Bennington Veterans Incubator Farm seeks state capital for greenhouse, well and mobile solar to launch veteran cooperative

Michael Fernandez, district manager of the Bennington County Conservation District, presented a detailed plan for the Bennington Veterans Incubator Farm and asked the Senate Committee on Institutions to consider state capital funding for three near-term infrastructure items: a greenhouse, a deep well and a mobile solar generator.

Fernandez said the project originated through a Bennington Fair Food Initiative and a congressionally designated HUD allocation obtained with Senator Peter Welch’s assistance. He said the HUD funds have been used for planning, a small tractor and other items, and that the new state request would act as seed capital to establish a cooperative that trains veterans, provides short-term enterprise space and sells produce to institutional buyers (including the Vermont Veterans Home and schools).

Costs and priorities…