NORWICH – After being designated by county officials as the lead agency in the newly established Bullthistle Farmers Market in Norwich, the Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) is now slated to receive financial support from the county.

In a motion to provide the BID with $5,000 to help pay costs of the farmers market – which entail marketing, promotion and paid management to oversee it all – a resolution was passed by the Chenango County Board of Supervisors on Monday.

The resolution comes two months after the board appointed the BID to oversee the summertime farmers market in the county-owned East Park. According to proponents of the initiative, the provision of funding will give the newly established market a boost, thus benefitting market vendors and the entire Chenango County area.

“It would be presumptuous and arrogant of me to tell (the county board) about the importance of agriculture,” said Pharsalia Supervisor Dennis Brown. “We're seeing a change in the market place. We're seeing an emphasis on locally produced products … This presents itself to the county an economic opportunity.”

Brown cited locally grown produce that's shipped to other regions of the state, including markets and restaurants in the New York City area. This, he added, is what's leading to success for farmers markets statewide. He approached the BID and encouraged the agency to seek financial support from the county.