ASAP’s Local Food Research Center conducted an environmental audit of 10 farmers markets and 13 nearby retail stores in Buncombe County, NC, in September and October 2025. The primary purpose of the audit was to assess food prices on seasonal food items with a secondary aim focused on product labeling (name/variety, price, growing practices).
This report presents findings from the 2025 annual survey of Appalachian Grown (AG) certified farmers in the Southern Appalachians. These farms are for the most part small, family-owned, and primarily located and selling in Western North Carolina (WNC). This annual survey gathers information about the land they farm, production costs, market opportunities, marketing strategies, and
Implementation and impacts of a direct-market Food Is Medicine program that nourishes families and provides economic benefits to rural family farms.
In spring 2025, ASAP released a report on the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene on farms in Western North Carolina (WNC). This second report offers a snapshot of the early phase of recovery (the first six-to-nine months) after Hurricane Helene. To gather insights, ASAP followed the subset of small farms that received immediate needs grants
This case study details a project implemented by the Growing Minds Farm to School (F2S) program of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), a nonprofit based in Asheville, North Carolina (NC), serving the Southern Appalachian region. It was made possible by a two-year Patrick Leahy Farm to School grant from the United States Department of Agriculture
Over the past 20 years, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) has worked in Western North Carolina (WNC) to build a thriving local food economy with an intent of strengthening farm businesses, supporting the health of the population, and building thriving communities. This new report continues to add to the knowledge of the region on consumer
In the immediate wake of Hurricane Helene, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) began monitoring the impacts on small-scale farms and farmland in Western North Carolina (WNC). Through surveys, phone calls, and farmer-to-farmer facilitated meetings, ASAP researchers have estimated the scope and immediate cost of the hurricane on the farming community and local food economy.
Every year since the Appalachian Grown program was founded, a survey has been sent to participating farms to assess the impact of services and gather feedback to shape the program’s direction. In December 2024, this survey was sent to 887 Appalachian Grown producers. The survey asked about their experiences farming in 2024, including questions addressing
This report presents a description of the formation of the Western North Carolina Farm Fresh Double SNAP Network and an assessment of the Network’s impact on community members and the local food system. In 2023, the Network was formed by the nonprofit Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project with support from partners Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, MountainWise,
Every year since the Appalachian Grown program was founded, a survey has been sent to participating farms to assess the impact of services and gather feedback to shape the program’s direction. In November 2023, this survey was sent to 886 Appalachian Grown producers. We asked about experiences farming in 2023 and connecting with community members