Northwest Agriculture Business Center
Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC) is a Mount Vernon, Washington nonprofit that provides business development, cooperative formation, and market-access services to small, mid-sized, Latinx, and Hmong farmers and food hubs across Western Washington.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersMount Vernon, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Northwest Agriculture Business Center does
Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC) is a 501(c)-style nonprofit founded in 2008 (one input source cites 2005) and headquartered in Mount Vernon, Washington, that delivers business development, cooperative formation, and market-access services to small and mid-sized farmers across Western Washington. Core programs include Business Services, Rural Cooperative Development, the Food Systems Project Accelerator, the on-farm Mobile Poultry Processing Unit (MPPU), the Latine Business Development Program (LBDP), Resilerator™ Northwest, the Northwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program, and the Puget Sound Food Network web platform for food hub transactions.
NABC has incubated or supported multiple regional cooperatives including Washington Hmong Farmers Cooperative, Southwest Washington Growers Cooperative, Puget Sound Food Hub Cooperative, and the tri-state PNW Wool Producers Cooperative, and serves as a coordinating convener of the 7-member Washington Food Hub Network. Its client base spans Latinx and Hmong farmers served through bilingual programs, individual small and mid-sized producers, farmer-owned cooperatives, and food hubs, with downstream buyers including Whole Foods, PCC Community Markets, Kitchen & Market, Harborview Medical Center, and Western Washington University.
The organization's revenue model is grant- and donation-driven rather than transactional: NABC provides most services at no cost to farmers, drawing on USDA Rural Cooperative Development Grants, Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grants, Washington State Department of Agriculture funding, foundation support, and ad hoc programs such as the Healthy Food Financing Initiative ($20,000–$50,000 planning grants). Outreach is delivered through workshops, Lunch & Learn webinars, regional summits, a quarterly newsletter, a Spanish-language newsletter, and community partnerships with Skagit Valley College, Catholic Community Services Farmworker Center, USDA Rural Development, Ecotrust, Grow America, and Oregon Tilth.
Northwest Agriculture Business Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Northwest Agriculture Business Center
- Legal name
- Northwest Agriculture Business Center
- Website
- https://agbizcenter.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC) is a Mount Vernon, Washington nonprofit that provides business development, cooperative formation, and market-access services to small, mid-sized, Latinx, and Hmong farmers and food hubs across Western Washington.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Northwest Agriculture Business Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Business Development Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fertilizer Distribution, Storage & Terminals (Warehousing, Depots, Import/Export Terminals) (AFABABAJ)
Keywords
Where Northwest Agriculture Business Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mount Vernon
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Northwest Agriculture Business Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Grant Funding: NABC operates primarily as a nonprofit relying on grant funding from USDA (Rural Development, Rural Cooperative Development Grant, Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant), Washington State Department of Agriculture, and private foundations. Services to farmers are generally free or low-cost.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | HFFI Planning Grants |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Northwest Agriculture Business Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NABC provides agricultural business development services to farmers and food entrepreneurs in Western Washington, including business planning, access to financing, value-added product development, cooperative formation, and marketing support. It runs specialized programs such as the Latine Business Development Program with bilingual services, the Mobile Poultry Processing Unit (MPPU) for on-farm poultry processing, the Food Systems Project Accelerator, Resilerator™ Northwest, and partner programs like NW TOPP and HFFI, plus resource libraries on cooperative development, pastured poultry, and local marketing.
Product overview
Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC) is a nonprofit organization providing a portfolio of interconnected programs and services supporting Northwest Washington agriculture. The core offerings include Business Services and Rural Cooperative Development for direct farmer support, complemented by the Food Systems Project Accelerator for infrastructure development. Specialized programs include the Latine Business Development Program offering culturally relevant bilingual services, the Mobile Poultry Processing Unit providing on-farm processing, and Resilerator™ Northwest for farm resilience. NABC also connects farmers to partner programs like the Northwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program and Healthy Food Financing Initiative, while maintaining extensive resource libraries covering pastured poultry, agriculture, local marketing, and cooperative development. The organization serves as a central hub coordinating food distribution projects, educational workshops, and regional food systems initiatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Latinx Business Development Program (LBDP): Program dedicated to supporting Latino and Hispanic agricultural business owners with culturally relevant technical assistance, workshops, and food distribution projects.
- PNW Wool Producers Cooperative
- Washington Hmong Farmers Cooperative
- Southwest Washington Growers Cooperative
Products and services
- Business Services Core consulting and advisory services providing business development, access to financing, value-added product development, and marketing support for Northwest Washington farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs.
- Rural Cooperative Development Supports development of agriculture cooperatives and mutually-owned or managed producer businesses throughout northwest Washington, including formation, organizational development, and operational support.
- Food Systems Project Accelerator Technical assistance program supporting food systems infrastructure development projects in the Puget Sound region, customized services for broad-reaching projects advancing equitable access and food security.
- Resilerator™ Northwest Resilience-focused program helping farms and food businesses prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruptions and challenges.
- Classes & Workshops Educational programming including Value Added Producer Grant workshops, business development courses, and technical skills training for farmers and food producers.
- Latine Business Development Program Culturally relevant bilingual business development services for Latinx agricultural business owners, including technical assistance, access to capital support, market expansion, grant applications, and certification navigation.
- Food Distribution Projects Projects addressing food insecurity by providing culturally appropriate produce while creating local sales opportunities for Latinx and Indigenous Latinx farmers facing pandemic, inflation, and climate challenges.
- Mobile Poultry Processing Unit (MPPU) On-farm poultry processing service that travels to farms to process chickens and other poultry, saving farmers transport costs and time while providing access to inspected processing facilities.
- Northwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program (NW TOPP) Free organic transition support services including mentorship connections with certified organic farmers, one-on-one certification assistance, and access to organic and conservation resources.
- Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Support Partnership with Ecotrust and Grow America to help local food processors and sellers access HFFI planning grants ($20,000-$50,000) and low-interest loan programs, with loan-readiness support available.
- Resources & Tool Libraries Extensive resource libraries including cooperative development resources, pastured poultry supplies and information, Spanish-language resources, local marketing programs, and agricultural industry links.
Quantifiable outcome
- Washington Hmong Farmers Cooperative expanded partnerships to include Whole Foods, PCC, and Kitchen & Market
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Northwest Agriculture Business Center
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Northwest Agriculture Business Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Northwest Agriculture Business Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Skagit Community FoundationcorePartnered with NABC to create a flood relief program for Skagit County farmers suffering unmitigated flood and storm damage.
- Skagitonians to Preserve FarmlandcoreCollaborated with NABC and Skagit Community Foundation on flood relief program for agricultural producers in Skagit County.
- Whole FoodssupportingWashington Hmong Farmers Cooperative, formed with NABC support, has expanded to supply Whole Foods with local produce.
- PCC Community MarketssupportingWashington Hmong Farmers Cooperative supplies this regional cooperative grocer with local produce.
- Kitchen & MarketsupportingWashington Hmong Farmers Cooperative expanded to include Kitchen & Market as a retail partner.
- Washington Food Hub NetworkcoreNABC supports this network of 7 regional food hubs that work together to feed Washington, releasing annual Collective Impact Reports with combined metrics.
- Skagit Valley CollegecoreSince 2021, NABC has partnered with Skagit Valley College to offer a free 7-week bilingual computer course at basic and advanced levels, taught in Spanish by bilingual instructors.
- Catholic Community Services Farmworker CentercoreNABC's Latinx Business Development Program has collaborated with CCS Farmworker Center since 2020 on Food Distribution Projects addressing food insecurity while creating local market access for Latinx farmers.
- EcotrustcoreNABC partners with Ecotrust and Grow America to help local food processors and sellers gain access to funding through the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) grant and low-interest loan programs.
- Grow AmericacorePartner in HFFI initiative to provide grants and low-interest loans to food businesses.
- Oregon TilthcoreNABC is an official partner of the Northwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program (NW TOPP), administered by Oregon Tilth. Claire Davis from Oregon Tilth presents on TOPP resources for farmers transitioning to organic.
- USDA Rural DevelopmentcoreUSDA Rural Development provides grant funding through programs including the Rural Cooperative Development Grant and supports NABC's work with farmers and cooperatives.
- Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA)coreWSDA provided Southwest Washington business development funding that supported the formation of the Pacific Northwest Sheep Wool Producers Committee and continues to partner on agricultural development programs.
- Food LifelinesupportingPartner in food distribution projects helping local Latinx farmers access markets while addressing food insecurity.
- Skagit GleanerssupportingPartner organization in food distribution projects collaborating on culturally appropriate produce access.
- Washington State Sheep Producers AssociationcoreRepresented on the board of the PNW Wool Producers Cooperative alongside Oregon and Idaho wool producer associations.
- Oregon Sheep Growers AssociationcoreRepresented on the board of the PNW Wool Producers Cooperative.
- Idaho Wool Growers AssociationcoreRepresented on the board of the PNW Wool Producers Cooperative.
- NorthWest Cider AssociationsupportingNABC helps manage and grow this trade organization formed by cider and perry producers throughout the Pacific Northwest to promote regional artisanal cider and perry.
- Viva FarmssupportingPartnership with USDA's Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program supporting Latino farming community through NABC's bilingual services.
- WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural ResourcessupportingWSU Skagit County Extension partnership with NABC and Puget Sound Food Hub to assist Latino farmers, with Kate Smith serving as Northwest Small and Latino Farms Educator.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Northwest Agriculture Business Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Appalachian Sustainable Development: Regional nonprofit operating food hubs, farmer training, and cooperative development in Appalachian Virginia/Tennessee. Closely comparable mission and programming structure to NABC's rural cooperative development and food hub network support.
- Cooperative Development Services (CDS): Specialized cooperative development consulting and management firm. Directly comparable to NABC's rural cooperative development services, including co-op formation, board training, and operational support for agricultural and food cooperatives.
- Oregon Tilth: Oregon-based nonprofit administering the Northwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program (NW TOPP), an official NABC partner. Provides organic certification support, transition mentorship, and farmer education in the same regional footprint.
- Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA): Nonprofit providing technical assistance, grants, and advocacy for farmers including underserved producers. Operates a similar model of farm business development, cooperative formation, and crisis response programming.
- Ecotrust: Portland-based nonprofit working on food systems, agriculture, and rural economies in the Pacific Northwest. Direct co-funding and HFFI program partner with NABC, working on overlapping farmer support and food access initiatives.
- Local Food Hub (Virginia): Virginia-based nonprofit food hub providing farm-to-institution distribution and farmer support services. Operates a regional aggregation and distribution model comparable to the Puget Sound Food Hub ecosystem NABC supports.
- Grow America (formerly National Cooperative Bank): National cooperative finance and development organization. Direct HFFI program partner with NABC, providing low-interest loans and grant access for food businesses through the same funding pipeline.
- Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA): Massachusetts-based nonprofit supporting local agriculture through farmer technical assistance, market access, and "Be a Local Hero" branding. Operates the same community-led nonprofit model as NABC with business mentoring and food hub facilitation.
- Viva Farms: Washington-based nonprofit farm incubator and bilingual farmer training program. Direct peer in serving Latinx and beginning farmers in the Skagit Valley with closely aligned bilingual technical assistance and cooperative development services.
Broad incumbents
- WSU Extension: Washington State University's extension service provides agricultural education, research, and farmer technical assistance across Washington. NABC collaborates with WSU centers but WSU is a larger, state-funded institution with much broader scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Northwest Agriculture Business Center social profiles
Digital presenceNorthwest Agriculture Business Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Northwest Agriculture Business Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Northwest Agriculture Business Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Northwest Agriculture Business Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Northwest Agriculture Business Center
What does Northwest Agriculture Business Center do?
NABC provides agricultural business development services to farmers and food entrepreneurs in Western Washington, including business planning, access to financing, value-added product development, cooperative formation, and marketing support. It runs specialized programs such as the Latine Business Development Program with bilingual services, the Mobile Poultry Processing Unit (MPPU) for on-farm poultry processing, the Food Systems Project Accelerator, Resilerator™ Northwest, and partner programs like NW TOPP and HFFI, plus resource libraries on cooperative development, pastured poultry, and local marketing.
Is Northwest Agriculture Business Center a public or private company?
Northwest Agriculture Business Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Northwest Agriculture Business Center founded?
Northwest Agriculture Business Center was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Northwest Agriculture Business Center based?
Northwest Agriculture Business Center is headquartered in Mount Vernon, United States, in the North America region.
How does Northwest Agriculture Business Center make money?
One revenue line is on record: grant Funding.
Who are Northwest Agriculture Business Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Appalachian Sustainable Development, Cooperative Development Services (CDS), Oregon Tilth, Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA), Ecotrust, Local Food Hub (Virginia), Grow America (formerly National Cooperative Bank), Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) and Viva Farms. WSU Extension is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Northwest Agriculture Business Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Northwest Agriculture Business Center.
What industry is Northwest Agriculture Business Center in?
Northwest Agriculture Business Center's product category is Agricultural Business Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFABABAJ, Fertilizer Distribution, Storage & Terminals (Warehousing, Depots, Import/Export Terminals). Its NAICS code is 11511 and its SIC code is 700.