Vermont COVID-19 Agriculture Assistance Program Now Open

Posted on August 25, 2020 by Beth Holtzman

$8.5 Million in CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funding is now available to a wide variety of agricultural, food, and forestry businesses and organizations through the Vermont COVID-19 Agriculture Assistance Program (VCAAP) Agriculture and Working Lands Assistance Application.

General Eligibility Criteria

  • Farmers, commercial processors, commercial slaughterhouses, farmers’ markets, value-added food product businesses, forest products businesses, dairy producers or processors, and agriculture producer associations are eligible.
  • Applicants must have gross annual income of at least $10,000 to apply.
  • Applicants must be without an active enforcement violation that reached a final order with VAAFM and/or ANR.
  • Applicants must have verifiable losses and/or expenses since March 1, 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

How to Apply

  1. Determine if your business or organization is eligible for assistance by utilizing the Agriculture and Working Lands Eligibility Flowchart.
  2. Gather the following documentation: 2019 Tax Return, 2019 and 2020 Income Statements broken out by month, as well as documentation of losses incurred since March 1, 2020 that are related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Applicants should also have available the information that is captured in a W-9 form, but applicants are not required to submit a signed W-9 with their applications.
  3. Attend or view an Agriculture and Working Lands Webinar for Applicants. You may wish to initiate an application in the system prior to attending a webinar to become familiar with the application questions and layout. However, we strongly encourage applicants to wait to submit an application until after you have attended or viewed one of the webinars.
  4. Review the Agriculture and Working Lands Application Guide and reference the VCAAP Frequently Asked Questions.
  5. Complete and submit your application by October 1, 2020. If you need assistance throughout this process, refer to our list of Agriculture Business Support partners. Please keep in mind that grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so the application may close prior to October 1 if all funds are expended.

For more information:

(802) 828-2430 select #9
AGR.CovidResponse@vermont.gov

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Vermont COVID-19 Agriculture Assistance Program Now Open

Spotlight on Ansel Ploog, Flywheel Farm

Posted on March 29, 2020 by sbhodgso

Ansel Ploog manages Flywheel Farm in Woodbury, VT with Justin Cote where she grows organically certified vegetables and markets the produce wholesale and at their farmstand.

Ansel Ploog, Flywheel Farm Photo credit: Suzy Hodgson

Ansel Ploog, Flywheel Farm Photo credit: Suzy Hodgson

When Ansel started the farm in 2013, she had little farm management experience but a lot of ideas.  Ansel says, “I quickly realized, with farming and dealing with living systems that you cannot get too attached to a plan.”

For many new farmers, there’s a temptation to diversify and do everything from specialty greens to on-farm animals. Keeping  purchasing and sales records can help with decision-making. As Ansel says, “We liked the idea of a diversified farm with animals, so we had chickens for two years even though after the first winter we were thinking this isn’t a great idea. When we compared the amount of money going into feed, when the hens weren’t producing eggs, it became obvious that this was not going to work.”

Continue reading →

Posted in Business management, Culture and Society, Farmer Success Stories, Financial Management, Quality of life | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Spotlight on Ansel Ploog, Flywheel Farm

Women are an emerging force for Vt forests

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Beth Holtzman
Women at an outdoor workshop

Women are a large and growing part of America’s landowner population.  The percentage of family forests where women were the primary decision makers doubled from 2006 to 2013.  This nationwide trend of more women owning and operating forestland is also happening in Vermont’s woods.

According to the 2013 National Woodland Owner Survey, women are now the primary owners of 20 percent of Vermont’s available woodlands, meaning there are 475,000 acres of forestland in Vermont that are solely owned by women with another 1.1 million acres that are owned by women as co-owners.

Continue reading →
Posted in Culture and Society, Facts & Figures, Quality of life | Tagged | Comments Off on Women are an emerging force for Vt forests