BRATTLEBORO — In response to the suddenly changed business landscape for farmers and food entrepreneurs, Windham Grows is offering free business recovery and resiliency consulting to local food and farm businesses.
The COVID-19 crisis has hit food and agriculture businesses especially hard.
“While the best way to slow the spread of the disease is social distancing, the unfortunate economic consequence is leading to the biggest economic slowdown since the Great Depression,” Windham Grows Program Manager Peter Doran said in a news release. “We saw a lot of our past participants really struggling, and we knew we had to help.”
“The most immediate help we can offer is business counseling to help our local food and farm businesses rebound, recover and regain momentum,” said Lissa Harris, executive director of Strolling of the Heifers, parent organization of Windham Grows.
The counseling will focus on adaptability in a rapidly changing market, in addition to long-term growth. Consultations will be provided by Windham Grows staff, as well as a cadre of experienced consultants who have a long professional history with the program.
Its consultants will provide assistance in determining changes in customers, distribution channels, labor, procedures, marketing and branding, and financial management. Clients will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.
The type of consulting work can cover many topics from guiding businesses through loan and grant applications to looking at alternative distribution channels and business plans.