October 18-20
Speakers and Performers
Bev Eggleston
Farmer and Sustainable Agriculture Advocate
Bev Eggleston is the Founder and President of EcoFriendly Foods, LLC. Before establishing EcoFriendly Foods in 2001, Bev farmed for 12 years in Mendota, Virginia. During these 12 years, he learned firsthand about the many challenges of being a small family farm within a food system dominated by large-scale, corporate-owned, industrial-based agriculture. Worst among these challenges was processing, market access, and distribution. It was in response to these three challenges that Bev created the EcoFriendly Foods model. This model offers farmers the opportunity to sell their finished animals - live - to EcoFriendly Foods for a premium price, who then handles the rest of the process: slaughter, processing, marketing, distribution, and receivables. This allows the farmer to focus on doing what he loves most and does best - farming. EcoFriendly Foods currently contracts with over 30 pastured meat producers in the Mid-Atlantic region, all of which meet their strict animal welfare standards.
All of EcoFriendly Foods' processing is done in-house. They own and manage a multi-species, USDA-approved, Certified Humane® processing facility in Moneta, Virginia. EcoFriendly Foods also handles all of their own distribution. They own two box trucks, a large pickup truck, and several refrigerated trailers - servicing an extensive network of award-winning, fine-dining chefs all across the eastern seaboard, from Atlanta to NYC. In addition to restaurants, EcoFriendly Foods also serves consumers directly at various farmers' markets and retail outlets in the DC Metro area as well as locally, in the Roanoke Valley of Virginia.
In his spare time, Bev networks and lobbies tirelessly for national and local legislation to support farmers who utilize regenerative, responsible approaches to growing, harvesting and marketing their products. He has testified twice before Congress (Committee on Oversight and Government Reform), and he currently sits on the Advisory Committee for AGree, whose mission is “to drive positive change in the food and agriculture system by connecting and challenging leaders from diverse communities to catalyze action and elevate food and agriculture policy as a national priority.”
Bev and EcoFriendly Foods have been featured in such well-known publications as TIME Magazine , The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Edible Manhattan, Food and Wine, Bon Appétit, Saveur, and Gourmet Magazine, just to name a few. The company continues to grow in strength and recognition as a leader in sustainable meats and regional food systems. For more information, please visit their website – ecofriendly.com – or their facebook page – facebook.com/EcofriendlyFoods.