TSU Extension + Radical Shoots

Workforce Architecture for Regional Food Systems

Operating and scaling next-generation infrastructure: CEA, retail innovation, and applied AgTech.

The Strategic Differentiator: This is not a farming program. It is a workforce development platform for modern food systems. We train operators, educators, and system-level leaders who can make local and regional food economically and clinically viable.

1. Live Operational Ecosystem

Participants learn within an active network, not a classroom simulation. Program coordination is led by Radical Shoots in partnership with TSU Extension.

Radical Shoots (Aggregation/Logistics) Nashville Farmers Market (Retail Hub) Grow2Learn (Workforce Dev) Wonderful People Microfarm (CEA/Access) TSU Extension (Scale)

2. Program Architecture (8-Week Cohort)

The Rhythm

  • Weekly: Hands-on fieldwork + half-day intensive session + practitioner-led discussions.
  • Bi-weekly: Open Intensives (expanding audience to TSU students, Extension agents, community) with guest experts.
  • Regional/National Exposure: Integrated directly into the module learning objectives.

3. Module Breakdown & Field Immersion

Module 1: Food Systems, Supply Chain & Production (Weeks 1-2)

Focus: How Food Systems Actually Work

  • Supply chain fundamentals & institutional markets
  • Aggregation and distribution logistics
  • CEA + regenerative systems (production consistency)

Field Immersion: Turnip Truck, Second Harvest, Nashville Food Project, Opryland Urban Farm, Cooper Creek Farm.

Module 2: Nutrition, Behavior & Community Education (Weeks 3-4)

Focus: Food, Culture, and Behavior Change

  • Nutrition fundamentals & culturally rooted food systems
  • Behavioral economics and decision-making in food choice
  • Communication strategies for the clerk-as-educator

Module 3: Community Retail & Grocery Innovation (Weeks 5-6)

Focus: Redefining the Corner Store

  • The grocery + commissary kitchen + education model
  • Operating in SNAP environments (targeting 40%+ participation)
  • Economic viability: The 70/30 local sourcing commission model

Field Immersion (Atlanta): Curated with Jimmy Wright. Focus on community-based retail and consumer trust.

Module 4: Technology, Data & Operations (Weeks 7-8)

Focus: Scaling the System (Data, Policy, Capital)

  • IoT and cold chain verification (Possum ledger integration)
  • AI tools for forecasting and logistics
  • Tracking system performance for Food-as-Medicine clinical metrics

Field Immersion (DC, MS Delta, KY): Farmers Alliance, DC Central Kitchen, Food Chain (Lexington). Focus on rural aggregation, national policy, and healthcare integration.

4. Alignment & Forward Integration

Why Most Programs Fail

They train production without a market, fund pilots without operations, or build tech without a workforce.

Why This Scales

  • TSU Grant Alignment: Expands workforce beyond pure production, applies AI/IoT in real environments, and creates a replicable Extension model.
  • Clinical Integration: Prepares participants to operate the exact infrastructure needed for incoming healthcare and Food-as-Medicine pilots (e.g., VUMC MAHA Elevate). The workforce becomes the data-gathering layer for clinical outcomes.