USDA announces Vermont grants to fund equipment to strengthen food supply chain Smaller farms, newer farmers encouraged to apply

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s  Agricultural Marketing Service  has announced that the USDA and Vermont are offering approximately $1 million in equipment-only grants through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program. Vermont is accepting applications for equipment-only projects from Aug. 28 through Oct. 1, 2024.

This announcement is part of the $3.2 million USDA awarded to Vermont through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program to fund innovative projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain and strengthen local and regional food systems. In April, USDA and Vermont announced approximately $2 million available in Infrastructure Grants for projects within the state. Awards for these Infrastructure Grants will be announced in the coming months.

“This partnership between USDA and Vermont is allowing critical funding to reach areas of the supply chain that need it most,” said USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The equipment projects funded through this program will create new opportunities for the region’s small and midsize producers to thrive, expand access to nutritious food options, and increase supply chain resiliency.”

Using RFSI funding, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture and Food Markets will fund special purpose equipment projects that support middle of the supply chain activities such as processing, storage, transportation, aggregation, distribution or wholesaling. The funded projects will help the state’s food businesses increase market access, diversify product offerings, and increase production.

“Equipment and other infrastructure tools are vital to the resiliency of Vermont’s food system and the small businesses that comprise it,” said Anson Tebbetts, Vermont’s Secretary of Agriculture. “Many now utilize outdated, under-sized and inefficient equipment, holding them back from growth, but these grants will help our state’s food system businesses thrive and compete. This was a recommendation of Gov. Scott’s Future of Agriculture Commission, and it’s wonderful to see the grants happen.”

Those interested in receiving an RFSI equipment-only grant should apply directly through VAAFM. AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers, and underserved communities.

For more information, visit the AMS Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure webpage.