The Mohawk Valley Economic Development District, Inc. (MVEDD), in partnership with Visit Schoharie County and the Office for Agricultural Development of Schoharie County, has launched a new initiative called the Mohawk Valley Farm and Agribusiness Network (MVFAN).
MVFAN’s mission is to provide Mohawk Valley farms and agribusinesses with the industry resources necessary to create a robust, diverse, productive, and efficient agricultural landscape.
By being an advocate for economic development efforts that focus on these value-added business opportunities, MVFAN wanted to help create agriculture jobs, and increase access to healthy foods for all residents.
MVFAN has created a space that consolidates several types of value-added business opportunities to bolster economic development in the agribusiness sector, with the goal of creating a more resilient food system in the Mohawk Valley.
MVFAN can provide information and support on the following topics:
* Grant & Loan Opportunities: (including those from NYS Grown & Certified, NYS Farmland Protection Implementation, the US Department of Agriculture, many local grants and the Small Business Loan Fund from MVEDD).
* AgriSmart: an MVEDD-led organization aimed at connecting farmers to energy efficiency upgrades, utility upgrades and incentives for equipment, technical assistance to apply for farm energy audits and best practices to save energy.
* Connections to local farmers markets.
* State and county groups and networks to further visibility of local agribusiness.
“In speaking with local farmers, one of the primary things I hear is that finding applicable information about grants or local programs is like finding a needle in a haystack. Local businesses often do not pursue state and local opportunities because the process is confusing or disjointed,” said Nick Kossmann of the Office of Agricultural Development in Schoharie County.
“MVFAN is trying to bridge that gap by bringing all of these programs and opportunities together in one place, and providing technical assistance to help local farmers bring their projects to fruition.”
MVFAN is a collaborative effort, and local agribusiness owners are encouraged to contact MVFAN to discuss business needs, wants and project ideas.
The experienced team at MVFAN will work with you to connect you to local funding, programs, incentives and opportunities to bolster your business.
“The Mohawk Valley’s agricultural sector is strong, but a lot of opportunities have been left on the table,” said Heather Devitt of MVEDD.
“MVFAN is here to help connect agribusinesses to funding and value-added programs to create a more vibrant system of agriculture.”
MVFAN will be hosting an event in the spring of 2024 to bring agribusinesses together and present on different opportunities. Visit MVFAN’s website for announcements relating to this in the new year. https://www.mvfoodaction.org/home.