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2-5-2004

AGRIBUSINESS FIRST TENANT OF HARRISON YWCA INCUBATOR KITCHEN

A mother only wants the best for her child. After finding that there was a shortage of organic products on the shelves in grocery stores, a Harrison County resident set out to conquer this problem.

Susan Verona, a physician’s assistant from Shinnston, heard of a new program “Cottage Industries” being offered at the YWCA of Harrison County and knew this was the way for her to achieve her goals of providing a healthy, chemical-free food choice suitable for toddlers and school-aged children.

“She is not only about to make her mark in our community, but with visions of big things to come, Susan will be the first entrepreneur to take full advantage of the ‘Cottage Industries’ program being offered here,” said Doris Kidd, Harrison YWCA Executive Director.

“Women helping women achieve entrepreneurial success is the best way to describe the Cottage Industries program,” she added.

“I am very pleased to see this program that encourages West Virginia agribusiness getting off the ground,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “There is a great, untapped potential in this state. Already, agriculture-related businesses contribute approximately $100 million a year to the economy of the Mountain State. I think we will see an even greater impact in the future.”

The “business incubator” at the Harrison County YWCA is a flexible method of encouraging the development of new businesses and fostering local economic development. The YWCA provides the opportunity and facility to foster a number of new and growing businesses which operate under one roof with affordable rents while sharing services and equipment, such as the state– and county– approved commercial kitchen.

Verona will start her first batch run Saturday, at 10 a.m., at the YWCA Cottage Industries Kitchen in Clarksburg. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be conducted by the GCA (Greater Clarksburg Associates) to welcome the new business to the downtown Clarksburg business district. “We only hope this will be the start of many women breaking into the business world by means of the ‘Cottage Industries’ ” said Cathy Goings, GCA President. Verona was born and raised in Michigan where she was an x-ray technologist for 13 years before meeting her eventual husband, Matthew, a West Virginia native.

After the birth of their daughter, Sophia, she became interested in baby and toddler food, especially organic diced fruit. Verona hopes to eventually sell her product to local grocery stores and the larger organic specialty food chains.

Contact: Buddy Davidson
Communications Officer
304/558-3708, 361-9484 (pager)
bdavidson@ag.state.wv.us

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.

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