Looking At Economic Development In Appalachia -- Without Rose-Colored Glasses

In this episode of Inside Appalachia, we’re revisiting some of the stories we have reported about economic development. We’ll hear how these projects are doing today, and how the pandemic has impacted these efforts. Lavender An economic development project in southern West Virginia, partly funded by a $1 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, planned to grow lavender on former strip mines in West Virginia, and to employ former miners and veterans. After our first story aired in early 2018, we heard from students in the program who felt misled by the promises of the project, called Green Mining. Roxy Todd revisited the site to find out what happened, in a story we originally aired later in 2018. Recently, we followed up with the CEO of the West Virginia Regional Technology Park to see how things turned out. Apple Orchards Another initiative to use abandoned mine land for economic development is being run by the West Virginia National Guard. In 2018, the guard received more than $5 million to grow apples in Nicholas County, West Virginia. We explore this project’s ambitious goals to create jobs through apple farming. Farm Distribution The Sprouting Farms project in Talcott, West Virginia connects farmers with customers throughout West Virginia. In 2018, reporter Brittany Patterson visited the program. In the past year, Sprouting Farms has grown. As part of a collaborative project with other organizations, they’ve been selling more food through their online site, called Turnrow, where customers can purchase food directly from farmers and get the food delivered to their town the following week. The pandemic has increased demand for local foods, said April Koenig, one of the managers at Sprouting Farms.  “The pandemic has absolutely highlighted how badly the West Virginia economy, the food sector, needs this,” Koenig said. Working Together The Sprouting Farms story highlights the need to work together. The West Virginia Community Development Hub works to connect initiatives statewide. Researchers at The Hub spent more than a decade studying the success of economic development projects. They found that many one-off federal investments prove largely unsustainable, but when people collaborate, they tend to be more successful long term. Now, they’re encouraging groups and local governments to work together. Roxy Todd interviewed Stephanie Tyree, executive director of The Hub,  in 2018, about why collaboration can help leverage federal investment for Appalachia. Tyree also points to Western Germany as a region that has found ways to jumpstart small business development, as they make the transition away from coal as a major economic driver. Outdoor Tourism Economic development in Appalachia was challenging before the pandemic. In some ways, it’s even tougher now. On the other hand, outdoor tourism is a natural growth industry in the region. We listen back to a story Emily Allen originally reported in 2019, about ATV tourism on the Hatfield and McCoy Trails in Southern West Virginia  —  another recipient of federal investment. Emily is a Report for America Corps fellow.