The CAIC Mission
The mission of the Chesapeake Agriculture Innovation Center (CAIC) is to provide value-added agriculture and aquaculture producers in Maryland and Delaware with the advice, guidance, technology, and other resources that they need to scale their businesses to a viable level of success. This will ensure a secure living for producers and sufficient nutritious, local food that is readily available to consumers.
Immediate
CAIC’s primary goal is to promote the use of innovation and technology to solve real-world problems in the value-added agriculture and aquaculture sector.
CAIC will provide a comprehensive program to value-added agriculture and aquaculture producers in Maryland and Delaware to help them scale their business and to ensure the business’s profitability and viability. Our “Business Solutions for Value-Added Producers” program consists of the following consecutive parts that our Participants will take part in:
- Virtual Presentations for Value-Added Producers that will help them establish their businesses on a solid basis of good practices.
- Consultations with the Virtual Presentation Mentors to provide further guidance.
- Individual sessions with Subject Matter Experts on questions of specific value and importance to each Value-Added Producer.
- The opportunity to apply for Mini-Grants for Food Safety Classes and for Marketing Initiatives.
Long-Range
CAIC’s long-range goal is to establish a national hub for innovation and technology in agriculture and aquaculture value-added products. This facility will have the resources necessary to develop and test prototypes of new products, processes, and technologies.
Nikko Brady
Delaware Department of Agriculture
Charlotte Davis
Maryland Department of Agriculture
Holly Porter
Delmarva Chicken Association
Lindsay Thompson
Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board
John Torres
Maryland Farm Bureau
Shelby Watson-Hampton
Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Corporation
Donald Webster
Maryland Aquaculture Coordinating Council
Richard Wilkins
Delaware Farm Bureau
Roxanne Wolf
Shore Gourmet