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Our vision is for a prosperous Hudson Valley community consciously investing in resilient agriculture and viable local food systems.
Our mission is to provide innovative solutions that create dynamic agricultural entrepreneurship, support sustainability and climate resiliency and enhance economic growth in the Hudson Valley. Through improving equitable capital access and business technical assistance for agricultural and food entrepreneurs, HVADC is committed to presenting programming and lending programs that are inclusive of low-to-moderate income and underserved communities.

Local Lamb Lessons
Utilizing Public Sector Programs
Course: January 18, 2018
Outline
USDA Programs (Presenter, Matthew Forrest):
The Livestock Indemnity Program
The Conservation Reserve Program & CRP Grasslands
Farm Storage Facility Loans
Farm Service Agency Loans (Presenter, Chris Wills)
Microloans
Operating Loans
Farm Ownership Loans
Guaranteed Loans
Eligibility for FSA’s loan programs
Presenter: Matthew Forrest
County Executive Director, Columbia/Greene Farm Service Agency
Matthew Forrest is the County Executive Director (CED) for the Columbia/Greene Farm Service Agency located in Ghent, NY. He has been the CED in Columbia and Greene County since 2015. He previously worked for FSA as a County Operations Trainee & a County Program Technician in Monroe County, NY. Prior to working for the USDA, he attended Green Mountain College in Vermont, where he studied Sustainable Agriculture, Animal Science & Farm Business. Matthew is excited to help farmer’s access government resources that can make their farms more resilient and successful.
Presenter: Chris Wills
Farm Loan Officer, Farm Service Agency
Chris Wills lives in Saratoga County, but was born and raised in Kinderhook, NY. Growing up he worked on local dairy farms, participated in the local 4-H program, and was fairly involved in the Columbia County ag community. Chris attended SUNY Cobleskill where he received a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business Management. He has worked as a dairy nutritionist, and also has extensive experience in the farm equipment industry, where he has held roles in all major aspects of the business: sales, service, and parts distribution.
Chris joined FSA as a Farm Loan Officer for the Greenwich, NY office about 2 ½ years. This particular office covers 14 counties in central, eastern and northern New York, however, Chris personally covers Columbia, Rensselaer, and Washington Counties.
Course Materials
Presentation
USDA Disaster Assistance Fact Sheet USDA Price Support Fact Sheet - 11/17
USDA Farm Loans Fact Sheet - 4/17 USDA CRP Grassland Fact Sheet - 12/16
USDA CREP NY Watersheds Fact Sheet - 9/16
Presentation Video
Funding for HVADC’s Local Lamb Lessons made possible with a
grant from the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center
Hudson Valley AgriBusiness
Development
Corporation
507 Warren St.
2nd Floor
Hudson, NY 12534
Tel 518.432.5360
Fax 888.317.5556