Roanoke Foodshed Network

The Roanoke Foodshed Network was formed in 2020 as a way to build community and capacity between diverse partners working to address food systems change in the Roanoke region. The goals of this network have grown out of a decade of conversations with farmers, planners, and local food advocates. We aspire to develop a comprehensive approach to create a more equitable and resilient food and farm system that produces health and abundance in the Roanoke region. The Roanoke-based nonprofit Local Environmental Agriculture Project (LEAP) is the fiscal agent for a multi-year United States Department of Agriculture planning grant. Other leading network partners include Carilion Clinic, Feeding Southwest Virginia, The Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission, Virginia Association for Biological Farming, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and the Virginia Tech Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation.

This online community is intended to catalyze and nurture diverse connections across people and programs in our food systems; support peer-to-peer learning and sharing; provide information about upcoming events and opportunities; and provide a platform to share and discuss community food system priorities and concerns.