Appalachian Grown
The Appalachian Grown™ program of the  Appalachian
Sustainable Agriculture Project
certifies food and agricultural products grown or raised
on farms in western North Carolina and the southern Appalachian Mountains. Displayed
with food and farm products, the Appalachian Grown label
helps consumers, retailers, and wholesalers better distinguish and
identify local agricultural products. For the 2006 growing season,
participation in the program is free.
The Appalachian Grown™ label is a trademark of Appalachian
Sustainable Agriculture Project; to protect the integrity of the label
and the local food market local producers, food processors, retailers,
and wholesalers must meet particular standards and agree to comply
with logo-use restrictions. The standards and restrictions are
meant to protect the label; the Appalachian Grown label may
only be used to represent food and agricultural products grown or
raised by certified Appalachian farms.
All downloads require the free
Adobe PDF reader and open in a new browser window
Frequently Asked Questions about Appalachian Grown
What is Appalachian Grown?
What are the goals of the program?
Who can participate in the program?
Why do I want to buy a product with the Appalachian Grown logo?
How is the logo protected?
Are labor and environmental standards
covered in the certification?
How is ASAP funded?
FOR PRODUCERS
How do I become an Appalachian
Grown producer?
How frequently will my farm need to be re-certified?
What happens if my farm is not compliant with certification and
logo-use standards?
How is certification verified?
What will it cost my business to participate in the Appalachian Grown program?
What are the standards for use of the Appalachian
Grown label?
How can I use the Appalachian Grown label to promote my farm?
FOR RETAILERS AND FOOD HANDLERS
How
will I benefit from participating in the program?
What do I need to do in order to participate in
the program?
What will it cost my business to participate in the Appalachian Grown
program?
What are the standards for use of the Appalachian Grown logo?
What are some of the ways I can use the Appalachian Grown logo?
What happens if my business is not compliant with
standards for logo use?
What is Appalachian Grown? (top)
Appalachian Grown is a program that certifies food and agricultural
products grown or raised on farms in western North Carolina and the
southern Appalachian Mountains. Displayed with food and farm
products, the Appalachian Grown label readily identifies
local agricultural products and helps consumers make informed buying
choices that will benefit the farms of Appalachia and our local economy. List
of Appalachian
Counties (opens a new browser window; requires free
Adobe PDF reader)
What are the goals
of the program? (top)
In its mission to support Appalachian farms and rebuild a community-based food
system, ASAP developed the Appalachian Grown program to expand local
markets for Appalachian farms and to provide a way the public can easily identify
products from local farms.
Who can participate in the program? (top)
The Appalachian Grown program incorporates Appalachian farmers, retailers of
local food and farm products, and consumers.
Why do I want to buy a product with
the Appalachian Grown logo? (top)
When you buy food or a farm product with the Appalachian Grown label
you are getting a product that was grown or raised in our region by a local farmer. What
does this mean? It means that you are buying a product that is fresher,
better tasting, and more nutritious. It means that you are supporting a
local food system that supports the local economy, that is better for the environment,
preserves the farming heritage of Appalachia, and protects our mountain landscape.
On average, our food today travels 1500 miles from seed to plate. This
distance translates into a loss of freshness and nutrition and into
a loss of control over the way our food is produced. Food that
is grown to travel thousands of miles is bred to hold up over distances
and time and not for taste. Long distance transport consumes
nonrenewable fossil fuels. This distance also means we don’t
know the people that grow our food or have any knowledge about their
production and business practices. Because we no longer know
our farmers, we have less control over the way our food is grown and
over the kind of environmental and social impacts of food production.
How is the logo protected? (top)
The Appalachian Grown™ label is a trademark of Appalachian
Sustainable Agriculture Project. To protect the integrity of
the label and the local food market, producers and retailers must
agree to comply with certain logo use restrictions and sign a binding
License Agreement. The requirements and agreement are meant
to protect the label and state that the label may only be used to
represent food and agricultural products grown or raised by certified
Appalachian farms.
Are labor and environmental
standards covered in the certification? (top)
At ASAP, we believe the labor and environmental issues associated
with agriculture are important. Supporting local agriculture
is a powerful way to shape the food system and impact the kind of
environmental and labor standards you want to see. Localizing
agriculture connects farmers and community members; it means that
consumers are in direct contact with the farmers that grow their food
or are only one or two steps removed. With this kind of close
connection, you can make informed choices about the food you eat and
in turn foster greater economic, social, and environmental health. We
encourage you to get to know the farmers that grow your food. If
you have direct contact with farmers, you can ask them directly about
their production and business practices. If you buy your food
through a retailer, produce managers are often knowledgeable about
the local farms that supply their store.
How is ASAP funded? (top)
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project is a non-profit organization. We
receive funding primarily from government grants and private foundations. For
a list of funding partners please refer to our partners
page.
PRODUCERS
How do I become an
Appalachian Grown producer? (top)
The Appalachian Grown™ logo certifies farms that grow
or raise food and agricultural products in an Appalachian county. To
become a certified farm and market products with the Appalachian
Grown label, producers must confirm the location of their farm
in an Appalachian County and certify that they will only market Appalachian
Grown products grown or raised on the certified farm.
All downloads require the free
Adobe PDF reader and open in a new browser window
Producers:
- Download a copy of the Logo-Use
Standards for reference and keep a copy for your records.
- Fill out the Producer
Certification form and send to ASAP by mail or fax (ASAP’s
mailing address and fax number are at the bottom of the form).
- Fill out the Appalachian
Grown License Agreement and mail or fax to ASAP.
Food Processors:
- Download a copy of the Logo-Use
Standards for reference and keep a copy for your records.
- Fill out the Processed
Farm Products form and send to ASAP by mail or fax (ASAP’s
mailing address and fax number are at the bottom of the form).
- Fill out the Appalachian
Grown License Agreement and mail or fax to ASAP.
Send the Producer Certification form and License Agreement—by
mail or fax—to the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project.
Mailing address:
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
729 Haywood Rd., Asheville, NC 28806
Fax number: 828-252-2882
How frequently will my farm need to be re-certified? (top)
All farm certifications expire annually on April 2. Depending
on the date you sign the certification form, you will need to renew
it every 12 to 18 months. To renew producers need to sign and
submit a new Producer Certification form and License Agreement.
What happens if my farm is not compliant with certification and
logo-use standards? (top)
Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the Appalachian
Grown Producer Certification and License Agreement will result in
immediate termination from the program and the right to use the Appalachian
Grown logo and related promotional materials.
How is certification verified? (top)
Use of the Appalachian Grown logo by retail partners and
certified producers is governed by a set of Logo-Use Standards and
a binding License Agreement.
What will it cost my business to participate in the Appalachian
Grown program? (top)
For the 2006 growing season, participation in the program for producers
is free.
What are the standards for use of the Appalachian Grown
label? (top)
The standards for use of the Appalachian Grown label are outlined
in the Logo-Use Standards, Only certified farms can use the Appalachian
Grown label, and the label can only be used to promote and brand
food and farm products grown on certified farms.
How can I use the Appalachian Grown label to promote my
farm? (top)
The Appalachian Grown label can be made available as a sticker
to affix to cases of produce sold wholesale. For direct sales
at farmer tailgate markets, you may wish to display the Appalachian
Grown label with your stall either in poster form or with a profile
of your farm.
RETAILERS
How
will I benefit from participating in the program? (top)
Recent research conducted by ASAP shows that the demand for locally-grown
farm products in western North Carolina is at an all time high. More
and more consumers in the communities of western North Carolina are
choosing to buy locally-grown farm products because they want to know
where their food comes from and who grew it. Recent
research conducted by ASAP shows that
for consumers in western North Carolina, local food is an important
consideration when choosing a grocer or restaurant. Western
North Carolina residents believe that locally produced foods offer
higher quality and have indicated that when locally produced foods
cost a little more they are worth the extra cost. As a retail
partner in the Appalachian Grown program, you will gain exposure
for your food related business. Western North Carolina communities
support local farms and the businesses that sell local farm products.
What do I need to do in order to participate in the program? (top)
To become a retail partner and market products with the Appalachian
Grown label, retailers must agree to adhere to the requirements
outlined in the Logo-Use Standards and sign
and submit the Appalachian Grown License Agreement. As an extension of the Appalachian
Grown certified
producers use, any retailer may use the logo to identified the certified
farm product with the product. Only Appalachian Grown Partners
are allowed expanded use of the logo and marketing materials. Only businesses
that are owned and operated and do most of their business in Appalachian
counties can become Appalachian Grown Partners. Please contact allison@asapconnections.org for
more details.
Retailers and Wholesalers:
- Download a copy of the Logo-Use
Standards for reference and keep a copy for your records.
- Fill-out the Appalachian
Grown License Agreement and mail or fax to ASAP (ASAP’s
mailing address and fax number are at the bottom of the form).
Mail or fax the signed License Agreement.
Mailing address:
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
729 Haywood Rd., Asheville, NC 28806
Fax number: 828-252-2882
What will it cost my business to participate in the
Appalachian Grown program? (top)
For the 2006 growing season, participation for retailers is free.
What are the standards for use of the Appalachian Grown logo?(top)
As a retail partner in the Appalachian Grown program, you
are required to adhere to the provisions outlined in the Appalachian
Grown License Agreement. The Appalachian Grown label
can be used by retailers to promote and label food and farm products
grown or raised within the boundaries of the ASAP Local Food Campaign
region by certified Appalachian farms.
What are some of the ways I can use the Appalachian Grown logo? (top)
The Appalachian Grown logo can be made available as a graphic file
for use on menus, as window or door stickers, and in poster form,
for you to use as appropriate. Additionally, profiles of farms
can be made available for posting in your restaurant and/or training
your wait staff to communicate with diners interested in local products. Retail
partners that sell local farm products can be listed in ASAP’s
Local Food Guide.
What happens if my business is not compliant with standards for
logo use? (top)
Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the Appalachian
Grown License Agreement will
result in immediate termination from the program and the right to
use the Appalachian Grown logo and related promotional materials.
All downloads require the free
Adobe PDF reader and open in
a new browser window
If you have questions about the Appalachian Grown program
or how to participate in this program please contact Allison at ASAP
at 236-1282.
Send comments or suggestions to webmaster@asapconnections.org
©Copyright 2005 Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture
Project
Privacy Policy
729 Haywood Rd., Asheville, NC 28806 -Join the ASAP E-mail
List serve
Voice: 828-236-1282 or fax: 828-252-2882 email: info@asapconnections.org
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
|
Home