ily-owned dairy farms. Can you please tell the readers about the “Naturally Dairy” campaign? BD: It’s true that dairy agriculture continues to be the backbone of our economy in 2018. Without the dairy industry, our economy and communities would not be where they are today. Although the industry is currently struggling it will continue to be our backbone as many of our small businesses here in Lewis County were established to support the dairy industry. We are currently in the middle of a County-wide dairy campaign called “Naturally Dairy” to help promote the industry and educate the community on the impact the dairy industry has on our economy as a whole. We will continue to support our dairy farmers, but also hope to see more and more value-added agriculture to help offset any potential burdens on the agricultural industry as a whole in the future. We have a thriving winery, apple orchard, breweries, hop and lavender farm, goat farms, honey, produce farmers, and more, to help continue to sustain the agricultural industry. Lewis County thrives off both types of agriculture and we will continue to do whatever we can to support farmers. How has becoming a largely green community impacted jobs and everyday life in Lewis County – and what does that mean for the County’s future growth? EV: Lewis County is a strong supporter of alternative energy production. We have the potential for additional wind farms
choice for business success,” but it has evolved to become so much more than that. It is a natural choice: to live, raise a family, be with friends, and explore new places. It is a life- style brand, it is our local foods brand, and it is our identity to be proud of. We have natural resources and natural beauty and that is what makes the brand so special. It is all encompassing and when businesses start here or locate here, they see the value in the branding, the promotion of businesses, and promotion of Lewis County as a whole. EV: In a lot of ways the brand has been known worldwide for a long time. I always encourage people in big business, entrepreneurs, and small business owners with families to check out naturallylewis.com because it really answers the question “Why Lewis County?” but people have known about our resources – great land and great weather for agri- cultural activities of all kinds –for generations. Some of the major employers in the County, like Kraft-Heinz, have really put us on the map in the business world. In fact, Philadel- phia Cream Cheese is proudly made here in Lewis County.
We are also a huge timber resource and that’s been good to the manufacturing sector here, as well.
A number of facilities in the County produce speciality paper, paperboard, packaging, wood products – that sort of thing. I understand that the economy in Lewis County revolves around the success of your farms, 200 of which are fam-
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SEPTEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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