HAMILTON, N.Y. — Buy Madison is hosting a “matchmaker” event on March 22 to bring together agriculture producers and businesses in the county. “We’re trying to find ways to connect our agriculture businesses to other small businesses,” says Samantha Field, public information officer for Madison County. The county hosted a similar successful event in 2017 […]
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HAMILTON, N.Y. — Buy Madison is hosting a “matchmaker” event on March 22 to bring together agriculture producers and businesses in the county.
“We’re trying to find ways to connect our agriculture businesses to other small businesses,” says Samantha Field, public information officer for Madison County.
The county hosted a similar successful event in 2017 and wanted to bring the idea back, she says. Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the farming landscape of the county has changed. While some farms have gone out of business, other new ventures have started up. It’s a perfect time to host another agriculture “speed dating” event, she says.
“I think it’s just getting people back together, meeting, and having conversations,” Field notes.
The event’s goal is to forge connections between business owners and local ag producers, to build a market for the farmers and give local businesses local products to sell or restaurants local ingredients for their menu.
“It’s about making sure the dollars stay in Madison County,” says Melissa Davis, director of the Hub small-business incubator in Hamilton. The Hub will host the March 22 event, which is set for 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at its 20 Utica St. location. “Farmers are so great at doing the farming,” she adds, but often need help with marketing, networking, and more to get their products into the hands of customers.
A local restaurant, for example, may not be aware of the products available to them from producers right in the county, Davis said. Some of the products produced in the county include maple, honey, pork, lamb, beef, bison, dairy products, grain crops, hops, fruits, and vegetables.
“We’re just trying to bring everyone together because we know how time consuming the research is,” Field says. The event will serve as a one-stop-shop for the businesses that attend.
At the event, along with meeting other small businesses owners, participants will learn more about the Buy Madison County program and learn about the services the Hub provides to local businesses.
The state-certified business incubator offers coworking space, workshops, networking opportunities, professional advisors, mentorships, funding opportunities, and more.
The last agricultural census in 2017 showed 691 farms in Madison County. “Agriculture is our number one source for jobs,” Field says. About 45 percent of land in the county is agricultural. Of those agriculture businesses, nearly 70 percent have been in the same family for 20 or more years, and about 40 percent have been the same family for at least 50 years.
All participants at the matchmaking event are entered to win a chance to be included in future commercials and videos used in the Buy Madison marketing campaign. They will also be added to the Buy Madison website and marketing campaign, which showcases local products and the businesses that offer them.
“We want the consumer and customer to know where their food is coming from,” Field says.
Response to the program has been positive so far, Field says. A number of businesses and producers have registered already, and walk-ins will be welcomed the day of the event. There is no fee for the event.
More information about the event is available at www.buymadisoncountyny.com.