The concept of incubators to launch new farm businesses has been developing in the sustainable agriculture community for years. Veteran agriculturalists understand that, much like a successful farm business, a successful farmer incubator requires very particular skills and experience.
In the summer of 2012 leading Loudoun County farmers and The Piedmont Environmental Council began a series of planning sessions to design a sustainable model for a Loudoun Farm Incubator. The team applied a unique combination of farming and agricultural land management experience and expertise to the task of creating a viable business plan for a Loudoun Farm Incubator. The outcome of those sessions is summarized below. This summary is a working document, and still evolving. Please contact Mike Kane, mkane@pecva.org, with comments.
As of August 2013 the Loudoun Farm Incubator is seeking a 100 acre site in Loudoun County with at least 50 acres of USDA prime farmland. The incubator is also accepting donations to equip and finance the start-up of the Loudoun Farm Incubator. Please contact Mike Kane, mkane@pecva.org, for more information.