INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Virginia State University (WVSU) held a ribbon cutting ceremony today to officially open the Stinger Produce Market, a new venture designed to increase access to fresh, affordable produce for community members and WVSU students, faculty and staff.

The Stinger Produce Market, supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the United States Department of Agriculture, and Huntington National Bank, aims to improve food accessibility and health outcomes, fostering food security and better health for West Virginia residents.

“This is a tremendous day for West Virginia State University and for the Institute, Dunbar area as we officially open the Stinger Produce Market,” said WVSU President Ericke S. Cage. “This new market will help serve a critical need in our community by providing access to fresh, locally grown produce.” 

In West Virginia, over 15% of the population faces food insecurity, making it the state with the highest rate in the country. This widespread issue impacts the health and well-being of West Virginians, contributing to high rates of diabetes and heart disease.

The new market is located across W.Va. Route 25 from Wallace Hall and currently will be open on Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Starting July 10, it will also open on Wednesdays. Produce offerings will vary with the season.

The market will operate from June to October and host WVSU Extension Service programming during the off-season. 

Future plans include weekly subscriptions of fresh, locally grown vegetables at $12 per person. Subscription boxes will provide daily servings of vegetables and can be ordered via the Stinger Produce Market Facebook Page or by contacting Market Manager Lydia Roberts at (304) 942-8145 or lydia.roberts@wvstateu.edu.

Produce will come from local sources, including Amish markets in Ohio and the WVSU/USDA Lakin Farm in Mason County. Local producers interested in selling to the market should contact Roberts.

Accepted payment methods include cash, farmers market nutrition vouchers, WIC, and PayPal, with SNAP/EBT approval pending. 

Leftover foods nearing expiration will be donated to local food banks, extending the program’s impact.

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West Virginia State University is a public, land-grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution, located in Institute, W.Va. As a “living laboratory of human relations,” the university is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet the higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research.