Small Farm Clusters and Pathways to Rural Community Sustainability

Industry "clusters" are groups of businesses that are part of the same industry, share a common characteristic, coordinate some parts of their business activities but are competitive in others, and are geographically located near each other. Recent research has recognized the importance of industry clusters to regional development, competitiveness, and innovation. In particular, clusters are promoted as innovative models for rural communities in the face of globalization. Our research takes several lessons from industrial cluster research and applies them to clusters of small farms in the Northeast United States. As part of an on-going research and extension project, we are investigating the processes by which agricultural clusters form and the methods by which cluster members communicate, share and create knowledge, innovate in management, and relate to their surrounding communities. In this article we examine the ways in which agricultural clusters lead to more viable farms and sustainable rural communities. Data for this article are drawn from 51 key informant interviews from seven small farm clusters in the Northeast. Our findings are useful for cluster members and communities interested in promoting clusters.