Local agricultural lender, MidAtlantic Farm Credit, in partnership with the Rural Maryland Council, announces the launch of AgPitch17.

MidAtlantic Farm Credit, in partnership with the Rural Maryland Council, has announced the creation of AgPitch17, a competition seeking those who have innovative ideas to enhance the agricultural industry. The deadline for applications is November 1.

"The agricultural industry is evolving in ways many people never saw coming," says Andrew Rose, marketing manager with MidAtlantic Farm Credit, and one of the founding members of AgPitch17. "Were excited about the direction the industry is headed, both at the local and national level. AgPitch17 gives those who are making strides in our community a platform to share their ideas on how we can make sure agriculture continues to not only thrive, but expand."
After November 1, the applications will be reviewed and the five applicants with the most innovative concepts will be asked to present their idea to a panel of judges at the Rural Maryland Councils Conference, taking place December 1 in Annapolis, Maryland. Each applicant will have three to five minutes to pitch their idea, and the live audience and judges will vote for the winner.
The applicant who receives the most votes will win a grand prize of $7,500 to help them launch their business, as well as risk management services (provided by North Central Insurance Agency), office space (provided by the Maryland Business Incubation Association and F3 Tech Accelerator Program), and admission into Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehrs Resources, Access, and Mentoring Program (RAMP). All finalists will receive cash prizes.
"We encourage everyone who has an idea for a new agricultural venture to apply," says Rose. "The limit in this industry is virtually nonexistent, and were thrilled to see to many people ahead of the curve."
The deadline for applications is November 1, and the top five applicants will be notified by November 10. For more information and to apply, please visit mafc.com/agpitch.

About MidAtlantic Farm Credit
MidAtlantic Farm Credit is an agricultural lending cooperative owned by its member‐borrowers. It provides farm loans for land, equipment, livestock and production; crop insurance; and rural home mortgages. The co-op has over 11,300 members and over $2.68 billion in loans outstanding. MidAtlantic has branches serving Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. It is part of the national Farm Credit System, a network of financial cooperatives established in 1916 to provide a dependable source of credit to farmers and rural America.