EPR continued its work in local foods and community building in 2020 through its ongoing partnership with the EPA and USDA.  Providing facilitation and subject matter expertise under the Local Foods, Local Places technical assistance program, EPR planners Jason Espie and Todd Gordon helped to develop strategic plans for tourism, economic development, community gardening, and the local farmers market in Vicksburg, Mississippi.  Vicksburg is historic city that is usually remembered for its riverfront commerce and Civil War siege.  Today, Vicksburg is concentrating on revitalizing its downtown and providing for equitable access to healthy local foods.  Despite the COVID pandemic that forced a virtual, rather than in-person, workshop, EPR brought together citizens, business owners, and community organizations for a series of online conferences and a two-day intensive workshop to create a local foods and placemaking strategy for the city.  This action plan includes both facility and programmatic strategies that will conduct surveying to better understand Vicksburg’s local foods needs and attitudes, create a permanent farmers market facility and demonstration kitchen, add critical capacity to the city’s community garden and farmers market programs, and create events that engage both residents and tourists in local and healthy culinary traditions.