Dairy farmer Allan Brisson–pictured above, left, with his son Michael–is a manure injection evangelist. 

 

He’ll share the good word about this agriculture practice to 

anyone who will listen.

 

“I basically preach it–I don’t know why. I guess it’s because I’m passionate about it,” explains Allan. “It works so well and we all should be working in that direction.”

 

What's so great about manure injection, anyway? 

 

Thank you to these farms, individuals, and businesses for joining or renewing their membership in the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition over the past month!

 

Cloudland Farm*

 

Whitney Hull*

 

Poulin Grain

United Ag & Turf Northeast

 

 

 

We've received an inquiry from a local journalist who is interested in interviewing Addison County farmers who use industrial heat pumps. They would like to learn how this technology has helped you to reduce your energy use or save on utility bills.

 

If you are interested in learning more, please contact our Communications & Media Consultant Sarah Audet at sarah@hedgehogfox.co or call/text 802-349-3597. She can give you more information and connect you with the journalist if you decide you would like to speak with them.

The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund's business management coaching program just launched Business Sense, a six-module training series for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

 

The series provides essential tools and informational resources in areas such as financials, operations, sales and marketing, human resources, leadership, and governance.

 

Business Sense aims to help businesses thrive. The first two modules, Financial Literacy and Business Operations, have been released and the remaining four modules will be launching soon.

 

The series is designed to accelerate the growth of Vermont-based enterprises and expand the leadership capacity of entrepreneurs.

 

Click here to view the first two modules and to learn more!

Join UVM Extension specialists for two farm tours this summer to learn about ways to enhance bird, bee, and beneficial insect habitats in your rotational grazing systems. View the full event flyer here. Register for these free events by calling or emailing Kelsie Meehan at 802-656-4829 or Kelsie.meehan@uvm.edu

 

Join us for a hands-on dairy herd health workshop hosted by Cedar Mountain Farm and led by veterinarian Dr. Dayna Locitzer, DVM.

 

With a mix of time in the classroom, on pasture, and in the barn, we’ll discuss the many facets of herd health: prevention, detection, and treatment of disease, a cow’s daily time budget, physical exam of the cow, practice of veterinary care techniques, and calving and when to intervene.

 

Co-owners Kerry Gawalt and Stephen Leslie established Cedar Mountain Farm in 1999. The farm includes a pasture-based dairy that supplies milk to Cobb Hill Cheese, and produces year-round vegetables, beef, and raw milk. Cedar Mountain practices rotational grazing and agroforestry to enhance the health of their herd, soils, and land.

Dr. Dayna Locitzer has over 10 years’ experience working with pasture-based dairies in the Northeast. She currently works as a large animal veterinarian at Green Mountain Bovine Clinic in Chesterfield, N.H. and worked on organic dairy farms in New York’s Hudson Valley for 6 years before starting veterinary school.

 

This workshop is free and lunch will be provided.

 

To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, contact Kelsie Meehan at 802-656-4829 or kelsie.meehan@uvm.edu at least two weeks before the event so we may assist you. Contact Kelsie with program questions or for additional information.

 

This event is sponsored by UVM Extension and the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center.

 

Please join Larson Farm for a pasture walk highlighting the use of automatic gate openers and innovative seeding strategies to improve soil fertility, pasture dry matter intake, and overall farm sustainability. These technologies were implemented as part of a grant with the Dairy Business Innovation Center in collaboration with 5 other farms and the Center for an Agricultural Economy. The pasture walk will take place from 1-3, with a potluck to follow. Bring a dish and dishes to eat on. Please register in advance.

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) announces  the availability of funds through the Dairy Marketing and Branding Services Grant Program, which will provide grants for established value-added dairy processors and producer associations to access professional marketing and branding services to elevate value-added dairy businesses. Projects funded by this grant will increase the exposure and promotion of regionally produced dairy products guided by marketing/branding professionals. Funded projects will increase consumer awareness of products, develop market channels and distribution opportunities to increase product placement, support innovative strategies to increase consumption, and/or increase business revenues.

 

Additionally, up to 25% of the grant funds may be used to implement the strategy and/or content developed by the contractor.

 

Awards will range from $10,000 - $50,000 with a match requirement of 25%.

 

The application period ends June 8, 2023 at 2:00 PM EST. Click here to learn more and to apply. 

 

City Market is excited to announce that applications for the community grants program are now open! If you have a project in mind that aligns with their mission to support local food systems, environmental sustainability, and community resilience, you are encouraged to apply.

 

The deadline for submitting your grant application is Friday, June 23, 2023 at 5 pm. To apply, you can submit a digital application to grants@citymarket.coop, drop off a hard copy at the Customer Service desk in either our Downtown or South End locations, or mail it to City Market, Attn: Carrie Putscher, 82 South Winooski Avenue, Burlington VT 05401.

 

A committee made up of City Market Members and staff will review the applications and make recommendations for grant awards to our Board of Directors. Grant requests can range from $500 to $7,500. Click here to learn more and apply!

 

The Addison County Regional Planning Commission (ACRPC) is administering a 2022 Environmental Conservation (DEC) Project Development Block Grant to subgrant funds to develop water quality improvement projects through July of 2024. Funds should be used for getting landowners, municipalities and other partners “on board” with projects to improve water quality and to move projects towards design and implementation. All project work, invoicing and reporting must be complete by July 1, 2024. Applications are due by May 5th, 2023. Click here for more information and information on how to apply. Contact Hannah Andrew with questions at handrew@acrpc.org.

 

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) is accepting applications for Tier 3 funding through the Existing Dairy Processor Expansion Grant program to address the significant need for investment in processing infrastructure in the Northeast. This grant will only fund existing dairy processing facilities located in the Northeast region with a focus on expanding utilization of regionally sourced milk, dairy components, and/or dairy mix, and diversifying the supply chain.

 

Projects funded through this grant will focus primarily on acquiring specialized equipment needed to increase processing capacity through volume expansion and existing product line expansion. Additional activities related to training, marketing, or supply chain logistics that directly support increased production capacity may be included.

 

Grants are available to applicants in all Northeast states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

 

Tier 3 applications close August 24, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. EST. To learn more and to apply, click here. 

 

The VAAFM Farm Agronomic Practices (FAP) Program invests state funds in soil-based agronomic practices to improve soil quality, increase crop production, and reduce erosion and surface runoff from agricultural fields.

 

Grant applications are currently open for conservation practices planned to be installed July 1st of each year to June 30th of the following calendar year. These practices include manure injection, conservation tillage, no-till pasture and hayland renovation, and rotation of cropland into hay.

 

Funding is limited and available on a first-come-first-served basis, so apply now! Applications are due at least 30 days prior to implementation for all conservation practices. We recommend that farmers plan as far ahead as possible for implementation of agronomic practices, especially when seeking financial assistance. There is a maximum annual funding cap of $10,000 per farm operation and application deadlines for each practice. The next deadline is June 15th, 2023 for Rotational Grazing. 

 

Click here to learn more and to apply! 

 

Provides pasture management technical assistance and financial assistance to Vermont farmers to improve water quality and on-farm livestock exclusion from surface waters statewide. Applications accepted year-round. Click here for more information.

 

Provides technical and financial assistance to Vermont farmers for in-field agronomic best practices to address critical source areas, erosion, and surface runoff. The Program’s goal is to reduce soil erosion and improve soil and water quality on cropland that contributes a disproportionately high level of nutrients in runoff. Such areas of cropland are considered “Critical Source Areas” (CSAs), representing a small proportion of the landscape yet a high proportion of nonpoint source pollution loads. Applications accepted year-round. Click here for more information.

 

A voluntary program designed to reduce sediment runoff and improve water quality by removing land from agricultural production and establishing vegetative buffers. State and federal funds are used to compensate landowners for the loss of productive agricultural land through upfront incentive payments and annual rental payments based on the total acreage dedicated to vegetated filter strips, forested buffers, or grassed waterways. Applications accepted year-round. Click here for more information.

 

The CRRP will provide funding for projects that make capital improvements or capital expansions that were delayed due to the negative economic impacts of COVID-19. Eligible uses for these funds include the development of affordable housing, improvements to or new construction of childcare facilities, projects for nonprofits and small businesses in impacted industries*, and municipal water supply and wastewater projects. These recovery funds are intended to retain and expand existing businesses and nonprofit organizations with a preference for projects located in regions and communities with declining or stagnant grand list values. The application is now open and will remain open until all funds are allocated. Click here for more information.

 

The program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing. Applications accepted year-round. Click here for more information. Contact Tracy Rexford with any questions regarding REAP at  tracy.rexford@usda.gov.