Author Archives: Mark Cannella

Support for Farms Applying to Covid-Relief Grants

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UVM Extension Farm Viability business advisors are working with the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) Viability network to offer assistance to all farmers with the Vermont Covid Ag Assistance Program . VHCB has an intake form here to request assistance with your grant application.

The deadline for grant applications is October 1, 2020. To learn more about the program visit the website: VT Covid-19 Agricultural Assistance Program

 A number of other programs have emerged to provide funds or support services to farms across Vermont. See the Ag Covid Program Directory below. This document includes several links to grants, FSA payment programs and educational events.

Ag-Covid-Program-Directory-9-8-20Download

New Grants for Vermont Farm Covid-19 Business Recovery

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The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets has announced it will begin accepting applications the week of August 17th for the new Agriculture and Working Lands Assistance grants program. This program is designed for non-dairy farmers, poultry/livestock producers and farmers’ markets. Applications will be accepted and awarded on a first come-first served basis until October 1st. VAAFM is hosting online informational webinars for applicants and service provider organization supporting the business owner application process this week and next week. See the VAAFM grants webpage to get application and grant information: Agriculture and Working Lands Assistance grants program.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is also offering the Dairy Assistance grants program and the Agricultural Fairs grant program that support enterprises that have prior or ongoing income loss or increased costs due to the Covid-19 economic impact. Both programs have online applications available now.

Vermont Small Farm Viability and Conservation Report

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UVM Extension has released a report that documents conservation adoption and economic viability on Certified Small Farm Operations. Conservation and Farm Viability on Vermont Small Farms (FBRR035) is available online. This report summarizes responses from over 170 Vermont farms to a 2019 survey. UVM Agricultural Business explores the current situations that business owners face and the major issues moving forward.

UVM Maple Development Webinar Series Starts in August

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Photo credit: Mark Isselhardt

University of Vermont maple specialists will host a series of online webinars focused on business decision making and forestry practices. Learn about the best practices to integrate business management and sugarbush management for a thriving maple enterprise that targets profits and forest health.

Session information and registration is now available for sessions on August 5th, August 19th, September 2nd and September 16th. Watch our website for an updated schedule advertising webinar topics for October- December. Register now on the Upcoming Events page at www.maplemanager.org or download the program schedule here: UVM Maple Webinar Schedule

Topics will include: sugarbush leases, rental rates, business planning, tapping practices to optimize yield, tapping red maples, business entity set-up, sap-only enterprises and more. Presenters will include: Abby van den Berg (Research Associate Professor), Mark Isselhardt (Maple Specialist), Mark Cannella (Extension Associate Professor), Chris Lindgren (Forest Business Coordinator), attorneys, foresters and industry specialists.

Covid-19 Updates for Ag Businesses

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Updated 5/13/20

This page is being updated regularly with resources for agricultural businesses owners operating through the current health crisis.

Vermont Policy Updates

(4/24/20) Governor Scott releases new policy to open today for nurseries, greenhouses, and garden centers, effective Monday April 27th, 2020. See Addendum 11. This announcement, effective April 27th, 2020, allows for in-person customer purchase of seeds, annuals, vegetable seedlings, perennials, herbs, shrubs, trees, and other landscaping and gardening materials from an outdoor retail operation in adherence to the guidelines outlined in Addendum 11.

(4/24/20) Vermont Farmers Markets will be allowed to reopen under the new Farmers Market Guidance released by Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM)

(4/22/20) Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The Vermont Department of Labor is now set-up to accept unemployment claims for “self employed” business owners under PUA. PUA website for Self Employed and online application page

Micro Loan and Grant Programs: Rural VT Farmers Market Grant ($500), American Farmland Trust Grants ($1k max); VT Farm Fund (up to $10k Emergency Loans), FACT Mini-Grant ($500 for livestock and poultry)

US Small Business Administration Emergency Programs

5/4/20 : As of today (5/4) EIDL application webpage opened up today! New PPP applications are being processed. Prepare your PPP applications directly with your local bank/lender.

SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) webpage: Updated fact sheets and applications are posted below. Contact your local bank or lender for information on how to submit an application. Farms, Forest and Maple businesses are eligible for PPP.

Paycheck-Protection-Program-4-26-20_FAQsDownload
PPP-How-to-Calculate-Loan-Amounts-4-24-20Download
PPP-Fact-Sheet 4-10-20Download
PPP-Frequently Asked Questions-4.10.20Download
PPP-Lender-Application-Form-US treasury 4-6-20Download
PPP-Lender-Application-Form-Fillable PDF_US Treas 4-6Download

PPP for Self Employed (sole proprietor) seeking benefit for themselves. See this article on how to calculate your previous year Schedule F “Net Earnings” from prior year.

(4/15/20) Updated Eligibility Guidelines for PPP, See page 6 for how business owners with no employees will calculate amounts. Where is says “Schedule C Line 31”, farm owners will use “Schedule F Line 34” Click Link Below

PPP Interim-Final-Rule-Additional-Eligibility-Criteria-and-RequirementsDownload

What is an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Emergency Advance? 4/22/20 “Farms” will be eligible for the EIDL program in the second relief package. We expect the SBA online application eligibility section to reflect that chance once the program re-opens.

A borrower applying for EIDL can request an advance on the loan of up to $10,000 from the Small Business Administration (SBA). See the SBA EIDL Website. Applications are made online with the SBA directly. EIDL “advance” amounts are based on $1,000 per employee, thus a business with 10 or more employees can apply for the $10k max. The actual EIDL Loan can be for up to $2M and has an interest rate of 3.75%

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Application

Small Business Owners Guide US CARES Act: See document download below (includes Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan/Grants) Note: As of 4/24/20, We have confirmation that farm businesses are eligible for the PPP SBA programs. “Farms” (ie. 100% farm production) are also eligible for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). Food processors, value-added, maple syrup producers, nursery and aquaculture are eligble for EIDL. Both these programs feauture “forgivable” portions for certain uses and do not require 100% repayment. See the CARES Act Summary below.

Small-Business-Owners-Guide-to-the-CARES-Act-final Download

VT Agency of Agriculture Covid-19 Response Page: Submission form to submit your emerging business issues, newsletter sign up and resource links.

VT Agency of Commerce and Community Development Covid Updates: Covid Newsletter Sign Up, Emergency Declaration Guidance, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Submit data on your business losses to inform agencies where support is needed

VT Emergency Management: This site contains the Essential Persons List (subject to change) and it’s relation to Emergency Child Care


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Sugarbush Rental Rates

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The number of maple taps in Vermont has doubled in the last 10 years. Many producers are expanding and securing a lease on a maple sugarbush can be a viable alternative to purchasing the land.

Photo Credit: Mark Isselhardt

Maple stand quality, accessibility, access to power and other factors will impact the rental price. Cash rental rates are common for maple forests. A typical rate in recent years has been about $1.00 per tap. In competitive maple regions in Vermont rental rates are $1.50 or more per tap. In regions with less demand or less desirable forest parcels $0.50-$0.99 is observed.

Setting flexible terms is an option for parties that want to share profits or risk between tenants and landowners. A flexible cash rate can be written so that the annual rate adjusts for the market price of syrup. Rental rates could also be adjusted for a variable crop yield.

UVM Extension is working on rental resources and maple lease templates this fall. New resources will be presented at Vermont Maple Conferences in January and made available online. Register now for the 2020 Vermont Maple Conferences in Middlebury (January 11th), Brattleboro (January 18th), and Hyde Park (January 28th).

Northeast Maple Producer Survey

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Maple producers can complete the survey here: Maple Producer Survey

Photo Credit: Mark Isselhardt

The University of Vermont is conducting the Northeast Maple Producer Survey to understand the recent development in the maple sector and to inform how education and research can support maple producers. The survey will ask you about your maple production history, forestry practices, business goals and educational interests. Current projects focus on the Northeast but producers in any US state are welcome to complete the survey!

Participants will be asked to complete the online version or print survey. The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. If you would like to complete a paper version you can contact Christi Sherlock at 802-476-2003 or Christi.Sherlock@uvm.edu to have a copy mailed to you.

The results of this survey will be published by University of Vermont Extension, shared in industry publications and discussed at maple conferences beginning in Fall 2019.

Maple producers can complete the survey here: Maple Producer Survey

Maple Planning Tools are Now Available Online

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vtmaplebiz.org

University of Vermont has created a suite of short-form business planning tools for maple operations. The Maple Business website provides web-based modules that include a yield calculator, a pricing tool with a sales forecast report, and a budget tool with a cost analysis report. A self-guided business plan is also available for users to draft and print sections of a written business plan. The modules offer an optional log-in feature that enables users to save their progress and return to work on their plan at another time.

Are you developing a new marketing plan? Using the Gross Sales Forecast a maple producer can take their entire maple crop and assign it to different container sizes and prices. Here is a sample report for 6,000 tap enterprise selling 80% of the crop as bulk syrup and 20% in retail containers.

More Maple Business Coming in 2019

Northeast Maple Producer Survey: In late August UVM Extension will be sending a survey across the Northeastern United States inquiring about business practices, business outlook and forestry practices.

Maple Leasing Resources: In Fall 2019 UVM Extension will begin publishing a series of maple leasing templates and legal resources to guide the development of business partnerships and other business-to-business relationships.

Are you looking for a new resource or business calculator to move your decision-making forward? Contact Mark Cannella at UVM Extension Maple Business today and share your ideas!

Crop Insurance Resources and Winter Webinars

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From Jake Jacobs, UVM Crop Insurance Education Coordinator

A series of webinars on various crop insurance topics is being presented this winter through a combined effort between Penn State Extension and National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS).  These are designed to familiarize farmers with the various insurance options and to help producers make decisions about how crop insurance might fit in with their farm’s risk management plan.  For each crop, participants will learn:

  • What crop insurance products are available
  • What risks are covered
  • How different types of insurance work
  • What options within each policy are available
  • The application process
  • Where to go for additional information and help

Here are the webinars scheduled in the 2nd half of February:

2/26/19              Green Peas

2/28/19              Oats

Pennsylvania

For a complete list of all remaining topics in the webinar series, go to the NCIS webinar link:

For resources on agricultural risk management for Vermont producers, visit the UVM Ag Risk website

https://go.uvm.edu/ag-risk

USDA and the University of Vermont are equal opportunity providers and employers. This material is funded in partnership by USDA, Risk Management Agency, under award number RM18RMETS524C022.

2019 Maple Production, Markets and Programs

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It’s “all systems go” across the US maple regions in February. Producers have begun to tap trees and troubleshoot tubing systems. With only a few rumors of early sap collection in January most Vermont producers have begun or are about to begin setting taps for the 2019 crop. Drop line and spout sanitation practices paired with high vacuum tubing systems enable longer tap hole longevity to catch early runs and maintain production later in the season. UVM Proctor Maple Research Center leads the nation in maple production research and Vermont producer yields continue to lead the nation (see USDA NASS reports on the Extension Maple Pages).

The UVM Extension Maple Program, Addison County Maple Sugarmakers and the statewide VMSMA organized three maple conferences in January. Workshop topics included production, forest health, and food safety. Attendees and presenters put a large emphasis on market conditions. Industry leaders felt the expansion of maple taps continues but it has slowed in the past two years. Representatives from Quebec indicated that roughly 60% of the recent FPAQ 5 Million tap expansion allowance is currently hitting markets. The remaining taps are still being set up over the next few years. The general outlook is that US bulk maple syrup prices will hover near $2.00-$2.10 plus premiums for 2019. No one was willing to predict prices would increase but there was general agreement that nothing significant has prompted the price to drop below $2.00 per pound. Local maple marketers shared insights that wholesale and retail competition has grown dramatically in the northeast. Many marketers are setting their sights on consumers outside the northern maple belt region. Maple businesses are also working to differentiate themselves with unique products, packaging and branding to maintain sales. Large packers reminded attendees that Canadian syrup imports remain competitive due to the current US-Canadian currency exchange rates. Meanwhile, pure maple syrup is well positioned for consumer demand for natural sweeteners in the United States.

A new Maple Cheerios hit stores recently!!!

Three new projects began this fall in Vermont to support maple syrup production and marketing through 2021. National USDA Acer Access and Development Projects.