Current Projects

AED initiates and manages projects that increase profitability for farm producers and businesses, helping to protect and expand the importance of agriculture to local, regional & state economies, and directly benefiting consumers.

Meat Processing Outreach – AED-Oneida has partnered with NYS Department of Ag. & Markets to provide educational outreach to individuals and municipalities interested in developing USDA Inspected meat processing facility.

The AED Program works closely with Oneida County to help grow and sustain the Oneida County Public Market at the historic Utica Train Station. The Public Market received a two year USDA Marketing Service Farmers' Market Promotion Program award to create an on-line buying platform for venders of the Market.

Queens Project - The Queens Project will focus on connecting Upstate NY farmers, food hubs, and distributors with distributors and food banks in the NYC Metro Area. The first focus will be on connecting food pantries in Queens that are very interested in buying their food from Upstate NY with agribusinesses that are able to provide the food in a form and manner that will work for the food bank distribution network in that part of the state. We will also be connecting Upstate NY distributors like the Upstate Growers and Packers Cooperative with distributors in NYC like Baldor Specialty Foods located in the Hunt’s Point Market in the Bronx. The project was funded by a line-item grant from the NYS Assembly. Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon secured the funding and Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz is our legislative partner in Queens. The Queens Chamber of Commerce, several area businesses, and several food banks including the Food Bank for NYC, the West Side Campaign to End Hunger, the River Fund, and La Jornada have all signed up to participate in the program. 

Upstate New York Growers & Packers Cooperative is a statewide produce cooperative, based in Oneida County and was one of the first major initiatives that were successfully started in 2001 by the AED Program. Today, it has a membership of producers from all over New York State and is recognized as one of most approachable and flexible group of producers to work with whether looking to purchase products or just collaborate on various ventures. In the Spring of 2021, the Coop moved into a new 30,000 sq. foot packaging and distribution facility on Rte. 12B in Clinton, NY. The coop is overseen by Luke George form George’s Farm Products, Director of Marketing and Distribution.

The AED Program working with the Oneida County Farmland Protection Board completed the 2017 Farmland Protection Plan which will guide and direct all available resources to support Agriculture in Oneida County for next ten years. The Plan can be found on our website. In 2021, an updated Agriculture Friendly Guide for municipal officials was unveiled in June 2021. The document assist municipalities in navigating the Agricultural Markets Law by better understanding the aspects of agricultural production. 

Last updated April 15, 2025