Food Lifestyle Sustainability

Spotlight On: ASAP Celebrates 20 Years of Supporting Local Farms

ASAP Farm Tour, Ivy Creek Family Farm in Barnardsville. Photo by Chelsea Lane, courtesy of ASAP

By Emma Castleberry

ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) celebrates 20 years of supporting local farms this year. The nonprofit, based in Asheville, links farmers to markets and customers in an effort to build healthy communities through connections to local food. “The effects of that ripple through so much of our community,” says Sarah Hart, communications manager for ASAP. “We’re creating more opportunities for people to access—and get excited about—fresh, local food, which contributes to health, happiness and wellbeing. When people buy directly from local farms, that money stays in the community, building a stronger local economy.”

Tiérra Fertil Coop at Abundancia. Photo courtesy of ASAP

After the Great Depression, Burley tobacco provided a stable and resilient crop for many mountain farms. In 2004, the Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act ended the reign of this crop and threatened the viability of many local farms. “Anticipating the devastating effects this could have on small farms, a group of farmers and community members launched a Local Food Campaign to raise awareness about local agriculture, educate consumers about the benefits of buying local food and create viable market alternatives for farmers,” says Hart. “This effort eventually became ASAP, which incorporated as a nonprofit in 2002.”

When ASAP published its first Local Food Guide in 2002, it listed 58 farms. The organization now provides support and resources to more than 800 farms throughout the region as well as more than 100 farmers markets. ASAP’s impact was made clear in a 2018 report from ASAP’s Local Food Research Center: between 2002 and 2012, tobacco disappeared almost entirely from the region, but there was a 98 percent increase in the number of farms growing fruits and vegetables; a 166 percent increase in the number of acres dedicated to these products; and a 193 percent increase in sales of these products.

ASAP founder Charlie Jackson (left) and ASAP’s new executive director, Molly Nicholie

The work of ASAP is made possible through donations and volunteers. In addition to volunteering and donating, there are sponsorship opportunities for the annual Farm Tour, Business of Farming Conference and Asheville City Market. “Beyond those ways to directly support ASAP’s work, you can participate in the local food system,” says development director Nora Scheff. “Buy directly from farmers at farmers markets, farm stands or through a CSA. Visit farms in the region, whether on ASAP’s Farm Tour or with one of the many farms that offers agritourism opportunities.”

ASAP will be undergoing some significant changes as the organization enters its third decade. ASAP’s founder, Charlie Jackson, will retire this month and Molly Nicholie has taken the helm as executive director. “ASAP’s vision is that local food becomes the default choice,” Nicholie says. “We want a food system that builds local wealth, strengthens communities, supports health and wellness and sustains the environment. We want to ensure that everyone involved in growing and producing food can earn a living. We want kids to grow up not learning about food from advertisers, but from their parents, teachers and local farmers.”

Look out for the 2022 Local Food Guide, out at the end of this month. This free publication is the definitive resource for finding local food and farms in the region, including farmers, tailgate markets, restaurants, groceries and artisan producers that feature local food. For more information, visit ASAPConnections.org.

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