Document Type
Report
Publication Date
2-2021
Abstract
This report highlights results from a survey of Vermont farm and food businesses conducted during August and September 2020, with a total of 223 respondents. The survey was distributed via a number of non-profit, business, and state agencies in Vermont. Respondents included farms, food and farm product retail, agritourism operators, on-farm food processors, food and beverage manufacturers, nurseries/greenhouses/garden centers, and food hubs/aggregators. Overall, we find the majority of respondents experienced a COVID-19 business impact, especially in market and financial ways. We also find that the majority of respondents had business changes they wanted to make, but couldn't because of a lack of financial resources, inadequate equipment, or personal challenges. While the majority of respondents didn't apply for COVID-19 grants and programs, those that did were significantly more likely to agree they had the financial resources to make necessary business changes. We also identify help recovery strategies including the need for market assistance to shift to online platforms. Finally, we identify that the majority of respondents indicated perceived stress at the time of the survey, further highlighting the need for mental health resources related to COVID-19. We discuss future opportunities for recovery efforts and resilience in the Vermont food system.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Niles, Meredith T.; Bertmann, Farryl; Belarmino, Emily H.; Cannella, Mark; and Conner, David S., "COVID-19 Impacts on Vermont Farms and Food Businesses: Pivots, Needs and Opportunities for the Future" (2021). College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications. 98.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/calsfac/98