Eagle Times Staff
MONTPELIER, Vt. — The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is pleased to partner with the Northeast Regional Food Business Center to announce the launch of the first round of funding for technical assistance providers, aimed at bolstering the capacity and economic potential of local and regional food systems across Vermont and the Northeast. Funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service, the Northeast Regional Food Business Center is part of a nationwide initiative to strengthen food supply chains while supporting historically underinvested producers and food business owners.
The Center will allocate resources in the first round of funding to technical assistance providers who provide direct business technical assistance and training to small- and mid-sized food and agricultural businesses. The Center will also offer awards to organizations that focus on regional network development and partnership building among technical assistance providers. The deadline to apply for funding is Aug. 23 and sub-awardees will be announced in early October.
Interested applicants must register and submit applications through the Northeast Regional Food Business Award application portal at nerfbc.fluxx.io/user_sessions/new. Applications should address the project priorities and guidelines as outlined in the Request for Applications.
“As Vermont farm and food businesses respond to another flooding event this July, it elevates the importance and need for investments and expansion of our technical assistance providers,” said Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tebbetts. “Building these relationships with our agricultural community in Vermont and across the Northeast region will ensure the viability of our food system into the future.”
For more information about the first round of sub-awards for technical assistance providers, visit tinyurl.com/593y8s8s or contact [email protected].
Throughout the open application period, there will be opportunities to connect directly with the Northeast Regional Food Business Center, including a pre-recorded webinar that was launched on July 22 and informational webinars that will be held on Aug. 7 and Aug. 15.
