Agricultural Industry Development, Enhancement and Retention (AIDER) is a local , community-based program for agriculture and food systems economic development. AIDER's focus is the implementation of high profile, action-based projects that strengthen and expand the agriculture and food sector of the local economy. AIDER achieves its goals by integrating agriculture into comprehensive economic development strategies at the local level.

AIDER goals are:

• To build community capacity to sustain growth and development of its agriculture and food sector.
• To develop and implement innovative agricultural economic development strategies.
• To assist agricultural firms to become more competitive.
• To provide information that agricultural firms need to thrive in a rapidly changing business environment.
• To improve communication between community leaders, farms, and agribusiness persons, planners and economic developers.
• To demonstrate to local ag-based firms that the community appreciates their contributions to the economy.

AIDER engages local agricultural and economic development leaders. A local AIDER Leadership Team of community leaders plans and promotes the program in the community, provides overall leadership, and ensures locally established goals are accomplished. A second local group essential to the success is the AIDER Task Force. It is a broad-based group of local volunteers who set policy, identify high priority projects, form project teams, and track ag-based economic development progress. A Cornell University AIDER Team supports the local leaders and provides local, on-site assistance.

Visit the AIDER website

For more information, contact:

Rod Howe
43 Warren Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
Phone: 607-255-9510
Fax: 607-255-2231

For more information, contact:

Rod Howe
43 Warren Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
Phone: 607-255-9510
Fax: 607-255-2231