COLCHESTER, Vt. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the selection of recipients for approximately $4.1 million in grants and cooperative agreements through its new Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. These are the first-ever recipients of these grants and cooperative agreements, which will enhance urban agriculture efforts in Vermont and across the country.
The Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV) received $300,000 for their project titled, New Farms for New Americans: Improving Lands, Improving Lives. They were one of ten recipients selected from 500 applicants through the national competitive grant program.
The effort will provide 80 garden plots to approximately 70 households on five acres of leased land to support food production and community building for New Americans. The project will build upon the existing garden infrastructure to improve local food access, offer a 48-week agriculture program for refugee farmers focusing on food systems and nutrition, and a leadership/mentorship program in partnership with the Vermont Community Garden Network. Over 250 people of multiple ages, seven languages and five ethnic groups will be reached.
New Farms for New Americans Project Coordinator Alisha Laramee said, “We are thrilled to receive this incredibly important and timely grant. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to work with this next generation of Vermonters.”
Learn more about the specifics of the project here.
–USDA NRCS Vermont