Refugee Farmers Work to Restore Livelihood After Flood

One of the worst floods to hit Vermont in nearly 83 years damaged 10,000 acres of farmland and left about 100 refugee farmers struggling to re-establish their livelihood. Tropical Storm Irene hit the area last August destroying $25,000 worth of crops and equipment. According to Robert Paquin, FSA state executive director, the agency received nearly $4.5 million in requests to help restore more than 450 commercial farms statewide. For the Burundi and Napali refugees who fled to Vermont 12 years ago to escape military unrest in their countries, farming was a successful endeavor in their country. Today, they aim to find the same success in the United States. Read more (New York Times).