MONTPELIER — The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets this week announced the availability of up to $60,000 of funding for Local Food Market Development (LFMD) Grants to assist eligible Vermont farmers, businesses and value-chain facilitators to reach new markets. Agency officials said they are working to support market opportunities with an institutional or other wholesale focus in Vermont.
This year the agency has engaged a public/private partnership with philanthropic partners to augment these efforts and match up to $30,000 from the Vermont Legislature for this grant effort.
“The strong program similarities between the Agency of Agriculture’s Local Food Development Grant Program and the priorities of philanthropic partners’ farm-to-institution initiatives, provides an opportunity to grow economic success for Vermont agricultural businesses, while providing quality food to institutions like schools, colleges and hospitals,” Vermont Ag Secretary Anson Tebbetts said in a press release.
The deadline for the FY2018 LFMD grants is Jan. 24, 2018, and all applicants must demonstrate 25 percent of total project cost in matching funds.
This year’s grants will be available to projects that have goals to improve quality, efficiency, or food safety; address distribution challenges; and/or mitigate the financial risks associated with scaling up to meet new market demands. Grants ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 will be available for these efforts. To qualify for funding consideration, applicants must either be a Vermont producer in pursuit of institutional market development, or a value-chain facilitator that will directly support Vermont producers’ access to institutional and wholesale market expansion.
For more information on the LFMD grant program, please visit: agriculture.vermont.gov/producer_partner_resources/funding_opportunities/vaafm_funding/local_food_market.