VSFA will be holding this year's Fall Annual Meeting virtually. This event features Keynote Speaker Natalie King, Chief of Sales & Marketing at Stonewall Kitchen, and a Specialty Food Trends Post-COVID session presented by Ron Tanner, Vice President, Education, Government & Industry Relations for the Specialty Food Association.

This meeting will also serve as the Annual Meeting with board elections. All voting members should have received a ballot in the mail at the beginning of September.

When: October 7, 1:00 pm

The Vermont Farm Fund has Business Builder Loans available at the low rate of 3% interest. The application process is straightforward and fast. 

The loan amount available can range between $5,000 and $30,000 with a term of 2-4 years for repayment. Business Builder loans are exclusively for Vermont farmers, those who own a Vermont food-related business whose primary inputs are Vermont farm products, and those who support Vermont farmers. The loans are for businesses to invest and innovate for growth, increasing the availability of local foods in Vermont. 
 

UVM Extension wants to make sure H2A workers are as healthy as possible during this busy time of year and into the future. The fall flu season combined with COVID is potentially a huge threat to the success and viability of farms and they want to help reduce this risk.

They are making available FREE health services on and off-farm in the coming weeks and are doing a health needs assessment to help make decisions about future services: on-farm health screenings, telehealth visits, and educational materials. Please complete the H2A Health Needs Assessment for your farm.  
 

The Rural Energy for America 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.

Funds may be used for renewable energy systems as well as the purchase, installation and construction of energy efficiency improvements.

Applications due: November 2, 2020 or March 31, 2021

Vermont Legislature Extends VCAAP Application Deadline

Vermont Dairy Producers & Processors and Working Lands & Agricultural Businesses will be able to apply through November 15.
 

The deadline for the Vermont COVID-19 Agricultural Assistance Program (VCAAP) Dairy Assistance Application and Agriculture & Working Lands Application has been extended to November 15, 2020 at 8:00 AM.  This extension and some important changes to the grant programs were included in new legislation.
 
The Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets will temporarily suspend taking new applications for a couple of weeks to update the application. The Agency will continue to process applications received prior to the initial deadline of October 1, 2020 at 8:00 AM. During this interim period, the Agency strongly encourages potential applicants to gather documentation of their losses and costs related to the COVID-19 public health emergency and prepare to apply when the applications reopen.