Mohawk Valley EDGE Hosts Transformative Agriculture Roundtable at SUNY POLY
Rome, NY — August 14, 2025
Mohawk Valley EDGE convened over 75 stakeholders from across the agricultural, governmental, financial, and educational sectors for a landmark Dairy Roundtable at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. The event marked a pivotal moment in advancing strategic collaboration to support and grow New York’s dairy and agricultural industries.
Held in response to Chobani’s historic $1.2 billion investment in a new manufacturing facility in Rome—expected to create over 1,000 full-time jobs and process up to 12 million pounds of milk daily—the roundtable focused on aligning regional strengths with emerging opportunities in dairy production, workforce development, and rural economic growth.
A Powerful Lineup of Speakers and Stakeholders
The event featured insights from:
- Anthony Picente, Oneida County Executive
- Richard Ball, NYS Commissioner of Agriculture
- Julie C. Suarez, Associate Dean and Director of Translational Research Programs, Cornell University
- Chobani Corporate Leadership
- Shawna Papale, President of Mohawk Valley EDGE, who moderated the event and brought both economic development expertise and personal farming experience to the discussion
Key Themes and Strategic Focus
The roundtable addressed six core areas critical to the future of agriculture in the Mohawk Valley:
- Supply Chain Readiness: Ensuring farms can meet the scale and logistics demands of Chobani’s expansion
- Workforce Development: Building pipelines for skilled labor through partnerships with SUNY, MVCC, Cornell, and BOCES
- Housing Solutions: Exploring models for safe, affordable farmworker housing
- Education & Training: Modernizing agricultural education and creating clear career pathways
- Immigration & Policy Reform: Advocating for updates to the H-2A visa program to meet year-round labor needs
- Market Access & Agribusiness Support: Helping small and mid-sized farms scale and innovate
Strategic Planning for the Future
The event also highlighted the Oneida County Agricultural Strategic Plan, developed by LaBella Associates, which outlines five key themes for long-term growth:
- Farmland Preservation & Protection
- Economic Development & Business Support
- Agritourism & Local Food Branding
- Workforce Development & Farm Transition
- Sustainability & Climate Resilience
Twenty-one projects were identified within these themes, with four priority initiatives selected for immediate action, including revolving loan programs, apprenticeship development, hazard mitigation planning, and municipal land-use reform.
A Call to Action
“This roundtable is not just a conversation—it’s a launchpad for action,” said Shawna Papale. “We’re building a coalition that will drive measurable outcomes for our farmers, our economy, and our communities.”
Mohawk Valley EDGE will host a follow-up convening within 60 to 90 days to assess progress and begin implementing solutions.
For more information, visit www.mvedge.org or contact Marc Barraco, Chief of Staff, at mbarraco@mvedge.org or 315-338-0393
