VCRD is facilitating a non-partisan and broad-based partnership to support local agriculture and forestry, grow and attract farm and forest entrepreneurs, and conserve Vermont’s Working Landscape far into the future. Join the Partnership to add your voice, keep informed, and help shape the campaign for Vermont’s Working Landscape.
In his State of the State, Governor Scott spoke about the demographic crisis that is creating a divide between the urbanized and rural areas of our state. At the Vermont Land Trust, it’s a divide we see every day, with opportunities to work in the woods or on the farm becoming less profitable or desirable, and rural businesses falling on hard times.
VCRD and our partners in the Working Lands Coalition had a major victory in the past legislative session. Legislators recognized the crucial role of enterprise investments in stimulating new farm and forest innovation, stimulating new businesses and jobs, and creatively expanding collaborative marketing, distribution and added $1,000,000 to the Governor’s initial recommendation of $595,000 for…
Eighteen Vermont working lands businesses and service providers were recognized today at an event celebrating the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI), created by the Legislature in 2012 to stimulate economic development in the agricultural and forestry sectors.
By Elodie Reed , Landscapes correspondent, as seen in the Manchester Journal: https://www.manchesterjournal.com/stories/working-the-land,578183 DUMMERSTON — Somewhere along Bunker Road, not far from the center of Dummerston, the asphalt gives way to dirt. Overhead, the shade of leafy canopy transitions to the sun-soak of open fields. And around one sharp corner, an otherwise quiet, rural route…
As seen in Vermont Business Magazine: https://www.vermontbiz.com/news/2019/june/13/working-lands-enterprise-board-names-fy19-grantees-over-800000-awarded Eighteen Vermont working lands businesses and service providers were recognized Wednesday at an event celebrating the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI), created by the Legislature in 2012 to stimulate economic development in the agricultural and forestry sectors. The awardees received over $800,000. Governor Phil Scott and Agency of…
By the Associated Press, as seen in the Burlington Free Press: http://burlingtonfreepress.vt.newsmemory.com/?publink=17cc51b49 BURLINGTON – Vermont has awarded another round of annual grants to food and forestry businesses and groups that support them to help boost those industries. The 18 grants announced on Wednesday include $20,000 for Fisher Brothers berry farm in Shelburne to expand production…
By Kate McCarthy, as seen in vtdigger.org: https://vtdigger.org/2019/03/12/kate-mccarthy-continuing-states-working-lands-legacy/ We hear it all the time, but it’s true: We have something special here in Vermont. We have historic villages, strong communities, beautiful places, clean air and abundant water. Vermont’s villages and vistas, farms and forests are downright iconic – for people who grew up here, people…
By David Moats as seen in the VtDigger.org: https://vtdigger.org/2019/03/04/moats-though-dairy-wanes-vermont-agriculture-can-thrive/ A crisis atmosphere pervades the topic of farming this year among Vermont farmers, policymakers and anyone else who cherishes Vermont’s working landscape. Low milk prices during the past four years have forced dairy farms out of business at an alarming pace, putting the future of the…
Thanks to Orca Media for filming the Summit sessions that took place in Judd Hall and making the video available online. The day is broken out into 4 videos: Part 1 ~ Introductions and welcoming remarks by: Paul Costello, Phil Conroy, Chuck Ross, and Governor Peter Shumlin. Vermont Farm and Forest Entrepreneur panel: Moderator: Anson…
Last week, Governor Shumlin delivered his budget address to the Vermont legislature, and in that address, he showed a renewed commitment to the Working Lands Enterprise Fund. Importantly, he stated that the funding line is included in the base budget, and he is recommending a 5% increase over last year’s funding, which was $1,425,000. The…