October 19, 2020 | Montpelier, VT — The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) announces the re-launch of the Vermont COVID-19 Agriculture Assistance Program (VCAAP) Dairy Application and the VCAAP Agriculture/Working Lands Application on Monday, October 19th, to address the COVID-19 pandemic impacts on our agricultural communities. All are encouraged to apply now. The deadline for both applications is November 15th at 11:59 PM and applications are reviewed on a first-come-first-served basis until all funds are expended.
Each of these programs were suspended on October 1 to make technical and eligibility modifications to the application process when the Vermont legislature extended the application deadline to November 15th. To access these programs and all VCAAP program information, please visit: agriculture.vermont.gov/covid-19-information/vermont-covid-19-agriculture-assistance-program.
This past Friday the Agency also launched two new VCAAP programs:
- The new VCAAP Farmers’ Market Application deadline is Friday, November 6. The application is open to farmers' markets with less than $10,000 in annual gross sales. Eligible applicants can apply for up to $2,000.
- The new VCAAP Farm to School Application deadline is Monday, November 2. The application is open to schools and licensed or registered child care providers. Eligible applicants can apply for up to $10,000.
Earlier this summer, Governor Phil Scott and Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts announced the opening of the first three economic relief programs for the agriculture community under VCAAP. Originally comprised of the Dairy Application, the Agriculture & Working Lands Application, and the Agricultural Fairs Application, these two new applications provide assistance to areas of Vermont’s agricultural community that have experienced significant impacts from the ongoing pandemic. The Vermont State Legislature appropriated $34 million Federal Coronavirus Relief Funds for agricultural applicants who have experienced income loss, additional expenses, and market disruption as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other important VCAAP items of note:
- Eligible applicants with a net business profit between March 1 and August 1, 2020 are not disqualified from the Agriculture & Working Lands Application.
- Eligible sole proprietors are no longer disqualified from the Agriculture & Working Lands Application because they did not file a W-2 form for themselves or an employee in the 2018 or 2019 taxable year.
- A business may now apply for more than one State grant funded by Coronavirus Relief Funds, but not for the same purpose as another grant or to cover the same losses or costs.