ST. JOHNSBURY, VT – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, today celebrated major investments by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) in Vermont communities, totaling nearly $1.3 million. The announcements include funding to advance economic development across Vermont through the USDA’s Rural Business Development Grants Program. Funding will support projects across the state, including a grant of $200,000 to the Town of St. Johnsbury to establish a food cooperative, $200,000 for the Center for an Agricultural Economy, and $90,000 for Catamount Film and Arts Company. 

“Vermont’s farmers and small businesses are the backbone of our communities and economy. Federal investments that expand access to new wholesale markets are crucial to spurring job growth. This funding will support economic and community development in the Northeast Kingdom and across the state,” said Senator Welch. 

“We are very excited to work on arts master planning in St. Johnsbury and Lyndonville to create a resource for both communities to effectively integrate arts, culture and creativity into their long-term town planning process,” said Jody Fried, Executive Director of Catamount Arts. 

“Support from the USDA will help CAE assist over 100 farms and food producers who are working for the continued vitality of our working landscape, providing hundreds of jobs, and helping hold our rural communities together. In the aftermath of yet another flood in the NEK these funds are especially impactful as we continue recovery efforts and support producers as they navigate a new path forward for their business,” said Jon Ramsay, Executive Director of The Center for an Agricultural Economy. 

USDA Rural Business Development grants will be used to support projects in Vermont that include:  

• $200,000 investment to the Center for an Agricultural Economy to provide technical assistance to farms and food businesses across Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. This assistance is offered in the form of direct support around food processing, food safety, marketing/packaging, aggregation, distribution and logistics. It is estimated that eight jobs will be created as a result of this project. 
• $200,000 investment to the Town of St. Johnsbury to provide technical assistance to the Caledonia Food Cooperative (CFC) and several agricultural businesses. This assistance will include architectural and networking design, engineering plans for the renovations and outfitting of the CFCs vibrant, 10,000 square foot facility. The establishment of a food Co-op in downtown St. Johnsbury will have many benefits, including an estimated 47 new jobs. The targeted timeline for opening the store is early Fall of 2025. 
• $200,000 investment to Northeastern Vermont Development Association Inc.’s Business Technical Assistance Program, from which small businesses can receive valuable technical assistance from qualified providers. This assistance includes a wide range of services including creating digital strategies, financial management and business operations support, and physical space design. An estimated 30 jobs will be created or saved as a result of this funding. 
• $199,000 investment to the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund to provide training and technical assistance in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. Activities will include business planning, market research, feasibility studies, professional/technical reports, and marketing support. It is estimated that 40 jobs will be created or retained as a result of this project. 
• $99,657 investment to Vermont Farm to School to strengthen Northern Vermont’s local food systems and increase farm viability through marketing, sales and technical assistance for Green Mountain Farm Direct Farm partners. This project will create 10 and sustain 28 full-time jobs in the area. 
• $90,000 investment to the Catamount Film and Arts Company to advance economic development in the creative sector community. Technical assistance will be made available to bring stakeholders together—public, private and community—to create a bold, comprehensive strategy establishing the towns of Lyndon and St. Johnsbury as a creative sector rural hub in the VT/NH region. It is estimated that six jobs will be created as a result of this project. 
• $70,014 investment to Saint Johnsbury Works! to provide technical assistance activities to support small and emerging businesses in downtown St. Johnsbury. Assistance provided will include capacity-building activities like free racial literacy trainings and workshops for small businesses, and one-on-one technical assistance and networking events for Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC)-owned small businesses. 
• $69,250 investment to Rockingham for Progress to provide technical assistance for the purpose of renovating and restoring the Miss Bellows Falls Diner. The architectural design and engineering plans supported by this grant will enable the historic diner, a fixture in the Bellows Falls community since 1942, to reopen after closing in 2020. Once reopened, the equivalent of six full-time jobs will have been created. 
• $60,000 investment to Tweed Valley Travelers to purchase grooming equipment for snowmobile trails in and around Pittsfield, Vermont. The trails are vital to many small businesses as they directly account for a significant portion of revenue. Well-maintained trails are an important part to the areas overall economic development. It is estimated that this project will maintain 28 full-time jobs while creating two new ones. 
• $59,987 investment to the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative to increase the capacity to plan and develop projects in the NEK to support economic growth and community development. A NEK-based cohort of experts in project/budget management, funding planning, and stakeholder outreach will enable 30 entities to develop business and project plans and better leverage other funds. 
• $8,000 investment to Waterford Ridge Runners Inc. to purchase equipment necessary to groom and maintain recreational trails in and around Waterford, Vermont. This small grant will yield big results as the Waterford Ridge Runners will be able to better improve trails used by snowmobiles in the winter. The trails connect to many other communities and help support local businesses, such a gas stations, restaurants and others. 

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