Agricultural summit will highlight key industry
COATESVILLE >> Putting the focus on the strength of agriculture in Chester County: That is the goal of the third annual Agricultural Summit being hosted this week by the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce. The annual “Taste of the Farm” event will be held Tuesday, Aug. 6 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Romano 4-H Center of Chester County, 1841 Horseshoe Pike in West Brandywine.
The summit will bring together local businesses, the community and agriculture to “celebrate the powerful impact agriculture has” on the western portion of Chester County, according to a flyer for the event.
“We do this to encourage members to learn more about local farms and the importance of purchasing their fresh farm produce from farms or farmers markets, and to encourage them to shop for food locally,” said Donna Steltz, president of the Western Chester
County Chamber of Commerce. “Chester County has rich agriculture soil — some of the best soil in the country — and we want to keep the farms here.”
There are currently more than 1,700 operating farms in the county, most of which are family-owned small businesses. The industry creates more than $600 million in revenue annually, according to the Chester County Economic Development Council’s website.
Attendees at the event will hear from several speakers, browse displays and purchase farmers’ market items, including fresh produce, eggs and food. Agricultural organizations
will be on hand to share information and answer questions.
Among the scheduled speakers are: Don Cairns, Cairns Family Farm, who will do the welcome and speak about the 4-H Center; Elizabeth Chandler, PA Farm Bureau Young Ag Professionals; and Suzanna Angstadt, Chester County 4-H Teen Council & Windy Hollow 4-H Horse Club, who will talk about the 4-H programs.
The Agricultural Summit is a “completely unique” chamber event, according to Jonathan Wright of The Wright Agency, of East Brandywine. Wright is a chamber member and member of the chamber’s board of directors; The Wright Agency is an event sponsor for the agricultural summit.
“The Taste of the Farm event really is something special. Not just for our chamber but for our entire region,” Wright said in a statement, adding that Chester County is a “blend of business, family, culture and country.”
“This event is a showcase of that and the world that surrounds our farming and agriculture. As the greatgrandson of a farmer and whose insurance business got its start insuring the farmers of Chester County many years ago, this is special to me on many levels,” he said, adding that it may be “the coolest event on the calendar.”
New this year is that the event coincides with the annual Chester County 4-H Fair, Aug. 5 to Aug. 10 at the Romano 4-H Center. Members of the Penn State Youth Development program based in Chester County will be exhibiting dairy, family living, horse, livestock and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) projects during the fair, which wraps up Aug. 11 with a horse show.
While last year’s event gave attendees a chance to tour the center, according to Steltz, this year they can see the programs in action.
“As part of 4-H fair, the front of building we’re in has all the displays. People can see what is there, they can learn more about 4-H and learn more about the activities,” she said.
The Agricultural Summit is free and is a familyfriendly event, according to Steltz. For more information about the summit or the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce visit www.westernchestercounty.com/.
The Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1916 as the Coatesville Chamber of Commerce, and is the oldest chamber of commerce in Chester County. It became the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce in 1975. It currently has 380 members and serves 23 municipal areas in the county’s western region.
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