Financial or Business Programs for Organic Farmers and Growers
Cash Flow Analysis of Transitioning to Organic Dairying
NOFA-VT 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.
Land Link Vermont
Land Link Vermont works to connect beginning and relocating farmers with farmland and farming opportunities in Vermont and to help participants make informed decisions about farm start-up and transfer issues. They collaborate with the Vermont Land Trust.
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.
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-VT is a provider for this program; if you want to work with NOFA-VT 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 with Land Link Vermont 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.