For the past year, we’ve been focusing on creating a supportive environment for the next generation of farmers to thrive in Vermont. These farmers face an exciting future with promising new technologies that are both good for the environment and good for their bottom line. 

 

At the same time, they’re concerned about profitability and sustainability as prices fluctuate, input costs rise, the labor market tightens, regulations increase, and climate change results in less predictable weather patterns. 

 

One such farmer is Nick DeGraaf, a 29-year-old second generation operator of DeGraaf Dairy in Richmond. 

 

How is Nick and his family adapting to the changing world around them?

Marin Howell from the Addison Independent sat down with CVFC's Vijay Nazareth and Brooke Small to learn about an exciting new internship program offered to the county's high schoolers that aims to support workforce development. 

 

This 8-week internship is part of the Lake Champlain Sustainable Agriculture Program and is overseen by Champlain Valley Farmer’s Coalition in partnership with local High Schools and Middlebury College and funded by VT Agency of Agriculture.  

 

Click here to read the full article. Please note, the article is located behind a paywall. 

 

 

Join UVM Extension at Woodlawn Farm to discuss integrating corn grain and soybean production into your farming operation. Seth and Kate Leach will talk about their investment in grain infrastructure and the benefits to adding this enterprise to their dairy operation.

 

This meeting is a collaboration with the UVM Extension Ag Business and the Northwest Crops and Soils Team. Jeremy Russo and Whitney Hull from UVM Extension’s Ag Business team will highlight how growing your own grains impacts input costs, cow health and milk production. Heather Darby and Je Sanders, from the Northwest Crops and Soils team, will cover important agronomic practices when growing grains, as well as benefits to soil health.

 

This workshop will be the first in a series, with future workshop locations in Addison and Franklin Counties. This is a free event and lunch will be provided. In the event of inclement weather, this workshop will be moved

indoors onsite.

 

Representatives from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, as well as the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, will be in attendance to answer questions about funding opportunities in relation to water quality impacts.

 

To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, contact Whitney Hull at 802-279-7517 or whitney.hull@uvm.edu by Wednesday, October 18, 2023 so we may assist you. Contact Whitney with program questions or for additional information.

 

 

Brought to you by the Franklin County NRCD, this training is for

anyone who works with land stewards (including farmers, foresters, residential lands, etc.) to provide technical assistance related to land and soil management. It is aimed at providers in Vermont and the Lake Champlain Basin portion of New York. The goals are for providers to develop their understanding of the current science around soil health, management practices that support soil health (historic, current, and cutting-edge), and site-specific considerations when working with land stewards. 

The series begins with an in-person kickoff on Tuesday November 14th followed by 12 weeks of weekly 2hr webinars each Tuesday from 2pm-4pm. Click here for more information.

The Organic Certification Cost Share Program deadline has been extended from November 1st to December 15th. If you are a certified organic producer or handler who have paid certification fees to become newly certified or re-certified, you may be eligible for cost-share reimbursement. 

Certified organic operations may receive reimbursement of up to 75% of their direct certification costs paid annually, not to exceed $750 per certification scope. There are up to four eligible certification scopes (crops, livestock, wild crops, and handling), which must be individually inspected for organic certification to be eligible for reimbursement. 

Reimbursement is available on a first come, first served basis. Click here to learn more and apply. 

The State of Vermont received a $16 million grant from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) in 2015. In 2020, this grant was extended for five years with an additional $10 million in assistance to farmers and forest landowners. This program provides financial and technical assistance for the development and implementation of water quality improvement throughout Vermont. Funds are available for agricultural and forestry best management practices, for wetland restoration, and for agricultural, wetland, and forestry easements.

 

Priority is given to smaller farms and forest operations for practice implementation with a focus on agronomic and forestry water quality improvement practices, grazing, and feed management. Unique opportunities through RCPP include the following:

 

 

All Vermont farm and forest landowners are eligible, however strong priority for agricultural practice funding is given to small farmers (CSFO and SFO). Easement prioritization is based on water quality protection value and availability of funding.

 

Landowners who are interested in this RCPP program are encouraged to reach out to the RCPP planners with the VT Association of Conservation District. General programmatic questions may be directed to: Marli Rupe, Agricultural Water Quality Section Chief, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, marli.rupe@vermont.gov or 802-490-6171. Click here for more information.

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center announces the Dairy Farm Improvement & Modernization Grant. This grant program is available for dairy farmers or groups of farmers via technical assistance providers, producer associations, or milk buyers and will fund a wide range of projects that prioritize long-term farm viability and climate/economic resilience. Projects at all stages and levels of complexity will be considered, but the most competitive projects will include direct involvement of a service provider, business planner, farm succession planner, or technical assistance provider to demonstrate a strategic, long-term approach to their grant project investment. Projects that benefit more than one dairy farm will also be more competitive.

 

 

Click here to learn more and apply!

Financial assistance is available for new or used innovative equipment that will aid in the reduction of surface runoff of agricultural wastes to state waters, improve water quality of state waters, reduce odors from manure application, separate phosphorus from manure, mitigate greenhouse gasses, and reduce costs to farmers when they apply manure.

 

Applications must be received by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets by November 1, 2023. Notification of successful applicants will occur by February 1, 2024. Funded equipment must be purchased next spring after the grant is awarded and before June 1 2024. Click here to learn more and apply. 

 

$1 million is available through the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets for food and farm businesses, organizations, or individuals who raise animals and/or grow food or crops for sale, or who operate on-farm processing operations that have experienced physical damage due to the flooding event. These applicants will apply as “agriculture” sector applicants via the Agency of Agriculture website.

 

Agricultural or food businesses engaged in off-farm processing or food manufacturing should apply directly to ACCD BEGAP as a “manufacturing” or “retail” sector applicant.

 

Grants are reviewed on a first come, first serve basis. The application portal opened August 3rd, so apply now while funding is available!

 

If you represent a farm or agricultural operation and have questions, please email agr.floodresponse@vermont.gov or contact Agency of Agriculture staff Abbey Willard at 802-272-2885 or Mary Montour at 802-461-6087. Click here to learn more and 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.