Supporting Agricultural Business Retention and Expansion Agriculture, horticulture, and related business vitality is critical to ag economic development in Sullivan County. Extension, the Sullivan County Legislature, County Planning, and the Ag and Farmland Protection Board are committed to assisting farm and agricultural/horticultural business industries.
Ag Business Retention and Expansion Related Workshops, Events, and Initiatives • Best Foot Forward: Branding, Marketing and Sales • Social Media Inspirations • E Commerce 101
• Advanced Social Media • Marketing Your Business • Business Planning Workshop • Wholesale Market Readiness
• Beginner Social Media
• Farm Transfer and Succession Planning • Agri-Tourism Workshop • Picture Perfect Social Media Photography and Graphics
FARM AND FOOD BUSINESS PROGRAM
EMPOWERING FARMS TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE NCE
In the Fall of 2021, CCE received funding from the USDA through their Rural Business Development program. Through this new project, CCE staff will work one on one with farm and food businesses to develop business and marketing plans, using professional consultants, along with using industry professionals and in house educators to offer programming on marketing and business development and expansion. The program also allows participants to access funding to implement their marketing plans. Stay tuned for upcoming workshops.
In response to the pandemic, the U.S. government nmentt established federal relief and funding programs ams to help small businesses that were negativelyy impacted. Access to these programs existed solely online, which created a barrier for many in our ur agriculture community. CCE Sullivan bridged d this digital divide through access and training, byy offering direct assistance to farmers seeking to apply for pandemic assistanc. Overall, CCE Sullivan ullivan n assisted 16 farms with submitting their application cation n and helped them collectively receive over $140,000 $140,000 the in payroll assistance/forgivable loans from th he Small Business Administration.
SULLIVAN COUNTY AG REPORT Page 12
