ROCK CAVE -- Supporters of the New Appalachian Farm and Research Center hope to spark a movement to resurrect the state’s farm and food economy.

The center’s focus will be on educating young people about the food industry, encouraging folks to pursue careers in agriculture and establishing a local food processing facility to help farmers navigate the business.

The center will be based in Rock Cave and directed by Chef Dale Hawkins, who grew up in Upshur County and has a passion for all things “food.”

“Fifty years ago, we grew most of our own food,” Hawkins said. “Now, 98 percent of our food comes from out of state.” Not only does that hurt the economy, because residents spend $6.8 billion annually on food, but it also fosters a disconnection from the farm and what people put in their mouths, he said.

Plans for the non-profit center were rolled out recently at an event hosted by the Upshur County Development Authority at the Upshur County Business Center. Of course, it included a dinner prepared with Upshur County produce.

The UCDA is a partner in the center, along with the Natural Capital Investment Fund, with assistance from the Collaborative for the 21st Century (chaired by Hawkins).

“We got a grant to make this happen,” Stephen Foster, Upshur County Development Authority executive director, said. “We’re lending our support.”

The Flex-E state grant for $10,000 required a match of $500 and will fund the research and business plan development for 2009.

The grant helps pay for a feasibility study and a gap analysis that will include asset mapping and documentation so the process may be duplicated. For example, the center will survey 100 restaurant managers/owners, 25 retail grocery stores and 20 colleges to establish their preference for West Virginia products.

It is one of the first steps in a plan that spans from as few as five years to as long as 10 years, according to Hawkins. Broken into the simplest format, the steps look like this: research (beginning with the grant) and education, creation of a food processing facility “model” in Upshur County, expansion in the region, expansion across the state.

To be clear, Hawkins explained that the New Appalachian Farm and Research Center is not actually a bricks-and-mortar building — yet.

In one to three years, the goal is to have a sustainable food market at an actual facility in Upshur County where farmers can bring their food to be cleaned, graded, packaged, branded and distributed.

The success of that facility can be spun off into other similar facilities throughout the Mountain State.

Eventually, it will slow the “economic leakage” of the agricultural economy among the state’s 20,000 farms, he said.

From 1965 to 1995, West Virginia lost 18,000 farms, mostly to urban sprawl, he said.

Hawkins said it’s critical to show young people the potential of making a living on the farm and to keep talented people in the state. The concept is to target young people who might have an interest and encourage them by demonstrating how they can take part in the process.

Hawkins asked if tomatoes grown indoors from Canada during the winter can be imported and sold in West Virginia, why can’t farmers in West Virginia grow them in the winter instead.

“It doesn’t make sense,” he said. “This is my life’s mission: I want to see people reconnect with food.”