Archive: Business & Technology

The TCAD Foundation was awarded a USDA Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) of $56,638 for work on its food sector development project.

The RBDG is a competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas that have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenue.

In the fall of 2013 through 2014, the Foundation assessed the aspirations and needs of the local food sector with input from twenty food processing and distribution companies as well as regional technical assistance resources. The RBDG monies will build on the initial study with an added, more extensive, feasibility study. The purpose of the study will be to define the market and the need for a food processing incubation center. The deliverable will be a final report: Food Processing Sector Business Incubation Center Business Strategy.

The envisioned incubation center would provide programs and resources to serve an approximate 40-mile radius, targeting seven counties: Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Schuyler, Seneca, Tioga and Tompkins.

"This USDA Rural Business Development Grant funding will help the TCAD Foundation formulate strategy to increase the Food Processing sector in the Ithaca area," said Senator Gellibrand, the first Senator to serve on the Senate Agricultural committee in 40 years. "Investing in programs like this one will not only benefit our New York State agriculture infrastructure, but will also help re-energize local agricultural economies, boosting the long-term health and prosperity of communities throughout our state."

Within Tompkins County, the USDA has already helped a number of small processing businesses like The Piggery, Ithaca Beer Company and Ithaca Hummus. With the award of the RBDG monies, the USDA continues to support the revitalization of our food sector.

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