Putnam Economic Development To Hold Agribusiness Summit

BREWSTER, NY — Putnam County's Economic Development Corporation is hosting a special event for local farmers, agribusinesses, nonprofits and government leaders.

The Jan. 31 Putnam Grows! Farm and Agribusiness Summit will be held at Tilly Foster Farm in Brewster. It's a forum to provide information and promote awareness of trends and resources to promote growing business, leaders said in a press release.

Featured speakers scheduled to appear include farm industry experts from Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corp, the Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program; Taste New York Ag, Empire State Development, and Cornell University Cooperative Extension, Putnam County.

The event will offer educational and networking, and opportunities to learn more about new business ideas and agritourism trends. The program kicks off at 9:15 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m.

There is no fee to attend, and lunch will be served.

The Putnam County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board's Keep Putnam Farming program issued a report in 2016 based on a study of farmers in the county.

The researchers talked to 38 farmers:

• Almost one-third of the farmers who responded indicated they have been in the County for 10 years or less. Most are farmers growing food products and looking to build their business and take advantage of the increased demand for local products
• 58 percent of respondents owned 20 acres of working farmland or less
• Several equine farmers report that they are diversifying their farm operations to include other types of livestock, vegetable and fruit production
• 50 percent of respondents indicated they provide agritourism activities on their farms
• Importantly, 83 percent of respondents were over the age of 50 years, with 63 percent of these farmers over the age of 60 – suggesting that farmland succession was a pressing issue.
• Over 40 percent of farmers also indicated that the types of assistance they had the greatest interest in receiving relate to farmland preservation and succession planning.

The Board lists several issues on its website:

• Lack of recognition by local municipalities and the County of agriculture as an industry for economic development and tourism.
• Lack of industry support for small farms, (i.e., needed capital, farm products and equipment repairs).
• Limited availability of farmland for expansion of existing farms or for farmers wanting to begin farming in Putnam County.
• Costs incurred by farmers of doing business in the County versus the level of income generated by farming activities.
• Lack of a cohesive farmers’ network that provides opportunities for farmers to collaborate with each other and regionally helping to make their operations more efficient.
• Lack of understanding by residents of the challenges faced by farmers that can lead to disputes with neighbors.
• Lack of an integrated marketing plan to promote local products and benefits of agriculture.

To register for the Putnam Grows! summit, visit www.eventbrite.com and search “Putnam Grows!” or for more information, contact Kathleen Abels, president of the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation. Kathleen.Abels@putnamcountyny.gov or call (845) 808-1021.

The Putnam County Economic Development Corporation is a 501(c)(6) Public-Private Corporation formed in 1996 to promote the economic vitality of Putnam County. A former PCEDC board member, Abels became its president in July 2019.