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Agency of Agriculture Newsletter: VCAAP Dairy Application Up and Running

August 5, 2020
VCAAP Program

 

 

Dairy Farmers and Processors Encouraged to Apply for Dairy Assistance Grants

The Dairy Assistance application has now been open for a of couple weeks and payments have started to arrive to our early applicants!  Vermont State Legislature appropriated $25 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds to the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) to establish the Dairy Assistance Application. Of these funds, $21.2 million is available for grant awards to milk producers, and $3.8 million is available for awards to dairy processors. These funds will be used to stabilize milk producers and dairy processors based on their lost revenues related to business interruption caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets will issue grant payments under this program on a first-come, first-served basis. All compensable losses and costs must have been incurred since March 1, 2020 and be related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Although applications will be processed in the order they are received, VAAFM expects to have adequate funding for all eligible dairy producers and processors to take advantage of this assistance. All applications must be received by October 1, 2020, and all funds will be expended by December 20, 2020.

Milk producers, if qualified, are eligible for grants to reimburse for demonstrated economic harm up to the following maximum amounts:

  • Small farms shall receive up to $18,300.00.
  • Certified small farms shall receive up to $34,300.00.
  • Medium farms shall receive up to $56,000.00.
  • Large farms shall receive up to $100,000.00.

Dairy processors, if qualified, are eligible for grants to reimburse for demonstrated economic harm up to the following maximum amounts:

  • Dairy processors that process less than 500 pounds of milk per day shall receive up to $31,000.00. 
  • Dairy processors that process from 500 to 9,999 pounds of milk per day shall receive up to $40,000.00. 
  • Dairy processors that process from 10,000 to 49,999 pounds of milk per day shall receive up to $50,000.00. 
  • Dairy processors that process 50,000 pounds or more of milk per day shall receive up to $60,000.00. 

Assistance is available to those needing help submitting an application.  
 
Deadline to apply for Dairy Assistance grant is October 1, 2020.

 

 

Learn More About Dairy Assistance & Apply Now

 

 

 

 

Other Important Information

 

Dairy Business Visioning Workshops

A free workshop series is available to current Vermont dairy farmers to help them develop concrete, actionable tools and frameworks to help them plan the future of their dairy farms. The workshop series will be hosted by Julia Shanks, author of The Farmer’s Office, and Noah Munro of Kitchen Table Consultants.

Online sessions will be held twice a week for 4 weeks starting on September 14. Sessions will be Monday and Wednesday at 9am. Participation is limited to 30 individuals with no more than two people from each farm business. Registration is free and on a first come, first served basis.

Registration closes on September 7th.

To register your intent to attend, please click the link above and fill out the survey.

For additional questions, contact:
Laura Ginsburg
Ag Development Section Chief
802-522-2252
laura.ginsburg@vermont.gov

FAP Deadline for Cover Crop Assistance Extended to August 7

The Farm Agronomic Practices (FAP) Program utilizes state funding to help Vermont farms implement soil-based agronomic practices that improve soil quality, increase crop production, and reduce erosion and agricultural waste discharges. The FAP program also provides education and instructional activity grants to support outreach regarding the impacts of agricultural practices on water quality and current state agricultural water quality regulations.

  • Grants are limited to $8,000 per farm operation per State fiscal year. 
  • Funding rates may change based on program demand and available funding.
  • Activities that occur prior to FAP application approval cannot be compensated for and all applications due at least one month (30 days) prior to practice implementation. 

Applicants are advised to apply online when possible.  Click on link above to learn more and apply.