Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.

Name

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.

Legal name

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Website

https://agriculture.vermont.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is a state government agency that administers agricultural regulation, disaster aid, and grant programs for Vermont farms, dairy businesses, and food system participants across the state's agricultural economy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agricultural Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Certification, Compliance & Traceability Support (Movement Certs, QA Programs) (AFACALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agriculture & Land-Use MRV (Soil carbon, livestock, forestry/REDD+) (EUAHADAI), Local/County Public Health Laboratories (HLAJAIAC)

Keywords

• Agricultural regulatory services
• Government grant administration
• Disaster recovery assistance
• Farm compliance programs
• Dairy industry support

Headquarters

HQ city

Montpelier

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. State Government Appropriations: VAAFM operates as a state government agency funded through Vermont state government appropriations and federal grants from USDA and other federal agencies. The agency administers disaster relief funds, grant programs, and regulatory services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

VAAFM is the State of Vermont's agriculture agency that administers regulatory programs (Required Agricultural Practices, Produce Program, Hemp Program, Apiary Program), federal and state grant programs (Dairy Business Innovation Center, Working Lands Enterprise Initiative, USDA disaster aid block grants), disaster response and recovery services for flooding and drought, laboratory testing, and digital platforms such as the Feed Finder Marketplace and FieldWatch Registries to support Vermont farms, agricultural producers, and the working landscape.

Product overview

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) is a state government agency that facilitates, supports, and encourages the growth and viability of agriculture in Vermont. Rather than a single unified product, VAAFM operates as a platform of interconnected programs and services organized around core agricultural functions. The portfolio includes digital platforms like the Feed Finder Marketplace and FieldWatch Registries for real-time agricultural communication; regulatory programs such as Required Agricultural Practices and the Produce Program; business support services including the Dairy Business Innovation Center and Working Lands Enterprise Initiative; disaster response programs handling flooding, drought, and agricultural recovery; environmental monitoring through the Vermont Agriculture & Environmental Laboratory; price reporting services covering dairy, maple, beef, and farmers market products; and environmental justice initiatives. These programs work together to support Vermont's agricultural economy while protecting the working landscape, human health, animal health, plant health, and the environment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dairy Business Innovation Center (DBIC): Program supporting small and mid-sized dairy businesses with innovation, marketing, and value-added product growth.
• Farm First
• Working Lands Enterprise Initiative

Products and services

• Feed Finder Marketplace Online marketplace connecting Vermont farmers who need livestock feed with suppliers who have feed available for sale, developed by VAAFM and Vermont Agency of Digital Services.
• FieldWatch Registries GIS-based online mapping platform (FieldWatch, Bee Watch, Driftwatch) operated in Vermont to facilitate real-time communication between crop producers, beekeepers, and pesticide applicators to identify apiary and crop field locations that pesticide applicators should avoid.
• Dairy Business Innovation Center (DBIC) Program supporting small and mid-sized dairy businesses with development, production, marketing, and distribution through technical assistance and sub-award funds, administered by VAAFM as a USDA Dairy Business Innovation Initiative.
• Required Agricultural Practices (RAP) Program Statutory standards all Vermont farms must follow to reduce agricultural impact to water quality, including nutrient management, manure storage, buffer zones, and livestock exclusion requirements, with compliance oversight and financial/technical assistance administered by VAAFM.
• Vermont Agriculture & Environmental Laboratory Laboratory services for agricultural testing and environmental analysis supporting VAAFM's regulatory and monitoring functions, including water quality and other agricultural samples.
• Disaster Response and Recovery Programs Comprehensive disaster response and recovery resources for flooding, drought, and severe weather events affecting Vermont agriculture, including surveys, reporting tools, and financial assistance programs.
• USDA Disaster Assistance Block Grant $31.7 million block grant program under the American Relief Act of 2025 covering infrastructure, timber, market losses, future economic losses, and bare-ground practices for farmers impacted by 2023 and 2024 flooding.
• Vermont Agricultural Recovery Task Force Coordinated recovery effort for Vermont's agriculture and food systems in response to severe weather events including flooding and drought, co-chaired by VAAFM and UVM Extension.
• HPAI in Dairy Cows Monitoring Program Program monitoring Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in dairy cattle, including USDA bulk milk testing and federal order compliance for interstate cattle movement.
• Apiary Program Program for honey bee care and pollinator protection, including partnership with the University of Vermont Bee Lab as Data Steward for the FieldWatch platform.
• Hemp Program Program regulating and supporting hemp production in Vermont, including licensing and oversight of hemp cultivation.
• Produce Program Program ensuring produce safety and compliance with federal food safety regulations for Vermont produce growers.
• Farm to School Program connecting Vermont farms with schools and early childhood institutions to increase local food purchasing in school meals.
• Working Lands Enterprise Initiative Initiative supporting the growth and viability of Vermont's working landscape through grants and technical assistance to agricultural and forestry businesses.
• Environmental Justice Law Implementation Program implementing Vermont's Environmental Justice Act (Act 154 of 2022) to ensure equitable access to environmental benefits and protection from disproportionate burdens for all Vermonters.
• Water Haulers List Compiled list of Vermont businesses providing water hauling services for agricultural operations experiencing drought or water shortages.

Quantifiable outcome

• 164 farms listed on Feed Finder Marketplace
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vermont Agency of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026VAAFM affiliate Vermont Renewable Gas (VRG) signed MOU with Vermont Agency of Natural Resources for a proposed 2.2 MW renewable energy facility in Lyndon, Vermont. The MOU establishes environmental and regulatory compliance conditions.
• FieldWatch (Non-profit organization)coreTechnology or Integration · 5 March 2026VAAFM joined FieldWatch Registries, making Vermont the first New England state to participate in this online mapping platform. FieldWatch operates the GIS-based platform providing Fieldwatch, Bee Watch, and Driftwatch services for real-time communication between crop producers, beekeepers, and pesticide applicators.
• University of Vermont Bee LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026UVM Bee Lab serves as Data Steward for the FieldWatch program in Vermont, assisting participants with enrollment, technical support, and site approvals for apiary and crop location mapping.
• USDA Farm Service AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA/FSA provides $31.7 million in disaster aid block grant funding under the American Relief Act of 2025, administered by VAAFM to assist Vermont communities impacted by catastrophic flooding in July 2023 and 2024.
• USDA Dairy Business Innovation InitiativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA grants over $11 million through the Dairy Business Innovation Grant Program, with VAAFM as one of four DBI Initiatives (along with California State University-Fresno, University of Tennessee, and University of Wisconsin) providing technical assistance and sub-awards to dairy farmers and businesses.
• University of Vermont ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUVM Extension Co-Chairs the Vermont Agricultural Recovery Task Force alongside VAAFM, contributing to community engagement and subject matter expertise for recovery efforts.
• Working Lands Enterprise InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVAAFM partners with the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative, a separate entity at workinglands.vermont.gov, to support agricultural business development and investment.
• Vermont Department of Tourism and MarketingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVAAFM partners with Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing to promote VermontVacation.com as a platform for farms to list agritourism activities and events.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food: Closest geographic peer agency in New England with overlapping regulatory authority over dairy, plant industry, animal health, weights and measures, and agricultural development programs serving a small-farm economy similar to Vermont.
• Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources: New England peer state agency with similar scope including dairy support, farmland preservation, apiary/pollinator programs, and farm-to-school initiatives. Operates at smaller scale in adjacent geography.
• California Department of Food and Agriculture: Co-recipient with VAAFM of USDA Dairy Business Innovation Initiative funding (California State University-Fresno). Comparable scope of plant industry, animal health, dairy, marketing, and environmental stewardship programs at much larger scale.
• Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture: Northeast/mid-Atlantic state agriculture agency administering farmland preservation, dairy industry support, food safety, animal health, and agricultural business development — closely parallel to VAAFM's portfolio.
• Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship: State agriculture agency administering similar programs including water quality, soil conservation, animal health, commodity price reporting, and renewable energy oversight. Shares the structure of regulatory + grant administration + farmer assistance.
• Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: Major dairy state agriculture agency with a parallel Dairy Business Innovation Initiative alongside VAAFM. Comparable regulatory scope including agricultural producer licensing, water quality programs, and dairy industry modernization grant administration.
• New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets: The most directly comparable state agriculture agency — same name structure, similar regulatory authority, neighboring Northeast state with comparable dairy industry, farmland preservation programs, and food safety oversight. Shares similar challenges around water quality, dairy modernization, and farmland viability.

Emerging players

• FieldWatch: Non-profit technology partner operating the GIS-based FieldWatch/Bee Watch/DriftWatch platform that VAAFM has integrated. Operates adjacent enabling infrastructure rather than competing with VAAFM's regulatory scope.

Others

• National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA): Industry association that coordinates the 50+ U.S. state agriculture agencies including VAAFM, providing policy advocacy and best-practice sharing. Indirect peer relationship as a coordinating body rather than a direct service provider.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): Federal counterpart that funds VAAFM's major programs ($31.7M disaster aid, $11M DBI grants, $3M supply chain grants) and sets the regulatory framework (HPAI monitoring, organic standards) that VAAFM implements at the state level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwJ84oHS_TcJq9BR6BLKYcg
• Facebookfacebook.com/pg/vtagencyofag/videos/?ref=page_internal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments13 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.