Farmer Emergency Fund

Farmer Emergency Fund is sponsored by Northeastern Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT). Supports organic and NOFA-VT member farmers who have been adversely affected by natural and unnatural disasters, such as crop failure, extreme weather, flooding, fire, barn collapse, and financial hardship.

Farmer Emergency Fund | NOFA Vermont Nourishing people, land, & justice through organic agriculture NOFA-VT’s Farmer Emergency Fund, established in 1997, supports organic and NOFA-VT member farmers who have been adversely affected by natural and unnatural disasters, such as: Financial hardship as the price of organic milk continues to drop We understand that our farmers are imperative to our local food system, economy, and environment, and that they do not always qualify for federal or private assistance programs.

The Farmer Emergency Fund provides farmers with the needed cash flow in times of an emergency, to help them recover and ultimately become more resilient farmers. Grant & Application Details The NOFA-VT Farmer Emergency Fund is available to assist farmers who are in financial need after having been adversely affected by natural and unnatural disasters.

$2,500 grants are available for commercial farmers who are NOFA-VT members ( join membership here ). Applying farmers will need to be NOFA-VT members in good standing for at least one year before being eligible to apply for funds. $5,000 grants are available to any farm that is VOF certified organic .

Because we want to incentivize organic certification, and because of the commitment involved in getting certified, we will waive the one-year waiting period for certified organic farms. Successful applicants will be notified as soon as possible. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and reviewed by a loan review committee with representatives from the NOFA-VT staff and the NOFA-VT Board of Directors.

Once the application is received, you should receive notification of the committee’s decision within two weeks. The fund is available to certified Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) or NOFA-VT members in good standing for at least one year. Funds are distributed as grants that do not need to be repaid.

The fund may be used to help replace infrastructure (for example greenhouse, barn, fencing), seed, feed, livestock, equipment and other losses caused by the disaster. The fund may be used to help pay outstanding farm-related bills and immediate needs (loan and mortgage repayments, etc).

The fund is not an alternative to insurance and does not cover losses that are covered by a successful insurance claim or losses covered by other sources. The fund may not be used to cover projected income from crops lost from the disaster. Contact Business Farm Advisor Bill Cavanaugh via email or call 802-419-0034 to get started.

Donate to the Farmer Emergency Fund To make your tax-deductible donation to the Farmer Emergency Fund, please fill out our donate form and choose 'Farmer Emergency Fund' from the campaign drop-down, or mail a check made out to NOFA-VT with 'Farmer Emergency Fund' in the memo to PO Box 697, Richmond, VT 05477.

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