Agribusiness and Food Specialty Centers
What do the
Agribusiness and Food Specialty Centers Do?
1.
The Centers offer one-on-one consulting specific to farm-based
businesses, and those interested in organic, natural and/or
specialty food issues and products. It assists agribusiness
entrepreneurs to access industry research and develop
operationally-oriented business plans.
2.
The Center Schedules regular educational programs, presentations,
and speakers geared toward agribusiness and specialty food markets,
including ServSafe training for food handlers, Farming Profitability
for small-medium-sized farms and urban farmers, and Building Your
Food Business for anyone interested in starting a specialty food,
organic or natural food concern.
3.
The Center acts as a one-stop-shop to link you to the proper
individuals who will assist you with research, marketing and
industry statistics, as well as product testing labs. The Center
links to partners such as the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance
Program, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the US
Department of Agriculture as well as key initiatives and
associations such as the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable
Agriculture, NCAT, and the Keystone Development Center.
4.
The Center follows your progress along six phases from idea
development to product commercialization.
-
Idea Development: analyze product need, profitability,
market. Assist with referrals for prototype development.
-
Taste Panel and Consumer Sampling: evaluate product
color, texture, flavor; linkage to outside consultants, PennTAP
and other expertise.
-
Shelf-Life: contract with independent consultants/labs
for shelf-life testing.
-
Packaging / Labeling: research packaging models and
proper ingredient labeling.
-
Production and Test Marketing: select manufacturing
process; introduce product to limited target area.
-
Commercialization Process: wider product distribution and
manufacturing.
Other Agribusiness
assistance:
The Center assists with business, Ag Plan and marketing plan
development, loan packaging and links you to potential capital
acquisition entities. Experienced staff consultants can also help
you in the following areas:
A. Start up cost analysis
B. Industry research
C. Strategic planning
D.
Product
positioning
E.
Pricing
F.
Profitability
G. Loan packaging
So what does all
this cost?
Because the Agribusiness and Food Specialty Centers,
initially a pilot program funded by a grant from the Appalachian
Regional Commission, have now evolved into a regional program of the
PASBDC network, there is no cost for the one-on-one assistance you
will receive by staff consultants in many areas.
Registration fees are associated with training and
educational programs.
There are, typically, fees associated with product testing,
packaging, shelf-life testing and labeling through independent labs
or partnering agencies. The Center will work with you and its
referral partners to ensure that you understand any costs before you
incur them.
Where
are the Centers Located?
The
main Center hubs are located at the University of Scranton SBDC, and
the Pennsylvania College of Technology, Wellsboro Branch Campus.
Initially, clients from the Bradford and Tioga areas visited the
Agribusiness Center in Wellsboro, while clients from Lackawanna,
Susquehanna and Wyoming counties met with agribusiness staff
consultants either at the University of Scranton location.
Presently, the regional program effort will meet clients from across
the PASBDC network that are referred by other SBDCs, and have
established web-based tools to work at a distance with individuals
on a regular basis. The Center has also established a lab training
site at the Carbondale Technology Transfer Center (CTTC) affiliated
with the Kitchen Incubator at that location.
For
more information about the Agribusiness program, please contact:
Scranton:
(570) 941-7588 or 800-829-7232
Contact: Maria Montenegro or Elaine Tweedy
The University of Scranton SBDC
The Gallery House
411-413 Quincy Avenue
Scranton, PA 18510
Wellsboro: (570) 724-7703
Contact: Susan Dillon
The Pennsylvania College of Technology
Wellsboro Campus, 12880
Route 6
Wellsboro, PA 16901
A
Program of The University of Scranton Small Business Development
Center.
In partnership with the Northern Tier Regional
Planning and Development Commission, PennTAP, and Keystone College.
Funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission PA-15725-07.
This program serves Bradford, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Tioga and
Wyoming counties.
