Goosefoot to Bring 2-Day Food Business Workshop from OSU to Whidbey

The non-profit economic and community development organization Goosefoot is bringing Sarah Masoni, Product Development Manager for the Food Innovation Center in Portland, OR to South Whidbey on June 13 and 14 for an intensive workshop for those interested in starting up a food business. This is in addition to food business workshops that the organization…

Making Headway: MPPU Poultry Co-Processing

NABC has been pursuing options for small-scale poultry farmers to legally co-process birds through the Mobile Poultry Processing Unit (MPPU)that are intended for sale.  We’ve received exciting news: the WSDA has tentatively approved draft safe handling protocols which could enable multiple businesses to assign their WSDA Processing License to a single mobile processing site, and…

New Work Shop! USDA Value Added Producer Grant Boot Camp

NABC is partnering with USDA Rural Development to present a day-long workshop to support local agricultural producers with their development of USDA Value Added Producer Grant applications. This important USDA program has benefited many producers throughout the Puget Sound region with this past year’s grant amounts ranging from less than $50,000 up to $250,000. Greg…

Seattle’s Farm to Table Partnership Celebrates Unprecedented Growth in its Fifth Year

The Farm to Table partnership, led by the City of Seattle in collaboration with Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC), Puget Sound Food Hub, Seattle Tilth, Associated Recreation Council, YMCA of Greater Seattle and others has successfully wrapped up its fifth year of programming. The goal of the program is to link local area farms with…

MPPU Wraps Up Second Season

With the last harvest completed at the end of November, the second season of the Mobile Poultry Processing Unit (MPPU) project has come to a close.  Launched in June of 2014, the program is fulfilling the purpose for which it was designed – to provide professional poultry processing services to farmers in Northwest Washington.  About…

Successful Workshop for Beginning Farmers and Food Businesses

In partnership with Growing Veterans, Viva Farms, and the Washington State University Skagit Extension, NABC held a successful work shop to connect 21 beginning farmers and food business with lending programs and resources. Lending programs and technical assistance support in attendance included: * Community Capital Development * Community Food Co-op Farm Fund * Community Sourced…

Poultry Processing Rental Equipment Program Expands to King County

King County poultry producers will soon have access to processing equipment thanks to a partnership between NABC and King County Conservation District. The equipment has been purchased by the Conservation District with funding provided by their new Regional Food System Grant Program. The underlying funding for their program comes from a local Conservation Rate and…

NABC Position Announcement

The Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC) has an immediate opening for a Project Manager to serve King County and areas of Snohomish County. Click this LINK to read the full description. Applicants should submit a letter of application, resume, and a list of references; or a contract proposal to: Northwest Agriculture Business Center Attention: David…

North Cascade Meat Producers Cooperative Reaches Out

Members of the North Cascades Meat Producers Cooperative (NCMPC) partnered with NABC at two outreach events. On February 9 the meat cooperative tabled at the 2015 NW Washington Farm-To-Table Trade Meeting held by Sustainable Connections in Bellingham. The event, attended by more than 150 farmers, food buyers, and food system developers, provided the cooperative with…