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Vermont’s Farm to Plate food system plan to increase economic development and jobs in Vermont’s farm and food sector and improve access to healthy local food for all Vermonters is currently in its sixth year of implementation. Jake Claro has been named the Farm to Plate Director and will be responsible for providing facilitative leadership and strategic coordination for the Farm to Plate Network’s work to implement Vermont’s food system plan. Claro previously served as the Farm to Plate Network Manager, working closely with the previous director, Erica Campbell, who transitioned into an agriculture outreach role with Senator Bernie Sanders in February.

“Erica Campbell was instrumental in helping to launch the Farm to Plate Network in 2011, and Jake joined the team in the fall 2012 in order to expand our capacity to serve the Network’s ability to implement Vermont’s Farm to Plate food system plan. Together they have provided critical leadership and facilitation as projects evolve to meet the goals of the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan. In this new role, Jake will continue to align activity among 350 stakeholders and increase collaboration between private sector, nonprofits, and government to strengthen Vermont’s farm and food economy for the benefit of all Vermonters,” says Ellen Kahler, Executive Director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund—the nonprofit organization responsible for administering the Farm to Plate Investment Program, a program authorized by the Vermont Legislature in 2009.

Prior to 2012, Claro held positions at the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) and the Vermont Energy & Climate Action Network (VECAN). He resides in Barre, and serves on the Hunger Mountain Coop Community Fund Committee and the Sodexo Vermont First Advisory Board.

Sarah Danly has been named the Farm to Plate Network Manager and will work closely with Claro to manage projects and conduct data analysis to report back to the Vermont Legislature on the progress being made to reach Vermont’s food system plan goals. Danly previously worked at the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at Vermont Law School and resides in Royalton.

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Farm to Plate is Vermont’s food system plan being implemented statewide to increase economic development and jobs in Vermont’s farm and food sector and improve access to healthy local food for all Vermonters. The ten year Farm to Plate Strategic Plan (2011-2020) to create a viable, sustainable, and resilient food system to produce and distribute our food is being implemented by the Farm to Plate Network—over 350 farm and food sector businesses, non-profits, institutions, and government agencies from across the state. Farm to Plate is a program of the Vermont Legislature, administered by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, a non-profit organization based in Montpelier, Vermont. www.VTFarmtoPlate.com