The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) announces funding for the Harvest and Post-Harvest Handling Food Safety Grant.
Donor Name: Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
State: Vermont
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/05/2025
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year
Details:
The purpose of this funding is to provide infrastructure or equipment for operations performing harvest and post-harvest activities in either the meat or produce sector in Vermont.
Funding Information
- Approximately $30,000 is available through this competitive funding opportunity.
- The award minimum is $1,500 and the maximum is $10,000.
Grant Period
Projects will begin upon grant agreement execution in February 2026 and run through October 2026 for a total of 8 months.
Allowable Costs
Eligible expenses include:
- Personnel (salary & fringe) if directly related to construction or installation labor and/or required training on use of new equipment or sanitation protocols.
- Supplies (valued at less than $5,000 per unit) that directly support project implementation. This can include any supplies needed for construction.
- Machinery/equipment (valued at $5,000 or more per unit) that directly support the goal of the project.
- Contractual services and work necessary for project completion, including construction and installation work.
Eligible Projects
- MUST be focused on infrastructural and/or equipment-based elements of the operation/business’ physical location(s).
- MUST focus on addressing a single specific point of feedback regarding harvest or post-harvest handling sanitation. This could involve multiple purchases or steps (for example, drain installation that also requires some concrete work).
- Creation of barriers to separate spaces
- Separation of outdoor spaces from product handling and/or storage spaces
- Separation of spaces used for activities with higher and lower contamination risk Utilization of surfaces, tools and equipment that are appropriate and adequately cleanable based on intended use (such as non-permeable, sealed or sealable, etc.)
- Provision of adequate and reasonably accessible personal sanitation infrastructure including (but not limited to) toilet and hand washing facilities
- Reducing the risk of water serving as a contamination source (for example, dripping, pooling, compromised plumbing and/or draining infrastructure).
Eligibility Criteria
The Harvest and Post-Harvest Handling Food Safety funding opportunity is available to operations who fall into one of the following groups:
- Vermont-based produce operations who receive inspection under the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR)
- Farms that expect to require inspection in the 2026 growing season AND have been inspected previously are eligible to apply.
- Vermont-based operations conducting livestock or poultry slaughter and/or processing under one of the following grants of inspection:
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- State of Vermont (equivalent to USDA)
- Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program (CIS)
- Eligible businesses and operations must also:
- be registered and operate within the state of Vermont,
- be compliant with all state regulations (including but not limited to water quality, taxes, and child support), and,
- be in good standing with the State of Vermont at the time of applying, remaining so throughout the entire grant period.
For more information, visit VAAFM.
