and half, KK&P conducted deep quantitative and qualitative research that captured current dynamics in the Region’s local food systems, while also highlighting innovations and best practices in detailed case studies. The resulting report, which was released in April 2022, is intended to guide and inspire innovations across the Region.

View ARC's webpage on the project here.
View and download the report here.