Completed Project Report


Environmental Regulations and Legal Education for Vermont Farms

  • Award Amount: $24,341
  • Regional Center: Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2016 Education Projects
  • Project Director: Mark Cannella
  • Email: mark.cannella@uvm.edu
  • Organization: University of Vermont Extension

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Project Overview

This project addressed the legal rights and obligations Vermont farmers face upon the passing
of new Vermont water quality regulations. The regulation changed certain agricultural practices from “accepted” to “required” and the regulation encompasses agricultural businesses both
large and small. The project delivered risk management education to 185 Vermont farmers through workshops located in agricultural counties over an 18 month period. Agricultural producers came together with legal experts to address farmer rights/obligations, document feedback for policy makers, identify specific legal risks on their farms, analyze existing resources  and develop an action plan to mitigate risks to their business. Seven legal education fact sheets and reports were distributed to participants in person and online. One hundred and forty (140) farm managers completed a risk management planning worksheet. Twenty one farms verified that actual changes were made, demonstrating how challenging compliance has become. Several farms made informed decisions to exit farming.

Number of Participants: 185

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

There are no promotional materials available for this project.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

There are no educational materials available for this project.

REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

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DELIVERY AREA

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