AgConnect Partnership
AgConnect is a vibrant network of farmers, business owners, and service providers connecting farmers to business resources, training, and financing to grow business and promoting smart agricultural economic development.
AgConnect, a regional private-public partnership, is an initiative of the Chester County Economic Development Council and serves Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties.
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| Funding for Youth Career Showcases | |
Are you a teacher, 4-H
leader, or FFA adviser
who would like to offer
your students a field trip to learn about a career in agriculture, but need funding for buses or substitute teachers? AgConnect can help!
AgConnect and
Penn State Extension -
Chester County received a grant from the PA Department of
Environmental Protection to provide career showcase opportunities to youth in Berks and Chester Counties! A limited amount of funds are available for buses and substitute teachers.
To apply for funds, please complete this survey. If you have any questions,please call Jodi at 610-321-8226.
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Farm Business Planning
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Due to the unique nature of each agricultural business plan, SCORE volunteers will be offering one-on-one business consultation services to help get your agricultural business on track in the new year.
To schedule your free appointment with a SCORE volunteer, please contact your local chapter.
Chester County: 610-344-6910
Berks County: 610-376-3497
Philadelphia: 215-231-9880
Lancaster: 717-397-3092
Montgomery County: 215-885-3027
Bucks County: 215-943-8850 |
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Have you visited yet? It's a brand new resource to search for people and businesses who can help you grow your ag business. It's funded in part by a grant from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development's
Discovered in PA, Developed in PA program.
Have an event you'd like to advertise? A job? Looking for an internship? We hope you'll find it there. Can't find something? LET US KNOW! This is a resource to help YOU!
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AgConnect is an initiative Chester County Economic Development Council funded in part by the private sector along with grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's Discovered in PA, Developed in PA program and the PA Department of Labor and Industry.
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How Does AgConnect Impact Agriculture?
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"Being a part of the Mushroom Industry Specialty Crop Grant Program has given out employees a better sense of how to conduct safer work environments. We had several employees take part in the Onsite Hazards, Electrical, Supervisor, and MGAP trainings. I do believe that these trainings have brought awareness to the employees trained on some of the unsafe areas in the mushroom industry and how to make the areas safer for everyone! I was a part of the subcommittee that helped plan and organize the trainings and I was very pleased with the direction we took to get work safety on everyone's minds!"
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How Are You Ringing In National Ag Day 2014?
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Celebration National Ag Day with AgConnect
Tuesday, March 25
5 - 9 p.m.
Franklin Commons, Phoenixville, PA
Cocktail Reception
Including Delaware County Community College Culinary Student Cook-Off
Silent Auction
Dinner
Farmer of the Year Recognition
Pete Flynn and Tom and Barbara Schaer
Guest Speaker: Russell Redding
Dean of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Delaware Valley College
Former PA Secretary of Agriculture
Tickets: www.nationalagday.eventbrite.com
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Filling in the Gaps: Tools for Hiring Farm Employees
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Friday, February 28, 2014
8:30 - 10 a.m.
CCEDC Conference Center
Are you ready to take the next step in your farm business by hiring additional farm help? Whether you're looking for volunteers, seasonal help, or full-time employees, you should know how these decisions will effect you productively, financially, and legally! The morning's panelists will help you search more effectively for employees which will help you move your business forward, better understand the steps necessary to hire on-farm employees, and how to legally protect yourself and your employees so you mutually benefit from the work experience!
Panelists will include:
Emily Yeiser of the Center for Dairy Excellence
Joe Stratton of Stratton's Farm Consulting and Stratton's Wynnorr Farm
Karen E. Eichman of the Law Office of Karen E. Eichman, Esquire, PLLC
8 - 8:30 a.m. - Registration and Refreshments
8:30 - 9:30 a.m. - Panelists' Presentations
9:30 - 10 a.m. - Q & A with the Panelists
New Early Bird Registration - $10 by January 31
Regular Registration - $15
To register, visit https://agemployees.eventbrite.com
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Farm Transitions Workshop at
Delaware Valley College
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Saturday, March 29, 2014
Delaware Valley College, Doylestown, PA
For more information, check out the PA Farm Link website here.
To register, please contact Darlene Livingston at c-daliving@pa.gov or 717-705-2121.
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SAVE THE DATE: Farmers' Market Manager Conference
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Monday, March 31, 2014
Chester County Economic Development Council
Conference Center
737 Constitution Drive, Exton
http://farmmarketmanager.eventbrite.com
This program will be funded in part by AgConnect through a grant from the PA Department of Labor and Industry and Chester County Workforce Investment Board.
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Calling All Youth: Dairy Tour April 11
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The Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation is hosting a dairy farm tour for youth interested in careers in the dairy industry! For more information on the tour and how to RSVP, click here!
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Retail Meat Merchandising Workshop
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Are you a livestock producer who sells their product through a retail market? This workshop will be for you! Save the date for Tuesday, April 22 at the CCEDC Conference Center.
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