ATTRA – National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
ATTRA is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service. It provides information and other technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, extension agents, educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture in the United States.
American Farmland Trust
AFT works with federal, state and local leaders and communities to develop legislation, implement policies and execute programs that keep farmers on their land and protect our environment. Without local farmland there is not local food.
ASAP – Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
ASAP is a western North Carolina based non-profit organization that helps create and expand local food markets that will preserve our agricultural heritage, give everyone access to fresh, healthy food, and keep our farmers farming.
Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD)
ASD is a not-for-profit organization working in the Appalachian region of Virginia and Tennessee focusing on developing healthy, diverse and ecologically sound economic opportunities through education and training, and the development of cooperative networks and marketing systems.
Buy Fresh Buy Local Virginia
Buy Fresh Buy Local helps consumers find local products, CSAs, farmer’s markets, and businesses serving local food while helping to build relationships between growers, food artisans, farmers’ markets retailers, restaurants, and institutions.
CEFS – Center for Environmental Farming Systems
Through high-quality interdisciplinary research, teaching, and extension programs, CEFS aims to: Provide new economic opportunities in rural and urban communities, develop technologies that promote a cleaner and healthier environment, educate the next generation of farmers, consumers, and scientists, engage all citizens in the food system.
CFSA – Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s mission is to promote sustainable agriculture in the Carolinas by inspiring, educating and organizing farmers and consumers. CFSA envisions a regional food system that is good for our farmers, good for our families, and good for our land.
Growing Small Farms
Developed by Chatham County Agricultural Extension Agent Debbie Roos, growing small farms provides a wealth of information for new and existing growers on growing and marketing farm products, developing business plans, handling pest problems, and where to look for more information and support.
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Launched as a new force for federal farm and food policy advocacy, arising out of two successful grassroots organizations, to give voice to the broad and vital grassroots efforts across the country to bring real change in policies for a more sustainable agricultural future.
Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC)
PEC works to Safeguard the landscapes, communities and heritage of the Piedmont by involving citizens in related public policy and land conservation. PEC’s work focuses on Albemarle, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Clarke, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Orange, Madison and Rappahannock although their work often involves issues of regional, statewide or national scope.
SARE – Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension
The SARE program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. Grants are offered through four regions – North Central, Northeast, South and West – under the direction of councils that include farmers and ranchers along with representatives from universities, government, agribusiness and nonprofit organizations.
SSAWG – Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
SSAWG takes a regional approach to creating a sustainable agricultural system – one that is ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just and humane.
WWOOF – World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms
WWOOF is a world-wide network whose organizations link volunteers with small organic or ecologically sound farms looking for volunteer help. In return for volunteer help, WWOOF hosts offer food, accomodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles.
VABF – Virginia Association for Biological Farmers
VABF is a non-profit, educational organization, dedicated to the vision of a sustainable food and fiber system that will maintain healthy soil, clean water and thriving ecosystems, while providing quality products for consumers and economic security for farmers and rural communities.
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Aims to improve the lives and well being of people and communities in the state of Virginia by offering education programs aimed at stimulating positive personal and societal change, leading to more productive lives, families, farms, and forests as well as a better environment.
VICFA – Virginia Independent Consumer and Farmer’s Association
VICFA’s purpose is to promote and preserve unregulated direct farmer-to-consumer trade that fosters availability of locally grown or home-produced food products.