Rutgers Assists Farmer Business Development
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 1:59pm.
BRIDGETON, N.J. — For peach farmer Santo John Maccherone, the Rutgers Food Innovation Center in Bridgeton made the difference between developing his peach cider and not. New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher recently met with Maccherone at the center to talk about the many services available to farmers and other food businesses.
“The Food Innovation Center is an invaluable resource to farmers who want to create new products out of what they grow or produce,” said Secretary Fisher. “The expert staff at the center can help take an idea and make it a reality. Santo John Maccherone’s peach cider is just one of what I’m sure will be many success stories in the future.”
When Maccherone hit on the idea of using the 10 percent of his peach crop that was wasted each year to make peach cider, he tapped the expertise of the Rutgers Food Innovation Center.
“I had the idea and the passion for the idea and they allowed me to bring the idea to fruition,” said Maccherone, a third generation farmer. “Everything is so complicated. Their expertise made it possible to create the peach cider.”
In addition, the Food Innovation Center staff helped Maccherone apply for and receive a USDA value-added producer grant totaling almost $52,000 that helped Maccherone set up his cider business.
Maccherone’s 246-acre Circle M Farms in Mannington Township, Salem County, grows peaches, nectarines, plums and asparagus. He now produces about 6,000 gallons of the peach cider each year. It is distributed throughout the state at some Whole Foods, Wegmans and ShopRite stores, as well as roadside stands and produce markets.
For more information on the center, visit www.foodinnovation.rutgers.edu.
BRIDGETON, N.J. — For peach farmer Santo John Maccherone, the Rutgers Food Innovation Center in Bridgeton made the difference between developing his peach cider and not. New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher recently met with Maccherone at the center to talk about the many services available to farmers and other food businesses.
“The Food Innovation Center is an invaluable resource to farmers who want to create new products out of what they grow or produce,” said Secretary Fisher. “The expert staff at the center can help take an idea and make it a reality. Santo John Maccherone’s peach cider is just one of what I’m sure will be many success stories in the future.”
When Maccherone hit on the idea of using the 10 percent of his peach crop that was wasted each year to make peach cider, he tapped the expertise of the Rutgers Food Innovation Center.
“I had the idea and the passion for the idea and they allowed me to bring the idea to fruition,” said Maccherone, a third generation farmer. “Everything is so complicated. Their expertise made it possible to create the peach cider.”
In addition, the Food Innovation Center staff helped Maccherone apply for and receive a USDA value-added producer grant totaling almost $52,000 that helped Maccherone set up his cider business.
Maccherone’s 246-acre Circle M Farms in Mannington Township, Salem County, grows peaches, nectarines, plums and asparagus. He now produces about 6,000 gallons of the peach cider each year. It is distributed throughout the state at some Whole Foods, Wegmans and ShopRite stores, as well as roadside stands and produce markets.
For more information on the center, visit www.foodinnovation.rutgers.edu.
