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Specialty Crop Businesses: Apply for $2 Billion in USDA Funds

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced a new $2 billion Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops program this week, aimed at helping specialty crop producers expand markets and manage higher costs.

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Apply for the Working Lands Business Enhancement Grant

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets There's still time to apply for the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative Business Enhancement Grant!

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New conservation easement helps protect 6,250 acres of 'forever-wild' lands

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative is now accepting applications for the Business Enhancement Grant.

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Working Lands Business Enhancement Grant Open Now

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative is now accepting applications for the Business Enhancement Grant.

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UVM Leases Charlotte's Nordic Farm for Agricultural Research

The 30-year agreement will allow U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists to study food crops and livestock on 400 acres of conserved farmland along Route 7.

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Clemmons Family Farm awarded $130,000 grant

Clemmons Family Farm is one of 112 organizations nationwide selected to receive an ArtsHERE grant of $130,000 as part of a new program from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Working Lands Service Provider & Producer Association Grant Now Open

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Grant funds are available through the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) to provide business support services to Vermont agriculture, food, and forestry businesses, and to strengthen Vermont producer associations in these sectors.

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Registration open for October 7 Vermont Conservation Conference in Randolph

Vermont Business Magazine Registration is now open for the 2024 Vermont Conservation Conference scheduled for Monday, October 7 at Vermont State University in Randolph.

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VAAFM: NRCS funding deadline moved up

Are you a farmer looking for assistance on your farm to improve soil health, increase flood resilience, or be climate smart? If so, you should consider applying for NRCS-VT funding for 2025.

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Application open for Organic Certification Cost reimbursements

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) announced today that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the USDA has awarded $577,325 to the State of Vermont as a part of the Organic Certification Cost Share Program. The application is now open for certified operations to apply for these funds.

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ACORN Newletter

VAAFM: Flood Loss & Damage Surveys, Conservation Program Deadlines, and More

The deadline to apply to the Farm Agronomic Practices (FAP) program is right around the corner! Don't miss your chance to receive payments for implementing conservation practices on your farm.

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-A+A Vermont farmers facing flood recovery

To help our farmers VAAFM has assembled a series of suggestions and resources to help with recovery.

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Red signs celebrate connectivity of Charlotte’s conserved lands

Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the beauty of Charlotte’s landscape. For many years the Charlotte Land Trust has put its red signs on conserved land throughout town as a way to highlight a major tool in preserving that landscape.

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Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center’s impact on Vermont dairy

At the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-), we support dairy farmers and processors through grants, access to technical services, education, and events that promote the development, production, marketing, and distribution of regional dairy products. Our goal: to create resiliency and long-term sustainability for Northeast dairy…

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Charlotte farms get sizeable chunk of agricultural grants

The state Agency of Agriculture has awarded more than $1,600,000 in grants to 13 farm operations across Vermont. Two of those farms are in Charlotte.

 

Adam’s Berry Farm and the Grass Cattle Company were given a total of more than $276,000 of the amount awarded, meaning that Charlotte got more than 17 percent of the money allocated across the…

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2 Local Farms Receive Grants for The Vermont Agency of Ag and Food Markets

Both Grass Cattle Co and Adam's Berry Farm, in Charlotte, received grants from the Vermont Agency of Ag and Food Markets. The grant awarded 13 meat and ag producers out of a pool of 172 applicants. The grant focused on projects that addressed :

1. climate resiliency

2. infrastructure efficiency and capacity

3. worker safety and food safety and…

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Vermont Ag Hall of Fame announces 2024 inductees

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain Valley Exposition has announced the 2024 Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductees. With over 20 years of history and over 100 inductees, the Ag Hall of Fame is an honored tradition among Vermont farmers and growers, service providers, and dedicated employees.

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Working Lands Enterprise Board awards $2.3 million to Vermont farm, forest, and food businesses and organizations

VermontBiz The Working Lands Enterprise Board (WLEB) announces 51 awards to working lands businesses and organizations in 2024. The $2,329,561 in awards will support those who are earning a living off the land.

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Free On-Farm Produce Safety Consultations

An On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR) is a free, non-regulatory site visit to review safe produce handling on your farm. It serves as a direct educational opportunity for growers and producers to prepare for a Produce Safety Inspection or simply improve produce safety practices on their farm.

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Medium Farm Operation General Permit public comment period begins

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets is updating the guidelines for the Medium Farm Operations (MFO) General Permit. The public can provide feedback on these updates until June 23rd.

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It's farmers market season. Here's where to find them in Chittenden County

It's farmers market season. Here's where to find them in Chittenden County

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Best Management Practices (BMP) Program Applications Due on April 1st

The Best Management Practices (BMP) Program provides technical and financial assistance to farmers for the implementation of engineered, structural improvements on farmsteads which are designed to protect and improve water quality.

 

Applications to receive technical and/or financial assistance through the Agency’s Best Management Practices (BMP)…

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Working Lands Enterprise Initiative celebrates 11 years of investments and economic impacts

The Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) has invested $15.6 million in 446 farm, food, and forestry projects and leveraged an additional $24.6M in matching funds. To celebrate the investments and the resulting impacts, of the WLEI Board has released the latest Impact Report detailing the significant outcomes from the entire 11 years…

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Historic Clemmons Family Farm in Charlotte conserved

In December 2023, Clemmons Family Farm, Inc., an African American-led nonprofit organization, celebrated its purchase of the historic Clemmons farm in Vermont after a successful fundraising campaign.

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85 Acres Conserved in Charlotte, VT

In the face of our urgent climate crisis, landowners across the Champlain Valley are stepping up and conserving critical shorelands, wetlands, and flood-absorbing forests that serve as natural defenses against increasingly severe rainstorms.

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Applications for $5,000 Vermont farmer award closing at the end of February

Farmers who are actively working on or managing a commercial farm operation in the state, are residents of Vermont, and have not received this award in the past may qualify for a $5,000 award for land stewardship, innovation, and service to community.

 

Applications accepted until February 29, 2024.

 

 

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Charlotte commits to conservation via conservation fund and land trust

Vermont is well known for its incredible natural resources. Communities throughout the Green Mountain State have chosen to conserve special lands like forests, river corridors and wetlands.

In Charlotte, the Charlotte Conservation Fund and Charlotte Land Trust have been instrumental in conserving our town’s natural resources.

 

 

 

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Vermont Barn Painting Project launches for 2024

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM), in partnership with the A. Pizzagalli Family Farm Fund, is proud to announce the opening of the Vermont Barn Painting Project to new applicants for the 2024 painting season

 

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Vermont Agricultural Recovery Task Force releases final report

Following these devastating events, the Vermont Agricultural Recovery Task Force was established last August to coordinate recovery efforts for Vermont’s agriculture and food systems. The Task Force has now released the Extreme Weather Impact & Recovery report to highlight the impacts, provide details and data, an overview of the various recovery…

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Over $1.5 million invested in Dairy Farm Improvement & Modernization

The Northeast Dairy Business & Innovation Center announces the selected recipients of the Dairy Farm Modernization & Improvement Grants.

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‘Dig Deep Vermont’ campaign launches today

In the wake of the catastrophic 2023 severe weather and floods that caused widespread damage along Vermont waterways, several business and government leaders are stepping up for farms fighting to remain solvent.

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Agency of Agriculture announces $200K grants for Vermont specialty crops

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) announces $200,000 in grant funds to strengthen Vermont’s specialty crop industries and producer associations. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture crops (including honey, hops, maple syrup and mushrooms), and nursery crops (including Christmas trees and…

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$7.5 million grant funding announced for Agricultural Clean Water Initiative Program

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) has announced $7,500,000 available through the Agricultural Clean Water Initiative Program (Ag-CWIP) grant funding opportunity for local and regional partners to provide services for Vermont farms to support the improvement of water quality and climate change mitigation across the state.

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A Local Holiday Feast Is At Your Fingertips

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) and the Vermont Fresh Network (VFN) once again encourage those looking towards a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that Vermont’s local farms are ready to help.

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10 Vermont brands benefit from $12 million infusion for Northeast dairy processors

Dairy processors across the Northeast are receiving an important investment intended to build resiliency and spur industry growth in our region.

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Farm to Institution Market Development Grant Now Accepting Applications

The Farm to Institution Market Development Grant helps local food producers and processors sell more local food to local institutions. Awards range from $10,000 - $30,000. Applications are due by November 29th.

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CHT: Farmworker Housing program extended

Champlain Housing Trust announced today that the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) approved a new round of funding totaling $2.45 million for the organization’s Farmworker Housing programs, building upon the successful pilot project in partnership with the UVM Extension program initiated in 2022.

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Delegation hails USDA’s $7 million investment in Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) applauded the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) investment of more than $7 million in the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center.

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