by Bea Peterson
“This has been a team effort,” said U.S. Congressman Chris Gibson on Monday at the opening of the new Rock Maple Farm production and storage site at 2112 Route 7 near the Pittstown/Brunswick line. “It is the very best of what federal, state, county and town governments can do working together. [private]In farming the profit margin is very tight. Mike Bacon and Ecovative have found smart ways of expanding their businesses, and I applaud their efforts. Farmers waste nothing, and I’m pleased they have found a way to get some benefit out of what would otherwise have been waste material. The Farm Bill was a major player in this endeavor, especially the rural development bill. I’m glad to see it used this way.”
Gibson went on to say that there are many opportunities for these low interest loans and that small business owners and farmers should use their initiative and ingenuity to develop a plan and apply for a loan package. “Mike used his initiative, and here we are,” he said.
Bacon, a Hoosick businessman and farmer and owner of Rock Maple Farm and Ecovative, which converts otherwise unused farm by-products into biodegradable packaging, building materials and more, has recently expanded to the Route 7 property owned by David Vanderzee. This new location will serve as a storage and production site where raw material will be turned into a usable product and warehoused before being shipped to Ecovative’s Green Island site.
Rock Maple Farms will employ two full time people to start at this location. The company will also be renting out space in the large complex to other vendors such as Blast Off Restoration, a sand blasting operation, and opening a CAT equipment store for rentals of equipment to the general public.
Besides Congressman Gibson, NYS Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin, Rensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino, Pittstown Town Supervisor Ed King and Hoosick Town Supervisor Mark Surdam were on hand to show support to Mike and Brett Bacon. Justin Frisino from Ecovative, Farmers Technology Industrial Park owner Vanderzee and Jim Morris of Kinderhook Bank were also on hand for the opening of this previously empty site that is now creating jobs in upstate New York and particularly in Rensselaer County.
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