2024 Ag Trainings and Microcredentials
2024 AG TRAININGS AND MICROCREDENTIALS

Trainings designed to support agriculture entrepreneurs locally, regionally, and statewide to adopt and drive agricultural innovation in the Mountain State.

2023 Youth Ag Innovation Showcase and Challenge
2023 YOUTH AG INNOVATION SHOWCASE AND CHALLENGE Highlights

¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ hosted West Virginia educators and high school students on Friday, October 13 for the ninth annual Potomac Highlands Agriculture Technology and Innovation Student Challenge. The showcase gave students the chance to network with specialists in their field. Students could attend educational sessions presented by representatives from various organizations including WVU Extension, Farm Credit Knowledge Center, and other state, local, public, and private ag organizations, and businesses.

Ag Innovation Impact Report
2022-2023 Ag Innovation Impact Report

Gain insight and knowledge on the affect our Ag Innovation program has had on the community! Also read the success stories to hear it first hand from students.

New Program at Eastern to Support Regional Agribusiness Sustainability
New Program at Eastern to Support Regional Agribusiness Sustainability

A new project at ¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ will support agriculturalists in obtaining resources for long-term sustainability of their businesses and reduce stress among owners and employees.

Meet the 2023 Farm Fellows!
Meet the 2023 Farm Fellows

Meet our 2023 Farm Fellows and Mentors! The 2023 cohort consists of ten fellows who are all working alongside mentors in the Potomac Highlands region for a year-long on-farm apprenticeship that combines classroom training with learn-to-earn opportunities.

2023 Agritourism Brochure
Travel Guide to Local Farm Fresh Products

The agritourism guide includes 106 local food producers across Grant, Pendleton, Tucker, Mineral, Hampshire and Hardy Counties. These agricultural operations offer a variety of experiences ranging from farm stays or bed and breakfast on the farm, to purchasing local foods, navigating corn mazes and seasonal on-farm activities, picking fruit and vegetables, feeding animals, and recreational activities on the farm.

AGEE grant press release
Eastern fuels demand for local food through ag entrepreneurship and CSA programs

The Agriculture Innovation Program at ¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ is fueling demand for locally grown foods through expansion of the Potomac Highland Producers community supported monthly food box and experiential learning opportunities for aspiring ag entrepreneurs.

About Agriculture Innovation at Eastern

With supporting funds from the USDA Rural Business Development Grant, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, and the Small Business Administration (SBA) Eastern's Agriculture Innovation Program launched agriculture programming and initiatives to help drive new economic opportunities in agriculture. Eastern understands that successful programming and economic development could not be accomplished alone. Local, regional, and state partnerships are key to sustainability and impactful programming efforts. A few of our partners include the United States Department of Agriculture, West Virginia Department of Agriculture, West Virginia University Extension and West Virginia State.

These partnerships and supportive funding have allowed Eastern's Agriculture Innovation to support agriculture entrepreneurs locally, regionally, and statewide to adopt and drive agricultural innovation. Several practices include the utilization of poultry bio-waste as a method of upcycling byproducts and utilizing precision agriculture technologies such as drone imaging on operations. Eastern has also led many initiatives including:

  • Ag Action Council
  • WV AG Showcase andÌýAG Student Challenge
  • Workshops and Trainings
  • Farm to Table Events
  • Business Coaching
  • Biochar

Eastern is viewed as one of the leaders in economic development specifically in Agriculture. As a result of the tremendous interest from past programming, Eastern now has a Potomac Highlands Food Cooperative, an Associate in Business Management with an Emphasis in Agribusiness, Ag Workforce Trainings & Certifications, and timely workshops and programming.

Agriculture Resources

Eastern has provided agriculture-related workshops and trainings for the past several years and continues to foster innovation and agriculture for youth in the Potomac Highlands including the annual Ag Innovation Showcase and statewide Ag Innovation Challenge.

Ag Workforce Trainings & Certifications

Earn industry recognized certifications and trainings to directly benefit your agriculture enterprise and education.

Apply now!

To enroll in an Ag Workforce Training, please complete the application below and send it via email to aginnovation@easternwv.edu.

*Please note: Applicants under 18 years old must have a parental and principal/guidance counselor signature for acceptance.

2024 Trainings and Certifications Full Schedule

Potomac Highlands Producers

The Potomac Highlands Producers is a group of farmers and producers from the six Potomac Highlands counties of eastern West Virginia, all working together to promote and sell their products to retail, restaurants, institutions, and individuals. The project is being spearheaded by the ¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ Virginia Community & Technical College to strengthen the local farm economy.

The goals of Potomac Highlands Producers are to grow the local farm economy by providing marketing and advertising of local food, business coaching and support, training on innovative agricultural practices, collective sales of products, and community awareness of the availability of local foods from the Potomac Highlands and where to buy them. The Potomac Highlands Producers is located at Eastern's Main Campus in Moorefield.

MONTHLY LOCAL FOOD BOX

Taste all the Potomac Highlands has to offer with our monthly Best of the Potomac Highlands Food Box. Each month, we offer a different selection of high-quality food products from local farmers. The Potomac Highlands has a a surprising abundance and variety of products that are grown—pastured beef, lamb, chicken and pork to maple syrup, apples, strawberries, organic eggs and more!Ìý

PHP Logo Solid Green

Learn more about one of our producers

Your Travel Guide to Local Farm Fresh Products

The agritourism guide includes 106 local food producers across Grant, Pendleton, Tucker, Mineral, Hampshire and Hardy Counties. These agricultural operations offer a variety of experiences ranging from farm stays or bed and breakfast on the farm, to purchasing local foods, navigating corn mazes and seasonal on-farm activities, picking fruit and vegetables, feeding animals, and recreational activities on the farm.

Contact

Trish Halterman

Ag Workforce Fellowship and Student Training Coordinator

For information about Ag Trainings: aginnovation@easternwv.edu

Phone: extension *9609

David Miller

Agriculture Innovation Program Coordinator

Email David.Miller@easternwv.edu

Phone: extension *9606

Sloan Williams

Potomac Highlands Producers Coordinator

Email: Sloan.Williams@easternwv.edu

Phone:

Amanda Gross

Workforce Student Services Coordinator

Email: amanda.gross@easternwv.edu

Phone: ext. *9413

Fax: 304-434-7003

Jennifer Sunryder

Vista

Email: jennifer.sunryder@easternwv.edu

Robert Burns

Director of Non-Profits & Grants Management

Email: Robert.Burns@easternwv.edu

Phone: ext. *9233