USDA funds will increase access to fresh local foods in Vermont
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) will receive $227,661 through USDA’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) grant program as part of Wholesome Wave’s $3.77 million grant. The award will be used to support increased access to fruits and vegetables for the food insecure of Vermont, while also benefitting small and mid-sized farmers in the region.
Read More City Market Celebrates Earth Week
Burlington, VT - City Market is celebrating Earth Week Monday, April 20 – Sunday, April 26 by partnering with Seventh Generation, Ben & Jerry’s, Cabot Creamery, and Vita Coco to give away free, reusable tote bags to highlight and promote the Co-op’s sustainability efforts. For this celebratory week, City Market will not have paper and plastic bags available at the registers, in the hope that customers who receive a free, reusable bag will remember to bring them back on future visits to the Co-op.
Read More Slow Money Vermont to host Entrepreneur Showcase on May 7
Vermont food entrepreneurs to present at Slow Money Vermont Entrepreneur Showcase event. Investors, entrepreneurs, and service providers will network to foster a shared vision for 21st Century Main Street investing to support a viable and sustainable agricultural economy in Vermont and the region. Special guest speaker: Michael Pieciak, Deputy Commissioner of the Vermont Securities Division—VT Department of Financial Regulation.
Read More New Survey Will Help Farmers Prepare for FSMA Produce Safety Rule
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (VAAFM) is working with farmers to help prepare for implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
Read More Slow Living Summit to focus on farms, food, food systems
The Summit, taking place in Brattleboro June 3-5, is presented by Strolling of the Heifers, the Vermont-based food advocacy organization that works to connect people with local food and to support innovation and entrepreneurship at farms and food businesses. Subtitled “Food, Mindfully,” the Summit will explore “the journey of food”, with topics including nourishment and wellness, food entrepreneurship, food systems, food justice and food policy.
Read More Green Mountain Power Partners with Ferrisburg Farmer
Nea-Tocht Farm turbine is GMP’s third community-scale wind turbine
Read More Cocktail Walk offers an inside look at Vermont’s budding craft spirits scene
Cocktail Walk begins it's 2015 season, celebrating Vermont distillers, bitters, and restaurants. The series of twenty events in 2015 represent eleven distillers, six restaurants and a number of farms/producers.
Read More H.35 is a Vital Step Forward In Addressing Clean Water and Agriculture in Vermont
By Chuck Ross, Secretary Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, & Markets The clean water bill currently under consideration in the Vermont House of Representatives (House Bill 35) is a vital step forward for Vermont’s efforts to address the problem of polluted storm water runoff into our lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. This bill addresses the problem of excess nutrients and sediment that flow off of our parking lots, roofs, roads, driveways, yards and farm fields when the snow melts or the rain falls. As Secretary of Agriculture, as a farmer, as a father, and as someone who takes great pleasure in enjoying swimming, boating and fishing on Lake Champlain, I could not be more pleased with the direction that the legislature is headed with this important piece of legislation. The health of our state’s economy, including our farm economy, depends upon finding a solution to the our water quality challenges.
Read More Winter Manure Spreading Ban Ends on April 1 - But Farmers Are Urged to Assess Carefully Before Proceeding
April 1st is the end of the Winter Manure Spreading Ban imposed by the Accepted Agricultural Practice Regulations (AAPs). But the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (VAAFM) is reminding farmers that they should carefully assess their individual situation to make sure they do not violate the AAPs if they choose to spread manure at this time. The AAPs require that all agricultural wastes be managed in order to prevent adverse impacts to water quality. That means that while it is legal to spread manure once the Winter Ban is over, manure must still be applied in a way that does not result in runoff to surface water, or across property boundaries. If these conditions occur as a result of spreading manure, a farmer could be subject to an enforcement action for violating the AAPs.
Read More City Market Donates Almost $60,000 to Local Food Projects
City Market congratulated their 2014 Co-op Patronage Seedling Grant recipients and offered almost $60,000 in grant funding to local food projects at a recent Grant Celebration that also launched the 2015 Co-op Patronage Seedling Grant process.
Read More kickstarter for Rise Up Bakery
The kickstarter for Rise Up Bakery is officially launched! AND the kickstarter staff has picked it as one of their favorite projects!
Read More Matchmaker Event will Pair Farmers, Food Producers with Local Buyers
Vermont farmers, food producers, and processors will meet face-to-face with grocers, restaurants, hotels, and institutions at the 2015 Vermont Local Food Matchmaker Event Wednesday, March 25th at Vermont Tech.
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