Program offers $5,000 farmer award

Montpelier- The Vermont Land Trust is accepting applications for an award to celebrate and benefit Vermont farmers. The $5,000 Eric Rozendaal Memorial Award will be given to a Vermont farmer who exemplifies land stewardship, giving back, and entrepreneurial farming. The deadline for applications is June 30.
A creative, innovative, and enterprising farmer, Rozendaal was a longtime vendor at the Burlington Farmers’ Market. He also worked to improve the soil on his farm, built community with customers and farm workers, and shared his knowledge with others. After Rozendaal died in 2018, his family and friends raised funds to create an award in his memory, which is now managed by the Vermont Land Trust.
Corie Pierce of Bread & Butter Farm in Shelburne and South Burlington was the winner of the first Eric Rozendaal Memorial Award in 2019. The award will be given annually.
The awardee must be a resident of Vermont and be actively managing a commercial farm operation in Vermont. A selection committee consisting of leaders in the Vermont agricultural community will review and score all eligible applications and select a winner. The award will be announced in the fall. Details regarding the award and application can be found at www.vlt.org/eric.