In South Carolina, innovative agricultural entrepreneurs have received individual shares of $30k in startup funding, thanks to the SC Department of Agriculture. Valentino DiGiorgio shares the announcement of awardees:
The third year of the South Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship (ACRE) program has finished strong. This year, things were a little different, due to the pandemic. Like many events and business-centric educational programs, this year’s class went the distance, digitally. But that didn’t keep the participants from gaining a rich assortment of insight on everything from how to develop a business plan to honing marketing, finance and operational skills within their respective agribusiness startups.
Sixteen entrepreneurs participated in pitching their business ideas to SC Agriculture — with only seven startups receiving much-needed funding. Val DiGiorgio congratulates the following agribusiness entrepreneurs on securing the ACRE funds:
- Greg Brown, Greenleaf Farm
- Kisha Kinard, Sweetgrass Roots
- Tom Knaust, Queen & Comb
- Elise Ashby, Farmers Market Flavors
- Ginger Nichols, Naturally Fresh Farms
- Brittany Arisniega and Brit Hessler, Lover Farms
- Elaine Ryan, Paulownia Vineyards
