NOFA Vermont asks state for $500,000 in base funding to expand Crop Cash and FarmShare programs

Grace O'Dell, executive director of NOFA Vermont, told the House Agriculture Committee the group is seeking $500,000 in base funding to continue and expand state-supported food-security programs that also support local farmers.

"We're asking for $500,000 in base funding, for our food security programs," O'Dell said. Joanna Doran, NOFA's local food access director, described how the programs operate and why state dollars are required.

Crop Cash doubles SNAP (3SquaresVT) benefits for use on produce at participating farmers markets; Crop Cash Plus was a 2023 state‑funded pilot that expanded eligibility to other SNAP‑eligible foods such as eggs, dairy and meat. "Crop Cash doubles SNAP benefits when used at farmer's markets," Doran said. She told the committee the federal grant that funds Crop Cash requires a local match and that state funding helps draw down additional federal money into Vermont's local economy.

Doran described FarmShare, a long‑running program that subsidizes community‑supported agriculture (CSA) shares for low‑income Vermonters by discounting shares by 25 to 75 percent and paying participating farms for the discounted portion. She said NOFA currently partners with more than 60 farms statewide on FarmShare.

NOFA gave a program-level breakdown of how the $500,000 request would be spent: at least $60,000 to meet the federal match requirement for Crop Cash, $200,000 to restore Crop Cash Plus based on the 2023 pilot, and $100,000 for FarmShare. The remainder would cover coupon printing, outreach and administrative costs related to program delivery, Doran said.

Committee members asked for usage and reach figures. Doran estimated the programs served about 800 households so far in the fiscal year but said Crop Cash usage is difficult to convert to unique household counts because transactions at markets are not tracked to individuals. She told the committee the Crop Cash Plus pilot was suspended early in 2023 after the one‑time state funding was exhausted because demand outpaced the pilot appropriation.

Members also discussed last year's one‑time appropriation. NOFA said the prior legislative session provided $300,000 in one‑time funds (none was made base), with $60,000 initially in contingency but later released. NOFA told the committee that recurring state funding is necessary to restore Crop Cash Plus and to continue expanding FarmShare given rising demand.

Supporters in the room included farmers who described the programs' local impact. Melissa Oliva, co‑owner of Ananda Gardens, said FarmShare accounts for about 20 percent of her farm's revenue and highlighted that many recipients are single parents and new Americans who rely on that access to nutritious local food.

NOFA asked the committee to consider making the $500,000 request a base appropriation to sustain and scale the programs that both increase food access and send federal and local dollars to Vermont producers.