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Ag Agency: Give thanks for local food

Submitted by tim on

Plan a Perfect Holiday Meal Close to Home

Vermont Business Magazine Thanksgiving is normally the peak travel weekend of the year, but this year many will be staying closer to home, and some may be prepping Thanksgiving Dinner for the first time. To take some of the pressure off, we have collected tips for creating the perfect local meal no matter your situation.

Looking to support local farms and producers? The Vermont Fresh Network’s Local Holiday Meal Guide helps you find where to shop for local turkey and more. You can also plan a trip to a holiday farmers market and use the DiginVT map to search by category and location for other great ingredients to complete your meal. What about the finishing touch? From sweet to savory condiments, no holiday table should be without these Vermont specialty products.

More Local Food Tips Please!
Fairs and Field Days Grant

The 2021 Fairs and Field Days grant application opens tomorrow, November 16. This year the Capital Projects Competitive Grants program and the Stipend Fund have been combined into one application.

Funding for the Agricultural Fairs & Field Days Capital Projects Competitive Grants program and the stipend fund is appropriated yearly to assist VT fairs with capital improvements and operational costs.

Deadline to apply is December 10, 2020
VCLF Sprout Loans

The Vermont Community Loan Fund is offering low interest (1% - 2%) loans of up to $60,000 to working lands businesses.

The ideal SPROUT applicant will be a business playing a central role in a local or regional supply chain proposing to undertake a significant growth opportunity, such as the development of a new product or expansion into a new market.

Financing will be augmented with technical assistance and consulting tailored to meet each borrower’s specific needs, free-of-charge.
Business Health Webinar

Join a free, informational webinar, Diagnosing Your Business Health, designed to help you ensure your business is on the right path.

The webinar will help business owners identify, rank, and prioritize the actions your business should take to improve its sustainability and profitability.

There are two dates to join:
Local Food System Resources

USDA has launched a resource hub for Local Food Systems responding to COVID-19. Resources are available on topics such as new technology, market channel innovations, policy education, food safety best practices and more.

There are resources for researchers, producers, extension personnel, government officials, technical assistance providers, and consumers. Additional resources and research will be made available throughout the year.

Source: Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets