Opportunity to Showcase Your Products at Harvest New England Day

Submitted by tim on Mon, 04/15/2024 - 05:30

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Is your business looking for a fun way to connect with new customers across New England? Apply to sell your products during Harvest New England Day on the lawn of the Vermont Building at the Big E! The Vermont Building is one of six public market style buildings on the Avenue of the States at the Big E, a 17-day fair and exposition that will take place September 13-29, 2024, in West Springfield, MA.

Harvest New England Day is a single-day, farmers market style event that will take place on Friday, September 27, 2024. This is a great opportunity for businesses who are interested in trying out their product at the Big E without a multi-day commitment. In 2022 on Harvest New England Day, more than 119,000 people visited the Big E fairgrounds!

Interested businesses must apply to this competitive opportunity by June 1st to be considered. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets seeks to support a diversity of businesses through this event. Priority will go to Vermont-based businesses whose products celebrate the state’s culture and heritage and align with its reputation for quality and craftsmanship.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to share your products with a large audience of people eager to experience the quality of Vermont! Please contact Kristen Brassard at [email protected] with questions.

Apply By June 1st

Webinar for New Infrastructure Grant

A new, one-time, USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant opportunity will be announced this Wednesday, April 17. The RFSI grant is focused on infrastructure for the middle-of-the-supply-chain. Examples of activities that can be funded by this grant include: value-add, aggregation, storage, distribution, manufacturing, transporting, and wholesaling of local and regional food products.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets will hold an informational webinar on April 30th from 11am - noon to share more about this exciting new grant.

Learn more and register for the webinar

Free, Confidential Wellbeing Checks, Gift Cards to Boot

Wellbeing checks are available year-round from Farm First, but for a limited time, farmers who sign up for the service can receive up to $200 in gift cards, while supplies last.

Wellbeing checks are free and confidential. They involve a brief survey to assess your wellbeing, meeting with a health coach, and, if you would like or as appropriate, choosing an issue to work on improving over a few sessions.

Once a farmer/farmworker completes the screen, they receive a $100 gift card. Three months later they're asked to complete the screen again and they receive a second $100 gift card.

Call (802) 277-5056 or email Angela Shea to get started.

Take the National Agritourism Survey

The 2024 National Agritourism Survey is open now until April 30. All agricultural operations that welcome visitors—whether for on-farm direct sales, educational programs, entertainment, farm stays, recreation, special events, and more—are invited to complete the survey.

By participating in this survey, you'll provide critical input on the types of support farmers require—whether it's getting business assistance, developing networks, applying for grants, or navigating zoning and liability issues.

Complete the Survey Here

VT Equine Industry Summit

Equine industry professionals, businesses, and organizations will gather in South Woodstock, VT on April 27 for the Vermont Horse Council’s conference, “Working Together to Create a Unified Voice for Vermont’s Equine Industry: Horses, Vermont Agriculture & Tourism.”

Attend the conference to hear from industry experts from the VT Farm Bureau, VT Law School, and VT Dept of Tourism & Marketing. Learn about the role of equine businesses in agriculture, tourism, trail access, and identifying industry-wide priorities.

Learn More and Register Here

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

April
4/15 - Spring Farm Agronomic Practices Program deadline
4/24 - VAAFM Scale Testing Full Day (Middlebury)
4/25 - VAAFM Scale Testing Full Day (Derby)
4/26 - VAAFM Scale Testing Full Day (St. Johnsbury)

May
5/2 - VAAFM Scale Testing Full Day (Randolph Center)

June
6/6 - Goat & Sheep Dairy Development Grant deadline

View the VAAFM Grants Calendar