Agricultural Economy Strategic Plan
West Virginia University
Economic Resilience
The Agriculture Advisory Board, formed by West Virginia University, WVU Extension, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, and the Governor’s Office, aimed to create a statewide plan for growing West Virginia’s agricultural economy.
Seeking to diversify its energy-dependent economy, West Virginia focused on its small but existing agricultural sector. While leading in apple and poultry production, its agriculture economy was among the nation’s smallest and least diverse. The Board hired Fourth Economy to develop a five-year strategic plan to guide collective action and expand the state’s agricultural economy.
Our Approach
We began with a deep dive into data to understand West Virginia’s agricultural strengths and challenges. Concurrently, a survey garnered over 500 stakeholder responses, providing both quantitative and qualitative data to identify key areas for strategic development. To develop these strategies, 14 community meetings were organized across the state. Facilitation trainings were provided to staff of various agricultural agencies to lead these meetings. Over 350 stakeholders participated in “Build Sessions,” brainstorming and prioritizing strategies around key challenges and opportunities. We then worked closely with organizations responsible for leading these strategies, helping them develop detailed actions and next steps.
The Results
The final report, A Shared Agenda for Growing West Virginia’s Agricultural Economy, includes strategies to: connect producers to markets; build needed infrastructure; develop future agricultural leaders; and enhance land access. The Board noted the process fostered new collaboration among stakeholders. They are now establishing a governance structure to ensure strategy implementation.
Location
West Virginia