Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Value added agriculture represents a promising avenue for development in rural counties. But this strategy requires a different set of support initiatives than most rural counties have in place.
One example: food or kitchen incubators help entrepreneurs experiment with new products, share vendors with other entrepreneurs (lowering costs through bulk buying, for example), and trigger new business opportunities. In addition, these incubators can provide remote classrooms for distance learning.
New Jersey the Rutgers Food Innovation Center is extending its reach to rural counties in the southern part of the state. Read more.
posted by Ed Morrison |
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Some Background on EDPro Weblog
The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it.
One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information.
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Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development
As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking.
Background on Ed Morrison
Download some background information on me here.