SEEC Introduces Business Planning Consultants to the Farm and Food Advisory
Council Schoharie County, NY (February 28, 2022) – Schoharie Economic Enterprise Corporation (SEEC) was pleased to reconvene the Farm and Food Advisory Council (FFAC) on February 10, 2022, to introduce the business consultants selected to create the Regional Independent Food Processing business plan. This plan is funded, in part, by the Appalachian Regional Commission and coordinated by SEEC and the Southern Tier 8.
To summarize the progress to date, this project has been allocated $56,500 in private and public funding to hire a third-party consultant tasked with conducting a study to generate a business plan which will identify and recommend regional solutions for food processing. The focused service area of this project includes Schoharie County, Otsego County, and Delaware County. The FFAC was organized to bring together the knowledge and expertise of agriculture leaders in the region to contribute to and evaluate the plan created by the consultants in a way that reflects the current post-covid opportunities.
SEEC was excited to introduce L. S. Kahn Associates, LLC and Rick Osofsky, of Ronnybrook Farm, the collaborative consulting team selected to prepare this business plan. Both consultants bring skills and experiences that fit well with the goals of this initiative. Dr. Kahn is an expert in strategic planning, has led multi-partner initiatives, written implementation roadmaps for complex transformations and she is a published author. “We are honored and humbled to work with all of you on a regional food system business plan and implementation roadmap,” Dr. Kahn expressed to the FFAC at the introductory meeting early February.
Mr. Osofsky is the co-owner of Ronnybrook Farm and a Lawyer. Ronnybrook Farm found modern success through their Creamline™ milk. They are now known for a variety of high-quality dairy products and their commitment to producing with humane animal treatment and minimal processing.
“We are thrilled to bring together the consultants and our Farm and Food Advisory Council to let this plan take shape in a way that reflects the current realities of the market,” noted Julie Pacatte, SEEC Executive Director. “The consultants research will be heavily aided by the first-hand expert insights that our Farm and Food Advisory Council members offer, and we are grateful to assisting in the collaborative process which will create a plan that directly supports the needs of our agriculture communities.”
The consultants will be busy in the coming months organizing interviews, collecting surveys, and conducting research. All parties involved expect to have a complete, actionable business plan by the beginning of the third quarter of 2022. In the prevailing time, SEEC and the Farm and Food Advisory Council will review the results of the consultant’s study, provide direction for the business plan and engage other stakeholders facilitating alignment for plan implementation.
Visit www.seecny.org/ffac-advisorycouncil to learn more about this study or for a list of Farm and Food Advisory Council Members. If you would like more information or have questions, please email SEEC’s Associate Project Specialist at progress@seecny.org.
