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

 

Wood’s Market Garden

 

Capital Tractor, Inc.

 

 

 

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.

UVM Extension Northwest Crops & Soils Program invites you to their Annual Field Day at Borderview Research Farm, located at 487 Line Road in Alburgh, Vermont.

 

Check-in starts at 9:30 and the field day will get underway at 10:00 with a tour of the farm and many of its research plots and experiments involving perennial forages, corn, soybeans, small grains, hemp, dry beans, and more. Growers will get an update on ongoing and innovative crop and soil research trials. UVM researchers will share highlights from their research at the farm. After lunch, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., there are several afternoon session options.

 

The event includes a barbecue and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

Cost is free for farmers and $25 for all non-farmers.

 

VAAFM WQ, Custom Applicator, and CCA CEUs credits available.

 

Event is rain or shine, please dress appropriately. 

 

Contact Susan at susan.brouillette@uvm.edu or 802-656-7611 if you have any questions.

 

Advanced registration by July 25 is required. If you are unable to register online, call the UVM Non-Credit Registration office at 802-656-8407 to register.

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!

This program provides funding to support modernized, climate-forward dairy packaging initiatives that prioritize sustainability, scalability, and marketability.  Grant funds are available to dairy packaging projects along the spectrum of research, development, and implementation and for projects at a variety of scales.

 

 

Following the review of pre-applications, a subset of applicants will be invited to submit a full application beginning in mid-September to mid-November. Awards will range from $75,000 to $350,000 with a 25% (cash or in-kind) match commitment required.

 

Click here for the RFA for the first round of this two-step application process.

 

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.

 

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)

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.