On December 27, 2017

Matching grants available to local food producers

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) is pleased to announce the availability of up to $60,000 of funding for Local Food Market Development (LFMD) Grants to assist eligible Vermont farmers, businesses, and value-chain facilitators to reach new markets. VAAFM works to support market opportunities with an institutional or other wholesale focus in Vermont.

This year the agency has engaged a public-private partnership with philanthropic partners to augment these efforts and match up to $30,000 from the Vermont Legislature for this grant effort.

“The strong program similarities between the VAAFM’s Local Food Development Grant Program and the priorities of philanthropic partners’ farm to institution initiatives, provides an opportunity to grow economic success for Vermont agricultural businesses, while providing quality food to institutions like schools, colleges and hospitals,” says Secretary Anson Tebbetts.

The deadline for the FY2018 LFMD Grants is Jan. 24, 2018, and all applicants must demonstrate 25 percent of total project cost in matching funds.

This year’s grants will be available to projects that have goals to improve quality, efficiency, or food safety; address distribution challenges; and/or mitigate the financial risks associated with scaling up to meet new market demands. Grants ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 will be available for these efforts.

To qualify for funding consideration, applicants must either be a Vermont producer in pursuit of institutional market development or a value-chain facilitator that will directly support Vermont producers’ access to institutional and wholesale market expansion.

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

The state of real estate

February 12, 2025
  By Katy Savage   The local housing market picked up considerably after a slow start to 2024. Limited inventory remained a major driving factor with the total number of units sold up slightly by 1.9% across Rutland County and slightly down in the Upper Valley -3.5%, according to a regional analysis by Sotheby’s International Realty.…

Mountain Green condos $48m renovations is underway

February 12, 2025
By Polly Mikula Mountain Green Condominium Association, a 45-year-old, 215-unit association with a restaurant, spa, gym and two pools located across from Snowshed Lodge on East Mountain Road, is embarking on a $48 million renovation.  The renovations, under DEW Construction Corporation, will take about 2 1/2 years to complete. Work began in 2023 and is…

local furniture company is the go-to for high-end finishes in model homes

February 12, 2025
By Polly Mikula Steve Malone, developer of the new Base Camp at Bear Mountain townhomes, says all his model homes are decorated by Pompanoosuc Mills furniture, (a.k.a. “Pompy”) based in Thetford, Vermont. “It’s delux, Vermont-made furniture and a wonderful local company,” Malone said. “I’ve used Pompy for all of my model homes and many owners…

Base Camp at Bear Mountain plans to begin vertical construction this fall

February 12, 2025
By Polly Mikula Twenty-four 4-bedroom, 4-bath duplex townhouses with attached 2-car garages are underway at Bear Mountain in Killington. All of the townhomes will have ski-in ski-out access on the Bear Cub Trail. Site clearing for the new slope side duplex development at Killington Resort’s Bear Mountain began this past October and will resume with…