Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Agribusiness Support topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
EDA discusses catalytic projects to support agribusiness, shared kitchens and cold chain
Summary
Staff presented catalytic project ideas including support for agribusiness and food processing, shared commercial kitchens (Beacon Kitchen, Beller Farm cold-chain proposals), and convening producers to identify needed services; board members recommended convening an agribusiness roundtable and exploring partnerships with the SBDC and Farm Bureau.
As part of a broader discussion of catalytic projects, EDA staff described several agribusiness and food-processing concepts intended to support local producers and small food businesses.
Staff highlighted examples such as the Beacon Kitchen, a shared commercial kitchen incubator used by multiple local food businesses, and Beller Farms’ cold-link sharing concept that would improve transportation and food-safety logistics. The authority discussed county and regional partners that could support shared infrastructure, and board members suggested convening a focused agribusiness roundtable to identify concrete needs before committing funding.
Staff noted that incubator kitchens and low-cost access to food-processing space can help micro-enterprises scale to retail and farmer’s-market distribution. One board member proposed that staff convene producers, technical assistance partners (for example, small business development centers) and funders to determine a minimal scope and estimated cost for a catalytic pilot.
