Farm to Plate Press Conference

Press Conference Wednesday, January 20th at the Vermont Statehouse
to review progress, trends, and what’s next in Vermont’s implementation
of the Farm to Plate food system plan

WHAT: 

At no other time in Vermont’s history has food system activity been more coordinated and more of an economic driver in Vermont. 2016 marks the halfway point of the release of the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan. The Farm to Plate Network is entering its 5th year implementing Vermont’s food system plan to increase economic development and jobs in the farm and food sector and improve access to healthy local food for all Vermonters.

The 2015 Farm to Plate Annual Report will be presented to the Vermont Legislature prior to the press conference and will highlight the progress, trends, and what more needs to be done in order to reach Vermont’s Farm to Plate goals from economic, social, and environmental perspectives.

WHO:

• House Agriculture & Forest Products Committee Chair Representative Carolyn Partridge, Windham County
• Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Executive Director, Ellen Kahler
  • The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund is a non-profit organization tasked by the Vermont Legislature in 2009 to create the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan and is the coordinating organization of the Farm to Plate Network (350+ organizations working together to implement the Plan).
• Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Secretary Chuck Ross
• Maple Wind Farm Owner, Bruce Hennessey
  • Maple Wind Farm is a diversified pasture-based livestock, poultry, organic vegetable, and maple products farm located on two conserved properties in Huntington and Richmond.
  • Will speak to the economic development in Vermont’s farm and food sector – one of the three core components of the original Farm to Plate legislation passed in 2009.
• Sugarsnap Owner, Abbey Duke
  • Sugarsnap offers catering and two café locations in Chittenden County as well as its own farm at the Intervale in Burlington.
  • Will speak to job creation in the farm and food economy – one of the three core components of the original Farm to Plate legislation passed in 2009.
• Vermont Foodbank Executive Director, John Sayles
  • The Vermont Foodbank’s mission is to gather and share quality food and nurture partnerships so that no one in Vermont will go hungry.
  • Will speak to improving access to healthy local food for all Vermonters – one of the three core components of the original Farm to Plate legislation passed in 2009.
• Senate Agriculture Committee Senator Michael Sirotkin, Chittenden County
• Q&A

WHEN:

Wednesday, January 20, 2016
11:00 – 11:30 AM
Interviews to follow.

WHERE:

Cedar Creek Room, Vermont Statehouse

BACKGROUND:

Farm to Plate is Vermont’s food system plan to meet the goals of the legislation passed in 2009 calling for increased economic development and jobs in the farm and food sector and improved access to healthy local food for all Vermonters. The Farm to Plate food system plan was released five years ago and the Farm to Plate Network (diverse group of over 350 stakeholders from the private sector, non-profit organizations, institutions, and government agencies) is entering its fifth year implementing the plan. The Farm to Plate Strategic Plan, all work connected to the Farm to Plate Network, and the complete data analysis and visualization of how Vermont is doing reaching the 25 goals of Vermont’s food system plan are located at www.vtfarmtoplate.com. The website also hosts a statewide newsfeed of Vermont farm and food news and the Vermont Food Atlas – a searchable database of over 7,000 farm and food sector people, places, and resources in Vermont’s farm and food sector. Follow on Twitter@VTFarm2Plate.

Media Contact: Rachel Carter
Communications Director
Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund/Farm to Plate
rachel@vsjf.org, 802-318-5527