By Bennett J. Loudon
Democrat and Chronicle

(Thursday, January 31, 2002) -- A new Wayne County program will help farmers who want to try their hand at a new business.

A $600,000 state grant will fund the new Wayne County Agribusiness Micro-Enterprise Program, which will offer expert advice and low-interest loans from a $500,000 revolving loan fund.

"Many farmers want to try something new but need assistance in determining the proper way to proceed," said Ora Rothfuss, Wayne County's agriculture development specialist.

Funding for the program comes from a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development designed to create and retain low- and moderate-income jobs. The program is intended for agricultural businesses with fewer than six workers.

There are 840 farms in Wayne County, contributing more than $107 million in gross income to the economy.

The new program involves a partnership between the Wayne County Planning Department, Wayne County Industrial Development Agency, Cooperative Extension of Wayne County, New York FarmNet and Farm Credit of Western New York.

There is not enough individualized assistance for farmers, and most economic development programs focus on industrial and manufacturing businesses, said Cathy Sheils, New York FarmNet program director in Ithaca.

The new Wayne County program is designed to fill that need.

FarmNet is a consulting and counseling service available to farmers state-wide by Cooperative Extension and the state Department of Agriculture.

A new agribusiness development center will be located at the Cooperative Extension office in Arcadia as part of the program.

Cooperative Extension also will offer a series of business planning workshops on Feb. 28 and March 7, 14 and 21.

"We will go through all the parts of a business plan. They can have a business plan at the end of the four weeks," said Elizabeth Claypoole, executive director of Wayne County Cooperative Extension.