By Clare Salerno, VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
White Rock Farm, LLC in Randolph has been in operation for 8 generations since it was founded in 1791. While the farm is still an operational dairy, owner-operators Tim and Janet Angell along with their sons Matt and Joe have been running a sawmill on part of the farm since 2005. With growing demand for local lumber during the pandemic, the family saw a growth opportunity. Earlier this year, White Rock Farm received a $250,000 grant from the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative to purchase new mill equipment.
With the grant, the Angells will install an automatic mill with an edger and log turner with an off-bearing belt that would carry the lumber to a green chain for sorting. The grant will also support a larger building to hold the new set up, as well as a debarker.
Equipment costs in the forest sector often stall growth for small businesses looking to expand. New mills range in price from $120,000 to over $500,000. Working Lands Enterprise Initiative Impact Grants can provide up to $250,000 to offset these costs for loggers, sawmills, and firewood processors. Equipment upgrades can transform product output, sales, and both jobs and job quality. For example, with the new infrastructure, White Rock Farm will be able to double production. They also currently edge the boards on the main saw and then need to carry the lumber to a truck. The new mill will use a belt to move lumber, reducing the need for as much heavy lifting and improving worker safety. By doubling production to at least 400,000 boardfeet a year, White Rock Farm can hire 1 or 2 additional full-time staff.
Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) funding opportunities are currently open for primary producers only (logging, livestock rearing, crop production, maple). Please visit workinglands.vermont.gov to learn more about how WLEI supports agriculture and forestry enterprises around Vermont.
White Rock 1: Father and son co-owners Tim and Matt Angell provided a tour of their existing sawmill in August to the Working Lands Enterprise Board.
White Rock 2: Sawed timbers and residual wood bundles at White Rock Sawmill in South Royalton
White Rock 3: Logs ready for the saw and sawed timbers at the yard by White Rock Sawmill