Regional Resources

The NOFA/Rutland Area Farm and Food Link (RAFFL) Beginning Farmer Workshop Series offers helpful video tutorials for new small-farm owners in Vermont.

Vermont’s Green Mountain Farm-to-School seeks to connect schools and farms throughout the state. The organization’s online resource section includes a list of FTS programs as well as school and youth gardening guides.

The Intervale Farms Program provides resources to small, independent farmers by leasing land, equipment, and growing and storage facilities.

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont offers an overview of farm financing programs.

The University of Vermont Extension presents helpful topic guides: Biosecurity and healthy agriculture Crops and soils Farm labor management Grazing guide Maple Meat processing Risk management Sheep Sustainable agriculture (grass farming & pasture management; land access; farm transfer; goat and sheep dairy)

The University of Vermont Center for Sustainable Agriculture lists grants for farmers’ markets, women farmers and others; helpful publications (click on the publications link and scroll all the way down); and a calendar of workshop events. In particular, they offer a downloadable guide to farm business development programs in Vermont.

Vermont’s Farm Service Agency provides financing to Vermont farmers when they are unable to obtain loans from commercial banks.

The Vermont Farm Viability Enhancement Program offers business planning and technical assistance services to Vermont farmers as part of a statewide effort to improve the economic viability of Vermont agriculture. It is a program of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board.

Vermont Food Education Every Day, an affiliate of the National Farm to School Network, has compiled a wealth of tools and information to help initiate farm to school programs.

The Vermont Grass Farmers' Association provides grass-based farmers throughout the state with resources and networking opportunities.

The Vermont New Farmer Network has produced a resource guide for Vermont’s new and aspiring farmers. It addresses various obstacles that new farmers may face, and lists a number of member organizations and their services.

The Vermont New Farmer Project is a program of the University of Vermont Extension that provides information, education and technical assistance for Vermont’s beginning farmers.

Coastal Enterprises Inc. provides loans to organic farms, fisheries and small businesses.

Maine’s Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources offers various types of business technical assistance programs, loans and grants.

Maine Farm Credit specializes in lending to Maine's agricultural, fishing and forest products industries.

Maine’s Farm Service Agency provides financing to Maine farmers that are unable to obtain loans from commercial banks.

Maine Farm to School, a program of the National Farm to School Network, provides resources, publications, current programs, policies and a list of organizations that can help initiate local farm to school programs.

The Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association has compiled an extensive list of links to organizations that support sustainable agriculture and gardening, based on the sites that MOFGA staff use most frequently.

Maine Rural Partners is a great resource for information about increasing energy efficiency in farming operations.

The Maine Sustainable Agriculture Society explores, develops and promotes agricultural systems and practices that allow Maine farmers to retain a greater share of consumer expenditures for farm products.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension works primarily in Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties, but also provides business assistance statewide.

Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training is a cooperative effort among organic and biodynamic farms to Regional Apprentice Groups that expose farm apprentices to various farm experiences.

Field to Table provides small businesses, farms and co-ops with services such as business planning, marketing and technical assistance.

Keep Local Farms provides information and educational resources on New England dairy farms to students, consumers and farmers, and raises funds to support those farms. It also partners with retailers, universities and businesses to support and increase demand for local dairy farms and their products.

The New England Small Farm Institute offers an abundance of resources and information for: 1) new farmers; 2) on-farm mentors; 3) agricultural service providers and 4) small farm advocates.

North East Workers On Organic Farms is a regional Farm Apprenticeship Placement Service. Sponsored by the New England Small Farm Institute, NEWOOF annually publishes an annotated list of farms (generally in the Northeast) seeking apprentices. The spectrum of possible apprenticeship arrangements is broad and can range from one week stays to season-long partnerships.

The Northeast Organic Farming Association is comprised of seven state chapters in the Northeast United States: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, RI and VT. Each chapter has its own website and offers a variety of educational programs, conferences, workshops, tours, newsletters, technical services and other programs for farmers, consumers, gardeners, producers, businesses and environmentalists.

Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education is part of the National Institute of Food & Agriculture (NIFA) and awards numerous grants each year to recipients including farmers, community members, graduate students, professionals, researchers and educators.

Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, the Northeast’s food and farm network, provides detailed publications on the following topics: regional food systems and regionalism, farm bills, state farm and food policy, regional food value chains and more.

The Carrot Project develops ways for small and mid-sized Northeast farms to acquire needed capital through loans and other financing opportunities.

The University of Vermont Department of Animal Science provides a list of dairy industry internships in the Northeast. ASCI also lists livestock internships in the region.

CISA’s farmer resources page provides links to UMass Cooperative Extension, Franklin County CDC, MA Department of Agriculture resources, MA Farm Bureau and NOFA/Mass.

Edible Boston’s website and publication connect consumers to the Boston area’s local food producers and to developments within the movement.

The Farm Viability and Enhancement Program assists farmers as they expand, modernize or upgrade their existing operations. The program, which is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), provides environmental, technical and business planning assistance.

The Massachusetts Agricultural Environmental Enhancement Program is intended to prevent negative impacts on natural resources due to agricultural activity. The program is primarily focused on water quality issues, but may also fund projects that seek to increase water conservation or reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

APR Improvement Grants are available through the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources for farms that include land protected through the state’s Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program. Funding is primarily available for capital improvements.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources supports agriculture in Massachusetts through partnerships with municipal and federal entities, farmers and farming associations.

The Massachusetts Farm Bureau is a nonprofit organization comprised of 11 county farm bureaus from across the Commonwealth. It provides a collection of handbooks detailing best management practices for a variety of Massachusetts agricultural products.

The Massachusetts Farm Energy Program provides assistance to farmers seeking to decrease their on-farm energy use, increase energy efficiency and implement alternative energy generation methods.

Massachusetts’ Farm Service Agency provides financing to Massachusetts farmers when they are unable to obtain loans from commercial banks.

Massachusetts Farm to School Project provides curricular resources, a special cookbook for food service chefs and general information on farm to school projects.

The Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture Program assists new farmers with start-up and/or expansion costs. It is intended primarily for farm businesses that have been in operation for one to five years.

The New Entry Sustainable Farming Project’s Massachusetts Agricultural Resource Guide contains contact information for relevant agencies, seed sources, farm suppliers, sources for farmland, insurance and financial services.

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Massachusetts is a community of farmers, consumers, gardeners and landscapers committed to local and organic practices. NOFA/Mass has an extensive resources section covering a wide variety of topics.

Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership offers various business-related technical assistance resources and workshops for farmers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The Food Project uses sustainable agriculture to engage youth in creating personal and social change. The organization offers training and consulting services as well as three-day workshops in Lincoln and Boston. The Food Project also offers guides to help other organizations implement elements of The Food Project model into their own operations. The guides include detailed instructions, suggested timelines and organized activities.

The University of Massachusetts Extension program provides a variety of resources for farmers and local food consumers, from educational programs to helpful publications and grower services. The UMass Extension Vegetable Program offers additional resources.

Waltham Fields Community Farm promotes local agriculture and food access and offers farm education opportunities for children, families and farmers.

The Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center works with small-scale food producers and beginning entrepreneurs to develop their businesses. Members can also use the center’s processing facilities for a small monthly fee.

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture makes grant funding available through its Agricultural Business Development Assistance Programs.

The Connecticut Farm Bureau promotes family farms in the state through work on economic viability, land use, labor, taxation and protecting farmland.

Connecticut Farm to School Project, a program of the National Farm to School Network, provides information about the USDA FTS program, a Connecticut farm map as well as curricular resources on growing your own fruits and vegetables.

The Connecticut Food Policy Council’s publications page provides links to many documents and reports regarding food security and agriculture in Connecticut.

Connecticut’s Sustainable Table is a good resource for people interested in learning more about Connecticut’s local food system.

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut has an extensive collection of resources for farmers with information about funding, training and apprentice opportunities. CT-NOFA also has a section for gardeners, which lists upcoming workshops and additional resources.

Sponsored by the New Milford Hospital, Plow to Plate is a community coalition that supports local farms, food and health. Their website has information on the hospital garden, sustainable food, farmers’ markets, farm bucks, and food news and events in the state.

The University of Connecticut’s Cooperative Extension System has a Farm Risk Management and Resource Library that offers helpful information for many different types of farmers and skill levels.

Working Lands Alliance is dedicated to preserving and protecting Connecticut’s farmland. It is a project of the American Farmland Trust.

Cornell University's Small Farm Program has an extensive resources section for small farm owners.

Farm Credit East’s products and services include crop insurance, business consulting services, lines of credit and other financial solutions to help cultivators, breeders and processors meet their goals.

New York’s Farm Service Agency provides financing to New York farmers that are unable to obtain loans from commercial banks.

The New York Farm to School project provides farm to school case studies and feasibility reports as well as a guide to implementing farm to school projects.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets offers various funding opportunities.

The New York Sustainable Agriculture Working Group provides an extensive list of related regional and national organizations that are working to build local food systems.

Slow Food NYC offers news, events, programs and volunteer opportunities in support of those who contribute to a good, clean and fair food system, including both for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

Edible Rhody’s resources section offers a calendar of local food events, guides to seasonal foods and local dining options, and a directory of food organizations.

Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s resources page provides links to community and advocacy groups, land trusts, farmers’ groups, government departments, farmers’ blogs and Rhode Island community blogs about local food.

Rhode Island’s Farm Service Agency provides financing to Rhode Island farmers when they are unable to obtain loans from commercial banks.

The Rhode Island Farm to School project provides details about urban agriculture in Providence as well as a Rhode Island farm to school brochure with information about connecting local farms with school lunch programs.

The Rhode Island Center for Agricultural Promotion and Education offers loans from $10,000 to $25,000 for agritourism.

Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management Division of Agriculture offers information relating to farmers' markets and Rhode Island farm programs as well as other useful links.

The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food compiles a list of upcoming events relating to food and farms, as well as information for consumers of local food.

The New Hampshire Farm Bureau provides education, networking and leadership development opportunities to member farmers.

New Hampshire’s Farm Service Agency provides financing options to New Hampshire farmers who are unable to secure loans from commercial banks.

The New Hampshire Farm to Restaurant Connection provides general resources for eating locally as well as guides for organizing growers’ dinners and initiating farm to restaurant connections.

The New Hampshire Farm to School Program has published a case study and a presentation on the program’s first three years of operation.

The New Hampshire Farmers’ Market Association provides local producers with information regarding best management practices and common operating procedures via workshops, seminars and multi-media.

NH Made supports and promotes New Hampshire-made products and services by connecting consumers to New Hampshire’s agriculture, food, drink and art.

The New Hampshire Small Business Development Center provides business management advice and educational programs to new and existing businesses.

The University of New Hampshire has compiled information regarding successful sustainable methods implemented on campus as well as resources for sustainability programs and on-campus farms throughout the US.

The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension offers ecological and organic agriculture basics, technical assistance, research, events and more.

The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences has an extensive resource section with links to other university agricultural programs, government services and many other Pennsylvania-based and national organizations. The Penn State Sustainable Ag Working Group (SPU-SAWG) also publishes a monthly newsletter called Sustainable Ag News that includes articles written by professors, grad students and other experts on relevant, season-specific topics.

Penn State Extension’s page contains a list of resources to help new farmers with a variety of issues.

Pennsylvania Farm to School, a member of the National Farm to School Network, has a list of resources including a best-practices manual, a compilation of hands-on agricultural curriculum aids, a list of case studies and more. Their website also contains information on serving healthy, local food in school cafeterias.

Pennsylvania for Sustainable Agriculture promotes sustainable agriculture education and provides marketing and business development assistance to regional farmers as well as consumer outreach. PASA also offers many workshops, courses and community building events throughout the year.