Vermont Contacts
Vermont Farmers’ Market Association (VTFMA) Part of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA–VT)
Contact:
Andrew Graham
P.O. Box 697
14 Pleasant St.
Richmond, VT 05477
Phone: 802-434-4122
E-mail: info@nofavt.org
SNAP Info & Contacts
Program name/EBT Card Name: 3SquaresVT/Vermont Express Card
Contact:
Johanna Doren
Vermont Farmers’ Market Association (NOFA VT)
info@nofavt.org
(802) 434-4122
-or-
Community Food Access Programs Coordinator
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont
johanna@nofavt.org
802.434.4122
Vermont Ag Department
Vermont Department of Agriculture
FMNP & SFMNP
Vermont Farm to Family Program
Hayley Turner-Lawyer
Benefit Programs Assistant Administrator, Vermont Department of Children and Families
Email: Hayley.Turner-Lawyer@vermont.gov
Vermont Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Mary Woodruff, MPH, RDN, Coordinator
Phone: (802) 241-0529
Email: mary.woodruff@vermont.gov
FMC Contact
To add state news and resources, contact:
Darlene Wolnik
darlene@farmersmarketcoalition.org
Vermont News/Case Studies

USDA Farmers Market, Local and Regional Food Systems Grants Announced
Hannah Fuller October 2, 2020The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced this week that it has awarded $27 million in grant funding through the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP) and $9.3 million in grant funding through the new Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) grant program. The grants fall under the Local Agricultural… Read More

Standing Together Against Racism: Black Lives Matter
Stephanie Fenty June 3, 2020Over the past week, the United States has been shaken by the deep inequities rooted within our justice system that have continued to destroy the lives of Black Americans like George Floyd. In the past, the Farmers Market Coalition has largely remained silent on matters of race and injustice. We will do so no longer.… Read More

Summit Debrief
Darlene Wolnik November 1, 2019The 2nd annual National Direct Agricultural Marketing Summit took place October 7-9, 2019 in Rosemont, Illinois. FMC hosted pre-Summit activities, including a state & network leader meeting, an emerging issues panel, and discussion groups on markets training and technical assistance needs. For the second year, Farmers Market Coalition gave its all for the Summit, including bringing the entire FMC… Read More

VPR Cafe: Remembering Enid Wonnacott
Darlene Wolnik February 4, 2019Good audio piece on Vermont Public Radio about NOFA-VT’s Executive Director, Enid Wonnacott, who passed away recently. Also, this lovely poem from Caitlin Gildrien Harvest for Enid with so much love The way people married a long time resemble each other, her life’s work was there in her face: sunshine, good rain, the kind of… Read More

NOFA-VT Executive Director Enid Wonnacott Steps Down
Darlene Wolnik October 31, 2018Enid Wonnacott has tallied many accomplishments over 30-plus years as executive director of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont. In 1987, her 10-hour-per-week job came with one filing cabinet and a milk crate filled with paperwork. Since then, Wonnacott has built the nonprofit into a 20-person team supported by a $2.8 million budget. NOFA-VT has… Read More

$4.6M grant doubles food stamp value at New England farmers markets
Liz Comiskey August 17, 2018The bonus bucks program has been around for several years, but this is the first year the program’s incentive has been a 100% match. “Not only is it helping low income families to be able to afford a healthier diet, but it’s also reinvesting that money into Rhode Island’s economy and New England’s economy,” explained… Read More

Please share: Online consumer survey (MD, NY, VT)
Darlene Wolnik June 1, 2018The Farmers Market Federation of NY, partnering with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County, NOFA VT, Community Involved in Sustainable Agriculture (CISA) in Massachusetts, the Maryland Farmers Market Association and University of Maryland Extension, has been awarded a grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under sub-award number… Read More

From Coast to Coast: A Snapshot of the 2018 Farmers Market Poster Contest
Allie Vrtachnik May 25, 2018The 2018 National Farmers Market Poster Contest has come to a close, folks! The deadline for poster submissions was May 15th, but you still have till until May 31st to act as a judge for the Fan Favorite award. Your vote counts as a ‘like’ for your local market or favorite submission. Browse the contest… Read More

Understanding Customer Behavior at Farmers Markets to Improve Farm Sales
Darlene Wolnik April 17, 2018Date: Thursday, April 19th Time: 9:30am-2:30pm Location: Lake Morey Resort- Fairlee, VT Cost: $25 NOFA-VT and VTFMA members, $35 non-members. Lunch is included. Registration is closed but there still is space! If you’re interested in attending, please email kyla@nofavt.org Read More

The What and Why of the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit, Part 3: Risk Management
Darlene Wolnik March 19, 2018By Darlene Wolnik, FMC Senior Researcher | darlene@farmersmarketcoalition.org In partnership with the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT), Center for Agriculture and Food Systems, and the Farmers Market Coalition, the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit was developed for market leaders looking for legal tools and resources to help them build resilient farmers markets in their… Read More

Vermont Farmers Market Conference March 20, 2018
Darlene Wolnik March 14, 2018Vermont Law School 8:30 – 9:00 Registration (Yates Lounge) 9:00 – 9:15 Welcome (Yates Lounge) 9:15 – 10:00 Keynote (Yates Lounge) Stagnant, Saturated or Ready to Surge? – The food retail market is undergoing major shifts which are directly impacting Vermont producers and markets. Through research and dozens of interviews with direct marketing stakeholders in… Read More

The What and Why of the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit, Part 2: SNAP/EBT Implementation
Darlene Wolnik March 12, 2018By Darlene Wolnik, FMC Senior Researcher | darlene@farmersmarketcoalition.org In partnership with the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT), Center for Agriculture and Food Systems, and the Farmers Market Coalition, the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit was developed for market leaders looking for legal tools and resources to help them build resilient farmers markets in their… Read More

The What and Why of the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit, Part 1: Governance
Darlene Wolnik March 5, 2018By Darlene Wolnik, FMC Senior Advisor | darlene@farmermarketcoalition.org In partnership with the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT), Center for Agriculture and Food Systems, and the Farmers Market Coalition, the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit was developed for market leaders looking for legal tools and resources to help them build resilient farmers markets in their… Read More

New report: Stagnant, Saturated, or Ready to Surge? Strategic Marketing Investments for Vermont’s Direct to Consumer Markets
Darlene Wolnik February 12, 2018In an effort to understand the limitations of and opportunities for Vermont’s direct markets, NOFA-VT commissioned this report as part of a multifaceted project that includes research, technical assistance for direct marketers, and a statewide advertising campaign. e target audiences for this report are direct marketers and local food system advocates who want to better… Read More

NEW Resource: Farmers Market Legal Toolkit
Honesta Romberger January 16, 2018In partnership with the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at Vermont Law School and NOFA-VT, FMC is excited to share the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit. Created with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the toolkit is a response to recurring questions from farmers market managers as they… Read More

Farmers Market Metrics and Market Vendors
Darlene Wolnik November 28, 2017By Dar Wolnik, FMC Senior Researcher | darlene@farmersmarketcoalition.org (A version of this article was published in Growing For Markets August 2017 issue by Dar Wolnik. To subscribe, go to GFM online) Since the 1970s, farmers markets have been started by various groups in order to serve many purposes. The timeline below is arranged by the major… Read More

New farm documentary shown during Agricultural Literacy Week
Darlene Wolnik November 6, 2017The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT), along with Vermont Department of Libraries, and Vermont Agency of Food and Markets, announce the 7th annual Agricultural Literacy Week November 13-18 2017. The week-long celebration occurs across the state to inform and educate people about the economic and cultural importance of farms in Vermont communities. For this… Read More

Details for Sponsorship, Exhibiting & Advertising of NOFA-VT’s 2018 Winter Conference
Darlene Wolnik October 30, 2017The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont brings 36 years of conference history to the cutting edge of the local, organic food movement. We hope you’ll join our 1,100+ attendees by partnering as a sponsor or advertiser. Your support of the conference will connect you to our dynamic, growing community of organic farmers, homesteaders, gardeners, and… Read More

New Documentary ‘Peter and the Farm’ Explores the Grittier Side of Farming
Liz Comiskey November 8, 2016By: Honesta Romberger “It’s not about making an income, it’s about making a living.” That’s what struck me most during my conversation with Tony Stone, director of the new documentary Peter and the Farm, a character study about an aging and afflicted marine-turned-artist-turned-farmer, Peter Dunning. Here, he conveyed a sentiment Peter had passed along to… Read More

Market Law 101: Farmers Market Legal Toolkit Update
Honesta Romberger October 12, 2016by Erin Buckwalter, NOFA-VT, and Darlene Wolnik, FMC Image from the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit website that is currently under development. Since the fall of 2014, FMC Senior Researcher Darlene Wolnik and Executive Director Jen Cheek have been collaborating with Erin Buckwalter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) to assist the Center… Read More

2016 FINI Grant Awardees Announced
Honesta Romberger June 10, 2016This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the awardees of $16.8 million in competitive grants to help SNAP (formally food stamps) participants increase their purchases of fruits and vegetables. The funding comes from the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) program, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food… Read More

Food Stamps and Farmers Markets: A Shopper’s Advice For Buying Local with SNAP
Honesta Romberger June 6, 2016by: Rachel J. Floyd Rachel J. Floyd is an anti-hunger advocate and currently serves as an Americorps VISTA in Vermont helping people apply to SNAP. She studied food systems and policy at The Evergreen State College and works toward a more equitable food system. Learn more about Rachel and read her blog here. I love farmers… Read More

Study Suggests Farmers Markets Offer Competitive Prices
Honesta Romberger May 13, 2016One of the greatest barriers preventing consumers from purchasing local food at farmers’ markets is the perception that farmers’ markets are too expensive. Many consumers report that they avoid purchasing local food at direct marketing outlets, such as farmers’ markets, for fear of high costs. Last year, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets… Read More

**Updated** Congratulations to FMC Member FMPP and FMSSG Awardees!
Liz Comiskey October 9, 2015The awardees of the 2015 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), the Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), and the first ever Farmers Market SNAP Support Grants (FMSSG) were announced last week! Check out all of the FMC members that were awarded below. Many FMC members will also benefit from grant projects within their community networks; you… Read More

Farmers Market Metrics Prototype Released
Jen O'Brien July 8, 2014As hundreds of markets open for the year and others begin their summer season, the Farmers Market Coalition held a kickoff of its own, unveiling the first round of prototype reports from the Farmers Market Metrics project. The Farmers Market Metrics project is a multifaceted measurement initiative conducted in partnership with advocacy groups, market organizations,… Read More