News Release 

Date: Jan. 4, 2008

Contact: Rebecca Schuelke, communication specialist
Telephone: (315) 453-3823 extension 103
Cell phone: (315) 427-2714
Email: rschuelke@nyfvi.org

Upstate New York Growers seek more producers to market cooperatively

Fruit and vegetable growers from upstate New York are working together, in hopes that cooperation reaps greater rewards when it comes to marketing produce.

The Upstate New York Growers & Packers cooperative works together to overcome difficulties for produce operations, including distribution and finding a market. The cooperative sells through a variety of venues, including brokers, value-added products are more.

The cooperative recently received an $189,000 grant from the New York Farm Viability Institute to help the Upstate New York Growers & Packers grow, and to provide marketing models for other producers.

The New York Farm Viability Institute is a farmer-led nonprofit group that funds farm-based research to help producers increase profits. The Institute receives funds from the New York State legislature.

“The NYFVI grant will underwrite the costs of the manager/marketer for two years. The job is well defined, and built around performance targets to reach at least $2 million in annual sales and 50 members by 2010. In January, Co-op members are embarking on a strategic planning process to help achieve profitability within the two-year project period,” said George Koury, president of the Upstate New York Growers & Packers.

A manager/marketer will be in place by mid-February, Cooperative members said, and sales from the cooperative will support the job position after two years.

The Upstate New York Growers & Packers, a farmer cooperative with 18 members from Albany, Herkimer, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario and Oswego counties, formed in 2002. Since then, the co-op organized into a legal entity, conducted a feasibility study to determine the need and optimum size for a centrally located produce processing and distribution facility, marketed a limited amount of fresh fruits and vegetables to gain experience, and learned firsthand what it takes to develop and market branded co-op-label products.

Martin Broccoli, agriculture economic development specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County said that establishing the cooperative “has been slow going.’’

``It is risky for members to commit to marketing their products this way, but with the help of this grant and the right person in the job, the co-op can become an established marketing force with a profitable future. Some members recognize that marketing cooperatively may be their only chance to survive.”

Cooperative Extension is providing educational assistance to the Upstate New York Growers and Packers.

Broccoli said, “Upstate New York Growers & Packers has some successes to build on, including development of value-added products that use members’ ingredients. So far, a healthy butternut squash cookie, designed for school markets is being sold, and an all-natural vegetable soup is being test-marketed. But, it’s virtually impossible to get space on store shelves unless you have a complete product line, so the co-op is continuing to research and develop new products.”

A membership that includes small and large-size farms is one of the cooperative’s strengths, members said, adding that additional members will increase the co-op’s ability to bundle different products into mixed loads, a marketing advantage for the cooperative’s members and buyers.

“Consumer buying trends, concerns about food safety, niche markets for new products, public awareness of the value of farms and farmers – these and other factors are timely to help create a good atmosphere for Coop success. To make sure we have a continued viable farm economy and quality food source, consumers can help by shopping at retailers who feature local fresh and value-added foods, encouraging merchants they buy from to carry local products, and buying directly from neighboring producers,” Broccoli said.

In addition to creating a self-sustaining manager/marketer position over the next two years, the Upstate New York Growers & Packers will continue to pursue financing to construct the processing and distribution facility.

For more information about Upstate New York Growers & Packers, contact Remi Link, (315) 736-3394 extension 121, or rml368@cornell.edu.


New York Farm Viability Institute is an independent, farmer-led nonprofit organization that directs and funds farm-level research to increase profits, reduce costs and other barriers, create jobs and encourage practical innovation on the farm. The Institute receives funds from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Visit www.nyfvi.org.