Anthony Flaccavento is an organic farmer near Abingdon, Virginia, in the heart of Appalachian Virginia. He has been working on community environmental and economic development in central Appalachia for the past 25 years. In 1995, he founded Appalachian Sustainable Development, which became a regional and national leader in sustainable economic development. Anthony left ASD in December, 2009 to found SCALE, Inc, a private consulting business dedicated to catalyzing and supporting ecologically healthy regional economies and food systems. SCALE works with community leaders, farmers, foundations, economic development agencies and others in Appalachia, Iowa, Wisconson, Michigan and other communities. He has written and spoken about sustainable development, ecology and economics, food systems, and Appalachian issues extensively and continues to do so today.

Anthony has received a number of awards and honors for his work in recent years, including the Ford Foundation Leadership for a Changing World Award, the Arthur Smith Environmental Stewardship award, and selection by Blue Ridge magazine in 2009 as one of central Appalchia's most important agents for positive change. He was a Kellogg National Food and Society Policy Fellow during 2007 and 2008 (now known as the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy's Food and Society Fellows). Anthony has a BS degree in Agriculture and Environmental Science from the University of Kentucky and a Masters degree in Economic and Social Development from the University of Pittsburgh. He is married with three children.

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