Empire State Development announces more than $1.3 million in assistance for Chester Agricultural Center through New York State’s historic Small Business Lending Initiative

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Funding used to extend leases to local start-up and historically disadvantaged farmers

Highlights broader efforts to use Provide support to diverse small businesses across New York State

Empire State Development (ESD) today announced that the Chester Agricultural Center, located in the Town of Chester, Orange County, has received more than $1.3 million in support to expand operations on its 200-acre farm, which leases land in subsections to local farm operators. . Many of the leases are awarded to people of color, women, LGBTQ+ and Latinx, which are historically underserved segments within the agriculture industry. Chester Agricultural Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, received a $1.08 million loan through the Capital Project Loan Fund as part of the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), funded through the American Bailout Act. ESD also awarded the center an additional $300,000 capital grant.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said: “The Chester Farm Center is a great example of how Empire State Development is supporting diverse small businesses throughout New York State. The Chester Farm Center is promoting greater fairness and equity for farmworkers by providing affordable leases to long term to beginning farmers and work to create an equitable and inclusive regional food system.

Chester Agricultural Center Executive Director Lucinda Poindexter said: “This funding from Empire State Development is transformational and enables us to fulfill our mission of providing affordable farmland to underserved farmers, building pathways for farmworker farm ownership, and building a new model of agribusiness in the region.”

The Chester Agricultural Center will build a new $2.7 million wash and pack and cold storage facility to serve its two largest farm operators, allowing tenants to use the existing wash and pack facility more efficiently and equitably . Most importantly, it will allow the Center to meet growing rental demand and bring additional acreage into production. Currently, only about 60% of the 200 acres has been leased, given the restrictions caused by the existing washing and packing facility, which is aging and overcrowded. This new structure will allow the Center to lease the remaining 40% of the land to mostly novice or historically disadvantaged farmers.

The Center’s new 17,000-square-foot facility will comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act and allow the group to achieve Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification. This state-of-the-art facility will also allow the Center to improve energy efficiency, product quality controls, and operational productivity among individual farm operators.

Senator James G. Skoufis said, “The Chester Agricultural Center is a key link in the Orange County and Hudson Valley agricultural workforce. The work they do to not only support new farms and farmers entering the industry, but also to give back to sustainable farming practices to our black soil region and standing strong against the pressures of overdevelopment, is an inspiring model for the future of New York agriculture.I applaud this critical funding from Empire State Development to help secure Chester Ag’s long-term position as a springboard for practitioners and emerging agricultural practices”.

Assemblyman Brian M. Maher said: “I am excited to see the Chester Agricultural Center receive a $1.3 million investment. This will open up more opportunities to start agribusinesses for a variety of new farmers. Agriculture is a heritage industry that is always at the forefront of innovation, and I am Pleased is thriving in Orange County. I look forward to the positive impact the project will have on our region.”

Orange County Executive Stephen M. Neuhaus said: “Agriculture continues to be one of Orange County’s largest industries and this funding will greatly assist the Chester Agricultural Center. It conserves key open space and grows food locally, which is important to our health and economy. We need to take action efforts in New York to make farming more affordable and sustainable for future generations.”

Chester City Supervisor Robert Valentine said: “Investing in our farms is a sometimes overlooked part of preservation, and investing in our farms is an investment in our community. In Chester, we support and encourage the heritage of agriculture and applaud the efforts of the Center Chester Agricultural, ESD and the State of New York”.

Empire State Development created nine programs to manage more than $500 million in federal funds to support small business revival throughout New York State through SSBCI. SSBCI provides funding to support programs for small businesses, including businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI) and Very Small Businesses (VSBs), to recover from the economic effects of COVID-19 and provide them with the opportunity to succeed in the post-pandemic. economy. With this funding, ESD developed a suite of capital access and capital programs to help New York State small businesses recover from the economic effects of COVID-19 and give them the opportunity to succeed.

For more information on available SSBCI programs, visit esd.ny.gov/ssbci.

About Empire State Development
Empire State Development is New York’s leading economic development agency. ESD’s mission is to promote a thriving and growing economy, foster the creation of new employment and economic opportunities, increase the revenue of the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits, and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to stimulate job creation and support thriving communities throughout New York State. . ESD is also the lead administrative agency that oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I LOVE NY,” the state’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and esd.ny.gov.

Contact:
Kristin Devoe | [email protected] | (518) 414-1087
ESD Press Office | [email protected] | (800) 260-7313