VAAFM: Governor Scott wants to see more funding for agriculture

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets Governor Phil Scott proposed funding for food and agriculture initiatives in his budget speech on Friday, January 20. The Governor’s budget supports funding initiatives and programs to improve Vermont’s food, farm, and forest resources.

“This budget is well-thought-out, deliberate, systematic, and carefully crafted to make the best use of the resources we can find. It focuses on investing, not just spending money, to get better results and grow money, so we can improve families and communities. It prioritizes the counties and people who need our help the most, to provide a healthy and strong economy in every community,” said Governor Phil Scott.

One of these points comes from the recently released report of the Governor on the Future of Agriculture. Ultimately, the policy states: “All Vermonters benefit from healthy, nutritious and sustainable local food.”

To address this, the Governor has provided $10 million to “provide financial assistance to small and medium-sized farmers and processors in the meat, vegetable and maple industries.” These areas of our food supply have been unable, or ineligible, to earn money. This support will help them grow and become more successful, while producing more food for Vermont and the region.

The governor also wants to invest in the jobs of people who earn money from agriculture. Under the governor’s proposed budget, $4 million will be allocated to the Working Lands Enterprise Fund. This proven program allows food and forestry businesses to grow. The fund was also recommended by the Governor’s Commission of Agriculture. You can read their full report.

The proposed amount will be presented to the Parliament. The Agency of Agriculture promotes these businesses because they support our farmers and ranchers, who feed us and grow our fields.

The Governor’s proposal comes at a time when the region is making significant investments in dairy products. Those in the dairy industry have seen local processing as a way to help businesses thrive. The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center, located at the Agency, plans to launch a $13 million program to help dairy producers grow and improve their Vermont milk. This can mean lots of milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, and ice cream. Click to learn more about the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center

This is a difficult, but exciting, time for farming. The governor has proposed long-term and short-term funding to support our farmers, ranchers and food suppliers. Agriculture in the Green Mountain State is changing and emerging as a cornerstone of Vermont’s future. Please join us and invest in Vermont.

Anson Tebbetts

Surface Water Removal Reporting Program A reminder that as of January 15, Act 135 states that any Vermont Farm that withdraws 10,000 gallons or more of groundwater in a 24-hour period, or 150,000 gallons every 30 days in 2022, will report to VAAFM by January 31. . The goal of Act 135 is to better understand Vermont’s surface water needs and take action to ensure the resilience and availability of surface water in a changing climate. VAAFM has prepared forms for farm water users to report withdrawals from July 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022. The reporting forms are available online and can be sent to [email protected]. Deadline: January 31st To help underserved municipalities with populations of 150,000 or less, the National League of Cities and the Local Infrastructure Hub are offering several bootcamps. The bootcamps were created to help local governments take advantage of more than $9.5 billion in opportunities provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Over the next two years, there will be 30 bootcamps, which focus on investments that can be made to improve energy use and energy storage, tolls and fuel systems, safe roads and streets, and Brownfields. Registration will open soon for spring bootcamps; save the website and take care. See more support Join the Vermont Farm Bureau for a session on Grant Writing and Access for Vermont farmers and speakers from Maria Noth of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative. Join this free workshop at the UVM Extension Building in Berlin from 1-3pm. Pre-registration is encouraged, you do not have to be a Farm Bureau member to attend. Application Deadline: February 2nd There are more ways today than ever to connect with consumers; but it’s more difficult than ever to stand out and get their attention. The best digital marketing strategy is multifaceted and automated so you can do more and reach more customers with less time. This week on the blog, we’re sharing the best ways to get started with your digital marketing strategy. Read the whole blog!