Appalachian nonprofit links small farmers with big grocers

In Virginia’s southwestern tip lies a produce aggregator that’s become a standout success among Appalachian nonprofits by helping farmers in remote areas sell to big grocers.

Appalachian Harvest has grown to a $1.5 million business that derives only a sliver of its budget from grants while delivering vegetables to grocers including Whole Foods, Ingles and Food City.

To develop its business from scratch, Appalachian Harvest has fine-tuned how it helps farmers while expanding from organic to conventional crops and learning a crash-course in trucking.

Inside Appalachian Harvest’s 15,000 square-foot warehouse are massive coolers and packing equipment, including a 30-foot green conveyor belt-driven machine that cleans and dries vegetables. It sells produce from as many as 60 farmers.

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)