Tuesday, September 2, 2025
52.4 F
Beckley
More

    Program pairs W.Va. farmers, craft beverage producers

    The craft beverage industry in West Virginia is getting a boost from the , which has launched an initiative to expand the use of specialty crops in state-made drinks.

    Advertisement

    Bill Woodrum, director of the institute's entrepreneurship and agricultural programs, said the burgeoning industry can help boost the growth of other state industries as well.

    “The number of craft beverage producers in West Virginia has nearly tripled since 2014,” Woodrum said. “We want to help residents capitalize on this momentum and connect them to local sources for their ingredients.”

    To help connect growers to bottlers, the instutute is teaming with Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College, in Moorefield, and Unlimited Future and the Wild Ramp, in Huntington.

    Advertisement

    The collaboration will include a series of networking events and seminars that focus on specialty crop production and their utilization of specialty crops in the production of craft beverages and spirits.

    The institute will also launch an extensive marketing campaign to promote the management of specialty crops—including fruits, vegetables, berries, and herbs—and their use in beverage production, Woodrum said.

    “Our goal is help at least 200 state farmers boost sales of the crops they already grow or expand by growing new specialty crops while encouraging bottlers to create additional product lines,” Woodrum said.

    “We believe these efforts will result in meaningful sales increases for both farmers and craft beverage producers.”

    Advertisement

    Funding for the project is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which is administered by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. For more information, contact Woodrum at or 304-781-1670.


    Sign up to receive a FREE copy of West Virginia Explorer Magazine in your email weekly. Sign me up!
    David Sibray
    David Sibray
    Historian, real estate agent, and proponent of inventive economic development in West Virginia, David Sibray is the founder and publisher of West Virginia Explorer Magazine. For more information, he may be reached at 304-575-7390.

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here

    Hot this week

    The magic of September in West Virginia, when summer fades and autumn awakens

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Meteorologists mark September 1 as the...

    West Virginia haunted by the ghosts of the Teays River and other ancient streams

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is haunted by the...

    West Virginia woodland for sale on Barker’s Creek offers mountain serenity

    MULLENS, W.Va. — Nestled deep within the wooded hollows...

    The Battle of Stanaford: A massacre in W.Va. vanished from the pages of labor history

    STANAFORD, W.Va. — A quiet residential community outside the...

    The story behind the breathtaking Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park

    CLIFFTOP, W.Va. — At first glance, the Glade Creek...

    Topics

    Related Articles

    Popular Categories