Financial or Business Programs for Organic Farmers and Growers
Agricultural Stimulous Financing
Vermont Agricultural Credit Corporation has up to $6 million in low-interest financing available.
The Carrot Project
Offers loans of $1,000 to $10,000 for farmers in Vermont and Western Massachusetts.
Cash Flow Analysis of Transitioning to Organic Dairying
NOFA Vermont is collaborating with the Small Business Development Center to help farmers do a cash flow analysis to look at income and expenses during and after the transition, in order to make an informed decision about how to make the transition. A cash flow analysis will tell you if you have enough money to make it to your first organic milk check, or if you will need to borrow money to buy additional cows, pay for organic grain or other feed, or make changes to your barnyard or fence to meet the organic standards.
Equity Trust, Inc.
Loans of $6,000 to $150,000 available for farmers
New Farmer Resource Guide
The New Farmer Resource Guide, a project of the Vermont New Farmer Network, is a collaboration between USDA Farm Service Agency, the Vermont Community Foundation, University of Vermont Center for Sustainable Agriculture, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, and Vermont Agricultural Resource Center. The section on “Access to Capital” will be especially useful to farmers, because of its thoughtful discussion and many links, which can be found here
Organic Dairy Transition Loan Program
The Vermont Agricultural Credit Corporation (VACC), a subsidiary of the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA), and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) offer deferred payment loans to eligible dairy farmers transitioning to organic milk production. The Organic Transition Loan Program provides loans to offset costs of transitioning to organic dairy production and allows farmers to begin repayment after achieving organic certification and a premium price for organic milk. Eligible borrowers must be operating a dairy farm in its last year of transition to organic dairy production.
Record Keeping and Vegetable Farm Budget Examples
If you missed NOFA Vermont's excellent two-day Farmer-to-Farmer Exchange in January 2009: Answering Questions on the Farm: Conducting Research, Maintaining Records, Evaluating Production Practices you can still benefit from the record-keeping systems demonstrated and shared by our experienced vegetable-farmer speakers Paul and Sandy Arnold of Pleasant Valley Farm, Argyle, New York, Dan Kaplan of Brookfield Farm, South Amherst, Massachusetts, Jane Sorensen and David Marchant of River Berry Farm, Fairfax, Vermont, and others. The files are the actual recordkeeping sheets and budgets used by these farmers on their farms. They will help you stay organized and help your farm business to be more profitable.
Vermont Community Loan Fund
Offers a variety of different loans accessible to farmers.
Vermont Farm Service Agency (FSA)
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers and manages many farm financial programs. These programs include: the farm commodity, credit, conservation, renewable energy systems and energy efficiency, improvement, disaster, and loan programs. It has a network of federal, state and county offices that serve farmers. Their loan programs can help farmers buy land, and build and upgrade facilities to meet expanding markets. Programs include: beginning farmers, direct farm, emergency farm, guaranteed farm, and socially disadvantaged farmers loans.
Vermont Farm Viability Enhancement Program
The Vermont Farm Viability Enhancement Program provides farmers with business planning and technical assistance through consultants, which is tailored to a farmer’s needs. Farmers assess the farm operation’s strengths and weaknesses for possible management changes to increase profitability. On-farm consultations result in a written business plan. NOFA Vermont is a provider for this program; if you want to work with NOFA Vermont consultants you must say so on your application.
Vermont Land Trust’s Farmland Access Program
VT Land Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving working land for the future of Vermont. Their Farmland Access Program helps farmers gain access to quality and affordable farmland.
Vermont Small Business Development Center
The Vermont SBDC’s goal is to spur Vermont's economy by helping its small businesses succeed and grow. The SBDC mission is to strengthen existing business entities, and assist start-ups through high quality, no cost counseling, and high quality, affordable training programs.
Young and Beginning Program
Young and Beginning Program of the Farm Credit Services of America offers grants and loans for producers age 35 or younger who have been farming less than 10 years. Less-established producers can access loans and small educational reimbursements if in a loan program.