VERMONT - The deadline is approaching for registration in the 2013 Vermont Farm/Food Business Plan Competition, which offers a total of $60,000 in prizes for both new and existing businesses with innovative ideas, along with student enterprise plans.

To enter, contestants should register by Feb. 5 at www.strollingoftheheifers.com.

The competition, a collaboration of Vermont Technical College and Strolling of the Heifers, seeks to encourage farm, food and forestry business development throughout Vermont. All entries must involve some aspect of farming, forestry, food processing, food distribution, food packaging or food retailing (including restaurants).Full information and rules may be found at that site as well.

After registering, contestants must attend a Feb. 5 an interactive video presentation provided via Vermont Interactive Technologies at 13 locations throughout the state. They will then prepare a three-page business prospectus due March 8, from which finalists will be selected.

Finalists will make presentations to the judges at Marlboro College Graduate Center in Brattleboro on the morning of June 5, and awards will be announced that afternoon as the kickoff of the Strolling of the Heifers Slow Living Summit which begins that day.

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