Vermont Farm to Plate
2016 Annual Report to the Vermont Legislature
As the administrators of the Farm to Plate Investment Program
legislation (2009), the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) is responsible for preparing the
Farm to Plate Annual Report for the Vermont Legislature to report on Vermont's progress to increase economic development and jobs in Vermont's farm and food economy and improve access to healthy local food for all Vermonters. The Vermont Legislature tasked VSJF with conducting a public engagement process and developing a statewide food system plan (
Farm to Plate Strategic Plan, 2011-2020) to reach the goals of the legislation. The public engagement process led to the development of the
Farm to Plate Network--over 350 farms, food production businesses, specialty food producers, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, capital providers and government agencies working together to implement Vermont's Farm to Plate food system plan.
The Vermont Legislature's Intended Outcomes for the Farm to Plate Investment Program and Progress-to-Date:
Strategic Priority Areas Over the Next 5 Years:
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Champlainside Farm, credit Cabot |
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Protect and expand affordable and
environmentally sustainable
farmland in agricultural production.
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Stony Pond Farm, credit Organic Valley |
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Improve the viability of farms
and food businesses.
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#RootedinVermont local food purchases
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Increase local food availability
and affordability in all market
channels.
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#RootedinVermont local food cooking
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Increase consumer
engagement and demand for
local food.
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Goat cheese production, credit Vermont Creamery
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Meet food system employment
needs in positive work
environments.
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The Farm to Plate Network creates the space for strategic conversations across multiple audiences and perspectives to make systematic food system change that no one organization can do alone. The Network's collective ability to be adaptive and innovative will be crucial over the next five years in order to address a changing federal landscape (e.g., uncertainty about what changes in immigration policy and dairy pricing will mean to Vermont dairy farmers), to new water quality rules, to new markets for Vermont products, to climate change impacts, and demographic changes that will impact both farm ownership and workforce needs. The Farm to Plate Network, in partnership with the Scott Administration, hopes to meet these challenges and continue to grow our local and regional food systems for the benefit of all Vermonters and our rural communities.
Personnel Changes
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Jake Claro, Scott Sawyer, and Erica Campbell have worked together as a part of the Farm to Plate team at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund for approximately five years.
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The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund team wants to thank Scott Sawyer for his many years of dedicated service to the organization and the Farm to Plate Network. Scott recently moved back to his native California and is wrapping up working for VSJF remotely. Scott was instrumental in writing most of the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan chapters, conceptualized and managed the development of the Farm to Plate website, created the data visualizations that enable progress to be tracked towards reaching Vermont's Farm to Plate goals, led the design of Farm to Plate material, and provided an overall ability to help the Farm to Plate Network understand the complexity of our food system. Vermont's loss will be California's gain.
Farm to Plate staff and Network members share mixed emotions at the news that Erica Campbell will be transitioning to a position with Senator Bernie Sanders where she will continue to support the vitality of Vermont's agricultural sector as well as transportation and rural development. Erica has been instrumental in developing, nurturing, and facilitating the Farm to Plate Network from infancy into a robust network of food system collaborators working together to create systematic food system change. Erica is looking forward to continuing to make strong connections between our food system and the health of Vermonters and will remain involved in the Farm to Plate Network representing Senator Sanders. Many warm wishes follow Erica to her new and important role with Senator Sanders.
Jake Claro
, the current Farm to Plate Network Manager, who has been working closely with Scott and Erica since 2012 will step into the role of Farm to Plate Director, which will include responsibilities previously managed by both Scott and Erica. VSJF staff are working closely with the Farm to Plate Steering Committee to address additional staff capacity gaps and plan for the next five years moving forward. VSJF is currently searching for a new Farm to Plate Network Manager with strong skills in planning, facilitation, coordination, and project management.
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Farm to Plate Network Highlight
The Farm to Plate Network is self-governed and overall guidance is provided by the
Steering Committee made up of elected chairpersons from Farm to Plate Network groups and teams along with representatives from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, Vermont Agency of Commerce & Community Development, Vermont Food Funders Network, and the Sustainable Agriculture Council. At its January meeting, the Steering Committee decided to extend an invitation to the Farm to School Network to designate a representative to serve given the many ways these two Networks are already interconnected.
The Steering Committee provides overall governance and high level oversight of the Farm to Plate Network's progress implementing Vermont's food system plan. The Steering Committee is responsible for identifying gaps in strategies, developing processes for Network-wide learning, helping to organize the annual Farm to Plate Network Gathering, and shaping the evolution of the Network infrastructure over time.
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Faye Conte of Hunger Free Vermont is co-chair of the Farm to Plate Food Access Cross-cutting Team and serves on the Farm to Plate Steering Committee. She is pictured here chatting with Rep. Carolyn Partridge (D-Windham) at the Farm to Plate Gathering held annually in the late fall.
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Farm & Food Workshops + Industry Events
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VIDEOS
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MEDIA
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THE ATLAS
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THE PLAN
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GOALS
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THE NETWORK
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Copyright © 2017. All Rights Reserved.
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