Berkshire Agricultural Ventures

Name

Berkshire Agricultural Ventures

Legal name

Berkshire Agricultural Ventures, Inc.

Website

https://berkshireagventures.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Agricultural Development Financing and Technical Assistance

NAICS

Farm Management Services (115116), Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Capital Projects & Farm Expansion Advisory (Feasibility, Site Planning, ROI) (AFACAJAN)

Keywords

• Agricultural development financing
• Farm technical assistance
• Regional food systems
• Microentrepreneur agricultural loans
• SNAP market matching

Headquarters

HQ city

Great Barrington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, BAV is funded primarily by charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors, as well as government grants from USDA and state agencies. Donations are tax-deductible and processed through DonorPerfect. All contributions directly support the organization's programs.
2. Revolving Loan Fund Interest: Interest income from BAV's Revolving Loan Fund (0-4% interest loans) and the USDA Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) loans. Financial returns are reinvested back into the loan fund and recirculated into the local food economy in perpetuity rather than distributed to investors.
3. Government Grant Funding (USDA Federal Pass-Through): Federal grant funding awarded through USDA programs including the Meat & Poultry Intermediary Lending Program ($630,000), Regional Food System Partnership (RFSP) grant ($242,000), Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), and Rural Business Development Grants ($50,000).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Berkshire Agricultural Ventures is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides flexible below-market-rate loans (0-4% interest, up to $50,000) and cost-shared one-on-one business technical assistance to small and mid-scale farms and food producers in the Berkshire-Taconic region. It also administers a centralized regional Market Match Fund that delivers $1-for-$1 SNAP matching (up to $30) through partner farmers markets, a Local Meat Processing Support Program with low-interest loans and HACCP/food safety advisory services, and a Climate Smart Agriculture program supporting farm adaptation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Market Match Fund: Economic development and food access initiative providing a $1-for-$1 SNAP match (up to $30) at participating Berkshire-area farmers markets. Launched in spring 2022.
• Local Meat Processing Support Program
• Climate Smart Agriculture
• Berkshire-Taconic Dairy Cohort

Products and services

• BAV Revolving Loan Fund Flexible below-market-rate revolving loans (0-4% interest, up to $50,000, 5-year max term) provided directly to farms and food producers in the Berkshire-Taconic region who lack access to traditional commercial/agricultural financing. Includes 0% interest bridge loans for upfront costs related to NRCS/MDAR reimbursement programs. Funds are continuously recycled back into the local food economy in perpetuity.
• USDA RMAP Loans Low-interest loans (up to $50,000, 5-year max term) intermediated through the USDA Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program for eligible rural businesses with fewer than 10 employees. Usable for working capital, debt refinancing, equipment, supplies, and real estate.
• Technical Business Assistance Cost-shared one-on-one consulting services for farms and food producers covering bookkeeping, business/financial planning, marketing, branding, grant application assistance, holistic farm planning, and climate change adaptation planning. BAV covers 80% of project costs (up to $5,000) and the applicant is responsible for 20%. Reviews take 2-4 weeks.
• Market Match Fund Centralized SNAP matching program distributing grants to partner farmers markets (currently 9-10 markets in MA and CT) to provide a $1-for-$1 SNAP match up to $30 per visit, giving SNAP participants $60 total to spend at partner markets. Improves food access for low-income shoppers across the region.
• Local Meat Processing Support Program Program providing low-interest loans for plant improvement, working capital, equipment, food safety plan development, and workforce training, plus technical assistance for HACCP compliance and regulations, to meat processors and livestock value-chain businesses in the Berkshire-Taconic region. Includes the Ask HACCP hotline in partnership with AgriForaging Food Safety.
• Climate Smart Agriculture Program Program supporting farmers in implementing climate-smart practices such as agroforestry, rotational grazing, pollinator habitat establishment, and no-till farming through technical assistance, financial support, outreach, and education. Complements NRCS and state grant programs. Includes the Resilience Fund grant mechanism.

Quantifiable outcome

• $2.5 million in flexible financing provided to farmers and food producers
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core regional partner, core consulting partner, core technical partner for meat processing program, climate adaptation resource partner, climate adaptation collaborator, community partner, core donation processing vendor, standard web analytics vendor, core email marketing platform, state-level government partner, state-level government partners, regional food system partner, advisory partner, regional network partner, climate/agroforestry project partner, climate project partner, core consulting partner for meat program and vendor partner.

• Berkshire Growncore regional partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerBerkshire Grown collaborates with BAV on the Berkshire Grown Winter Farmers Market (part of Market Match network) and the Harry Conklin Fund for Farmsteads initiative. Jordan Archey and Ren Constas of Berkshire Grown helped develop the Livestock Working Group.
• Berkshire Community Land Trust (BCLT)core regional partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCLT partnered with BAV and Berkshire Grown to announce the Harry Conklin Fund for Farmsteads in August 2021, supporting farmland access for farmers.
• Kitchen Table Consultants (KTC)core consulting partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKTC was engaged by BAV to review the local livestock processing supply chain and develop recommendations. Co-developed the Livestock Cost of Production Calculator with BAV. Conducted the 2021 Meat Processing Study that initiated the Local Meat Processing Support Program.
• AgriForaging Food Safetycore technical partner for meat processing programImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBAV operates the 'Ask HACCP' / HACCP Hotline in partnership with AgriForaging Food Safety. Co-developed 'Understanding State and Federal Meat Processing Regulations' guide. Co-organizer of HACCP training events for meat processors.
• University of Vermont (UVM) Extensionclimate adaptation resource partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAV's Climate Smart Ag Program Manager Ben Crockett contributed a curated collection of 15 business planning resources to UVM's Climate Adaptation Resources website. The site originated from a NIFA-funded collaboration between UVM Extension and University of Maine.
• American Farmland Trustclimate adaptation collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2025, American Farmland Trust's New England Climate and Agriculture team redesigned and revitalized UVM's Climate Adaptation Resources website that BAV contributes to.
• Multicultural BRIDGEcommunity partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBRIDGE operates the Solidarity Farm & Garden, a farm incubator program featured in BAV's communications. BRIDGE CEO Gwendolyn VanSant and BAV Program Manager Ben Crockett jointly presented on the Fabulous 413 podcast. MA Agricultural Commissioner toured BRIDGE's Solidarity Farm with BAV Executive Director Rebecca Busansky in August 2025.
• DonorPerfectcore donation processing vendorTechnology or IntegrationDonorPerfect is the third-party payment processor through which BAV accepts online donations. DonorPerfect's privacy statement and security practices govern donor information for donations made through the portal.
• Google Analyticsstandard web analytics vendorTechnology or IntegrationBAV uses Google Analytics to monitor and analyze website traffic, page views, traffic sources, referrals, and ad data. Referenced in Terms & Conditions as part of standard analytics stack.
• Constant Contactcore email marketing platformTechnology or IntegrationConstant Contact is BAV's email service provider for its monthly newsletter and Meat Up newsletter distribution.
• Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)state-level government partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerMA Department of Agricultural Resources participated in BAV's farm-to-institution initiative supported by the $242K USDA RFSP grant (2026). MA Agricultural Commissioner Ashley Randle toured Berkshire County farms with BAV Executive Director Rebecca Busansky in August 2025. BAV also provides bridge loans for MDAR grant reimbursement.
• Connecticut Department of Agriculture / New York State Department of Agriculture and Marketsstate-level government partnersStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agriculture departments of MA, NY, and CT are collaborating partners on BAV's $242,000 USDA Regional Food System Partnerships grant (2026) to create farm-to-institution opportunities across the Berkshire-Taconic region.
• Berkshire Food Co-opregional food system partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerBerkshire Food Co-op is a 2024-25 Foundation & Corporate Partner of BAV. As a regional food co-op, they support BAV's mission to strengthen the local food economy.
• Massachusetts Farm to Schooladvisory partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAV's Local Food Systems Program Manager Jake Levin serves on the Advisory Board for Massachusetts Farm to School.
• New England Grazing Networkregional network partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAV is an active member of the New England Grazing Network and co-organized the 2026 Winter Conference focused on pasture-based livestock topics.
• Propagateclimate/agroforestry project partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPropagate partnered with BAV and Landscape Interactions on the Northeast SARE riparian buffer project ENE22-177 to create video resources for farmers on multi-functional riparian buffers.
• Landscape Interactionsclimate project partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLandscape Interactions is a partner with BAV and Propagate on the Northeast SARE riparian buffer project, providing landscape expertise for the multi-functional riparian buffer video resources.
• Food Works Group (FWG)core consulting partner for meat programImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFWG was contracted by BAV to conduct a landscape analysis and feasibility study for expanding value-added production opportunities and cold storage for livestock farmers, funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• Gemini Creativevendor partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGemini Creative is the web development partner credited for the Livestock Directory website (livestockdirectory.berkshireagventures.org).
• Little Fin Creative (Katherine Casey)vendor partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLittle Fin Creative, owned by Katherine Casey, designed and developed the main BAV website (berkshireagventures.org). Also authored some of BAV's quote content.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Regional players

• NY Farm Viability Institute: New York State nonprofit providing grant funding and business planning assistance to farms across NY — a regional peer with a similar agricultural business assistance mandate, though operating at state scale.
• Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corporation: New York-based economic development organization providing agricultural business assistance, grants, and financing to Hudson Valley farms and agribusinesses — a regional peer operating in adjacent New York territory with a similar public-private blend.

Direct peers

• The Carrot Project: Northeast-based nonprofit that combines business technical assistance and flexible financing for small and mid-sized farms and food businesses — a near-direct peer to BAV's core lending-plus-TA model across New England.
• PVGrows Investment Fund: Western Massachusetts food system investment fund originally launched by BAV's current Executive Director Rebecca Busansky at Franklin County CDC — directly comparable as a regional food system CDFI with combined financing and TA offerings.
• Potlikker Capital: National nonprofit loan fund supporting small-scale, historically underserved farmers and food entrepreneurs with patient capital and business assistance — closely parallel to BAV's mission and small-loan-plus-TA structure (also featured in BAV's February 2026 newsletter).
• Equity Trust: National nonprofit supporting land tenure security, farm viability, and alternative ownership structures through financing and TA — comparable as a mission-aligned farm finance and stewardship organization.
• Fair Food Fund: Northeast impact investment fund providing loans and business assistance to sustainable food and farm businesses — a directly comparable regional food system lender and TA provider.

Broad incumbents

• Coastal Enterprises Inc (CEI): Maine-based CDFI providing financing and business assistance across rural and food-and-farm sectors — a broader incumbent operating the same community development finance model across a wider geography.

Emerging players

• Mad Agriculture: National nonprofit offering regenerative agriculture transition support, capital, and market access for farmers — an emerging player with comparable regenerative-agriculture focus and blended financing-plus-TA delivery, though national rather than regional.
• Foodshed Investors: Capital Collaborative of NY-based investors funding small sustainable food businesses in the Northeast — comparable as a regional food system capital provider with a similar small-farm-and-food-business target market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BerkshireAgVentures
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berkshire-ag-ventures
• Instagraminstagram.com/berkshireagventures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Berkshire Agricultural Ventures