April 2, 2020
AG BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
Services and resources to help agriculture and food businesses respond to COVID-19
| UVM Extension Business Coaching | Extension educators are available for business coaching and can assist with locating resources, help with critical business decision-making, assessing changes to markets, financial planning and other issues facing your enterprises |
| Free Mediation Services from the Environmetal Mediation Center | Free mediation services for Vermont farmers |
| Farm First Mental Health Assistance | Mental health assistance and counseling for farmers and farm families |
| Vermont Legal Food Hub | Free legal services for Farmers, food entrepreneurs and related organizations |
| Free Consultation Regarding the Paycheck Protection Program | Professional assistance from Americanhort and Kcoe Isom |
| Surplus Food and Labor Coordination | Spreadsheet from Farm to Institution New England for connecting those with surplus food and labor to those who need it. |
| Distribution Matchmaking Tool | NOFA-VT tool for sharing and matching product and distribution between farmers and producers |
| Manufacturing Exchange Vermont | New platform for connecting people and supply chains |
| CARES Act Guide for Farm and Food Businesses | Farm and food business focused overview of the CARES Act |
| Online Ordering Platforms | Comprehensive guide covering costs and functionality of various online sales platforms |
| Guidance for Vermont Forest Economy Sector | COVID-19 related guidance from the VT Department of Forests |
| Webinar - Employment issues in the COVID-19 Environment | COVID-19 related information about labor, unemployment, from the VT Retail and Grocers Association |
| Podcast Series - Legal Resillience on the farm through COVID19 | Ongoing discussion of COVID-19 related legal issues |
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Resources for Farms and Agricultural Businesses looking for Financial Assistance in response to COVID-19
| Vermont Agency of Agriculture - Farm to School infrastructure Grant | $1,000 grants for infrastructure or supplies to pursue farm to school goals and/or adapt meal programs in response to COVID-19 | |
| SBA Disaster Assistance - Economic Injury Disaster Loan* | Provides businesses with up to $10,000 in immediate loan assistance | *The SBA is currently unable to accept new applications for the Paycheck Protection Program based on available appropriations funding |
| SBA Disaster Assistance - Paycheck Protection Program - Loan* | Provides an incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. The loan amount will be based on 2.5 months of a business's payroll. | *The SBA is unable to accept new applications at this time based on available appropriations funding. Applications that have already been submitted will continue to be processed. |
| Vermont Community Foundation - COVID-19 Response Fund Grant | Supports nonprofits that are particularly equipped to address community impacts of the spread of the novel coronavirus in Vermont. Flexible, one time general operating grants. | |
| Vermont Community Foundation - Special and Urgent Needs Grant | Helps Vermont nonprofits with unexpected expenses that impact their ability to meet their mission with grants of $500 to $5,000 | |
| NOFA - Vermont - Farmer Emergency Fund Grant | Available to assist Vermont certified organic and NOFA Vermont member commercial farmers who are in financial need after having been adversely affected by natural and unnatural disasters. Farmers may request up to $2,500 | |
| New England Grassroots Environmental Fund Grant | $1,000 grants for organizations with budgets under $100,000 | |
| GENYOUth Emergency School Nutrition Grant | Grants up to $3,000 per school for resources needed for meal distribution and delivery during COVID-19 | |
| American Farmland Trust Grant | Cash grants of up to $1,000 for COVID-19 relief for products with annual gross revenue between $10K and $1M from sales and farmers markets. | |
| Food Animal Concerns Trust - Small Grants for Livestock and Poultry Farmers | Accepting mini-grant applications of up to $500 from livestock and poultry farmers who are experiencing hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | |
| Hello Alice - Business for All emergency Grant | Offering $10,000 grants being distributed immediately to small business owners impacted by coronavirus, as part of our broader mission to ensure Business for All. In addition to funding, grant recipients will receive ongoing support from the Hello Alice community. |
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| Vermont Farm Fund | Emergency loans for VT Farmers | |
| North Country Federal Credit Union - Relief Loan | Existing members of North Country Federal Credit Union whose income is affected by COVID-19 could be eligible to receive loans of up to $5,000 | |
| USDA Rural Development - Loan Relief | Loan Relief for Section 515 Multi- Family properties, Single Family Housing, and Rural Utilities Grantees. | |
| Vermont State Employees Credit Union Loan | offering a $2,000 loan with a 24 Month loan term and APR as low as 0% to help any Vermonter suffering a loss of income due to COVID-19 |
FOOD SAFETY
Resources for Farms and Agricultural Businesses related to food safety and COVID-19
| FDA Food Safety and COVID-19 FAQ's | Food Safety guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration |
| UVM Extension - Guide to cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting for produce farms | a guide to understanding the differences between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting. It is focused on produce farms and is motivated by current concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| COVID-19 Food Safety Resources | Resources for the food industry from the Institute for Food Safety at Cornell |
| Disinfectants and COVID-19 | Resources from the National Pesticide Information Center |
| CDC Best Practices for Retail Food and Restaurants | Food safety guidance for retail food stores, restaurants and food pick-up and delivery |
FOOD ACCESS
Where to get emergency food services, who is helping, and who to contact if you want to help
| Hunger Free Vermont | Food accesss information for Vermonters |
| Vermont Food Bank | Resources for meeting the needs of people facing hunger in light of COVID-19 |
| Vermont Food Shelf Map | Find a food shelf near you |
| Commodity Supplemental Food Program | Food assistance for older adults in VT |
| 3 Squares VT | The state office for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) |
| Vermont W.I.C | Food assistance for women and infant children |
| Shift Meals | Food assistance for VT service industry workers impacted by COVID-19 |
CONSUMER RESOURCES
How consumers can get access to food and agriculture products
FAQ's
Frequently asked questions related to agriculture and COVID-19
| Employment Law Related to COVID-19 | FAQ for Vermont farmers and farm workers |
| Unemployment Insurance | FAQ from the Vermont Department of Labor |
| Considerations for VT Fruit and Vegetable Growers | FAQ's and resources from UVM Extension |
| Foreign Labor - H2A and H2B Visas | U.S. Department of Labor FAQ on foreign workers |
| USDA Food Safety Inspection Services COVID-19 FAQ's | FAQ's for commercial meat, poultry and egg businesses |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Additional Resources to help you and your business through COVID-19 including mental health services, public WiFi and resource directories
| VT Dept of Public Service | Map of public buildings in Vermont where access to wifi internet is publicly available. These sites are accessible at all hours from a parked vehicle on the road or parking lot. |
| VT Dept of Public Service Wifi Information | Resources and policies related to internet access and services during the COVID19 crisis. |
| VT Health Network | Due to COVID-19, VT Health Connect is offering a special enrollment period (through April 17) for those who do not currently have health insurance to enroll in a qualified health plan and receive premium and cost-sharing assistance, if eligible |
| Conservation Law Foundation | Directory or legal assistance resources |
| VT Manufacturing Extension Center Resource List | Local, state and national resources for companies employees, including manufacturing-related topics and ideas, that can assist with COVID-19 related concerns |
| VT Retail and Grocers Association COVID-19 Resources | An extensive list of resources for retail and grocery businesses impacted by COVID-19 |
| NOFA-VT Farmer Resource Page | COVID-19 related resources for VT farmers |
| Vegetable and Berry Grower Resources | Information provided by UVM Extension for VT farmers |
| AmericanHort | Broad collection of ag-related resources |
| Women's Agricultural Network at UVM | Information intended to help guide farmers and food producers to resources and support. |
| VT Peace and Justice Center | Mutual aid hub - resources broken down by VT region |
| Edible Vermont - Local Business Support Submission Form | During the COVID-19 crisis, Edible Vermont is compiling a variety of articles as resources for local businesses to share their crisis operations with their readership. |
| Vermont League of Cities and Towns | Resources for Cities and Towns about COVID-19. Common questions and answers |