Tools & Links for Commercial Farmers

Virginia Aquatool

This tool is a one-stop-shop for all you need to know about managing and operating a shellfish farm in Virginia. This resource includes information about:

• How to create a business, business plan, and develop a budget
• Guidance on choosing an area to lease
• Information on various gear types and the corresponding permits
• Information about lease permitting and harvesting requirements
• How to become a certified dealer, and much more!

Water Quality & Coastal Flooding

• • VIMS daily Bay-wide maps of salinity, temperature, acidification and more.  
  • NOAA Chesapeake Bay operational forecast system (wind, water temperature, salinity, and other parameters used in the VIMS forecasts) 
  • Eastern Shore Laboratory Monitoring
  • VIMS Tidewatch Charts© provide an effective way to visualize and predict the magnitude and impacts of coastal flooding at specific locations within the Chesapeake Bay and along Virginia's seaside Eastern Shore.
  • NCCOS Vibrio Predictive Models 

Grants & Cost Share Programs

There are grant opportunities to expand your business, test an idea to improve efficiency and/or conserve the natural resource, and restore oyster bottom habitat.

• The Governor’s Agriculture & Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID)
  The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) team excels at helping entrepreneurs and expanding agribusiness companies navigate local, state and federal business assistance resources, as well as industry-specific partnerships.  There are two grant opportunities outlined below that shellfish farms should consider.
  • AFID Facility Grants - For new or expanding agriculture or forestry businesses               
  • AFID Planning Grants - For local agriculture or forestry-based economic development programs
    (develop strategic plans, feasibility studies, business or marketing plans, etc)
• Virginia Fishery Resource Grant Program (FRG)
  A competitive grant program to fund commercial fishermen who have ideas to conserve the resource and improve fishing efficiency.  The program will not fund a start-up business or fund a business expansion. 
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Aquaculture Initiative
  A cost share program for spat-on-shell culture which restores oyster bottom habitat.  The Federal investment covers bottom restoration (with shell) and the private investment covers planting an overlay of spat-on-shell.  

Finacing & Insurance 

There are grant opportunities to expand your business, test an idea to improve efficiency and/or conserve the natural resource, and restore oyster bottom habitat.

• USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Loan Programs 
• Find a Virginia Agency office location 

Crop and Related Insurance:

• USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Noninsured crop disaster assistance program (NAP)
  The only crop insurance available for shellfish culture is NAP, which provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters. 

Marketing, Sustainability, & Tourism

Marketing

The Virginia Marine Products Board is the marketing arm of the Virginia Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).

Their website is a great resource for businesses and consumers, which features an oyster aquaculture page highlighting the regional flavor profiles, where to buy local Virginia seafood, a growers directory. Send an email to be added to the retail and grower list.

Sustainability

• Virginia Sustainable Seafood Guide 
  A pocket guide to promote sustainable, local choices of seafood.  This guide development was a collaborative effort funded by the Virginia Fishery Resource Grant Program (FRG).
• Sensible Seafood Program 
  A Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Program promoting local and sustainable sources of seafood.  Learn more and consider becoming a partner in the program.
• NOAA Fishwatch 
  U.S. Seafood facts and sustainability information to inform seafood choices; provide up-to-date information on the status of wild capture and cultured marine fish; and inform how U.S. seafood is responsibly harvested and grown under strong monitoring, management and enforcement. 

Tourism

• Virginia Oyster Trail 
  A trail guide promoting tourism and increasing awareness of the benefits of Virginia oysters to our economy and environment.  The trail features oyster farm tours, restaurants, agri-artisans and more.  Membership opportunities are available – check it out.
• Virginia Tourism Corporation – Virginia is for Oyster Lovers!