An Iowa Rural Business Development Center Connecting People and Agriculture for Rural Economic Development
Ag Connect was established in 1995 to connect new farm families with established and retiring farmers to maintain and promote more new farm families in agriculture based rural communities of Southwest Iowa. From our office in Lenox, Ia we have grown to serve a larger area as a Rural Business Development Center.
Our work is now on economic development in four main project areas.
1. Value-added marketing for meat products
2. Value-added dairy processing and marketing
3. Gardening projects for new minority populations
4. Development of grass-based dairies
Our work is possible through funding partners and collaboration with other groups and individuals. Our Primary funders have been Northwest Area Foundation, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, USDA Rural Development, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Iowa Farm Bureau, Union Bank of Lenox.
