VA FAIRS’s work has led to the establishment of at least five cooperatives in the past year alone. VA FAIRS’ work has led to the creation of several other new cooperatives in previous years.

VA FAIRS has focused considerable resources on identifying emerging market trends that create opportunities for small-scale producer cooperatives. These trends often translate into opportunities for producers to transition into new types of agricultural production, processing and marketing ventures that reward attributes such as “family-farm” produced, and “locally grown” products.

These rapidly-emerging market opportunities for specialized, differentiated, and value-added products hold the greatest promise for limited-resource producers. Through new cooperative approaches, and our demonstrated ability to facilitate the establishment of cooperatives, VA FAIRS helps groups tap into this niche market.

• VA FAIRS strives to link producers directly to markets through the creation of food based marketing cooperatives. Our work has led to the creation of two marketing cooperatives in Virginia, as well as assisting several others. These cooperatives help small-scale producers by providing marketing information as well as connecting them to markets they would not have been able to access otherwise.
• We often guide groups through the basic issues of choosing a legal status and the creation of bylaws. VA FAIRS staff assists groups in discussing and deciding on their objectives, as well as the legal options available for incorporation . Virginia cooperative law can be restrictive.   We have often found that the best organizational choice for a group that functions as a cooperative is a Limited Liability Company.
• Ability to obtain funding can be a major obstacle to new businesses, particularly to ventures in rural areas. VA FAIRS assists our clients by developing feasibility studies, business plans, and marketing plans so a lender can better judge the potential of the business.  We also assist our clients with grant applications.  We have been successful in securing over $4 million in federal funds, and over $3 million in state funds.
• VA FAIRS works with clients to create cooperative business entities that have the greatest chance of success, even when they fall outside of traditional parameters. It is our practice to employ novel and cutting edge tools to assure our clients success.
• The internet has proven to be indispensable as a cooperative development tool. VA FAIRS has created the Virtual Business Center, an online business development tool which entrepreneurs can utilize to develop their business plan and create financial statements.
• We have also assisted virtual farmers market cooperatives in the development of software programs that connect producers to retail markets. This innovative marketing method applies business techniques to rural cooperative businesses and increases producer income.
• VA FAIRS has helped to organize multi-stakeholder cooperatives that combine traditional producer marketing cooperatives with community based organizations.
• VA FAIRS has partnered with emerging food hubs; a new and innovative approach to an age-old problem of direct marketing.
• VA FAIRS mentored the construction of an Agricultural Complex that contains educational facilities as well as a covered area for sales and other major regional events.  The Complex used VA FAIRS’ Virtual Business Center to create its business plan.  We also assisted the group in receiving its 501c3 charitable status. This type of work exemplifies VA FAIRS’ goals: to utilize our development focus to promote the creation of new cooperatives.
• VA FAIRS has found that Risk Management Programs are an innovative method of introducing cooperative development ideas to clients who are searching for solutions. Numerous presentations to groups looking at risk management techniques has led to the formation of several new marketing ventures.