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. 


Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List
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 surveyIf you have any questions,please call Jodi at 610-321-8226.

Farm Business Planning 
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
AgConnectPA.com
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!

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter!

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.
How Does AgConnect Impact Agriculture?

 

In November 2013, CCEDC celebrated its 100th Next Generation Farmer Loan with the PA Department of Agriculture and the PA Department of Community and Economic Development. This partnership allows CCEDC to administer the loan program - a "tax exempt" loan is made by a partner bank, and the bank, in turn, offers a lower interest rate to the borrower. It's a win-win partnership! Since 2000, CCEDC has closed more than 111 loans for more than $3.4 million helping first-time farm buyers purchase more than 7,250 acres!  

National Ag Day 2014
Our 2014 National Ag Day Dinner and Celebration has been canceled. We know it's been a hard winter, and hope to celebrate with you all, instead, in the fall to celebrate the bountiful harvest! Please do celebrate in your own way on March 25!
Farm Transitions Workshop at 
Delaware Valley College

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 [email protected] or 717-705-2121.

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER:
Farmers' Market Manager Conference

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. 

Calling All Youth: Dairy Tour April 11

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!

 

Retail Meat Merchandising Workshop

Tuesday, April 22

Chester County Economic Development Council

737 Constitution Drive, Exton

 

http://pricingforprofit.eventbrite.com.    

Pricing For Profit: Understanding your cost of production, product yields, and how to price your cuts of meat.

 

The Cash is in The Carcass

Once we decide that an animal is ready for slaughter, our marketing meter kicks in. Do we fully understand our carcass yields? What is the yield from carcass to cuts? Do we really know how profitable our marketing channels are? This could be where your profits lie.

Producers will learn:

  •  How to track your cost of production
  •  How to price your individual cuts
  •  Yields from carcass to wrapped cuts
  •  How to assess your marketing channels to understand which markets are your most profitable

This program will be funded in part by AgConnect through a grant from the PA Department of Labor and Industry and the Chester County Workforce Investment Board.