Model social processes useful in facilitating sustainable development are advanced from our team experiences with a case study. The processes are: learn how to learn as a team and community, use a model process that reveals shared interests and leverageable points, and then facilitate local stakeholders in developmental action. The case provided the team the opportunity to learn to describe and comprehend the case agroecosystem as a whole-natural elements and social relationships. Dialogue among stakeholders created an awareness and clarity of leverageable issues. Team engagement with local stakeholders facilitated efforts to organize, integrate information and motivate developmental action. Case issue lessons were: farmers need information to transition to more sustainable forms of agriculture, institutional mechanisms are needed to support the development of new markets, consumers need information on the benefits of using agriculural products that enhance their environment, and the public needs to share responsibility for food safety and health rather than generating more governmental regulation. This sustainable development model process is presented to inform other farm-community change efforts.