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Farm to Plate Strategic Plan

Farm to Plate Strategic Plan

The Farm to Plate (F2P) Initiative, approved at the end of the 2009 Vermont legislative session, directed the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, in consultation with the Sustainable Agriculture Council and other stakeholders, to develop a 10-year strategic plan to strengthen Vermont’s food system. 

Updates from Farm to Plate

Read the latest issue of the Farm to Plate e-newsletter, or browse archived issues.

The e-newsletter provides updates about the F2P strategic planning process and implementation of the plan throughout the state. F2P e-news updates also include food system job and training opportunities, events, resources, and much more! Email traffic is minimal, you'll never get more than one per month. Sign up today!

Farm to Plate 2011 Annual Report

F2P Implementation DiagramThe first annual report on progress made by the Farm to Plate Investment Program was presented to the Vermont legislature. It’s important to remember that we just completed the first year of a 10-year strategic plan and this report is but a snapshot of some of the progress that was made in 2011 by farms, food enterprises, and nonprofit organizations that are working to strengthen our food system. Future F2P Annual Reports will include more details on the metrics we are using to track results on the ground — such as jobs created, the number of acres under production, and new infrastructure that has come online.

Food system highlights to date include:

  • Releasing the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan;
  • Launching the Farm to Plate Network, and new collaborations between various state agencies and departments;
  • Launching new private enterprises through targeted investment and collaboration among various funding streams including: Agency of Agriculture grant programs (Vermont Agriculture Innovation Center, Farm to School, Farm to Institution, Specialty Crop Block Grants, Jobs Bill grants);
  • The deployment of over $1.26 million from the Vermont Agriculture Innovation Center, Jobs Bills, and Vermont Farm Viability Program funds—which has leveraged an additional $2.7 million in funding—to strengthen Vermont’s food system (See pages 6-11);
  • The latest available information indicates that Vermont’s food system added approximately 450 private sector jobs and approximately 120 establishments since the F2P Executive Summary was released.

Read more from the 2011 Farm to Plate Annual Report. (PDF, 6MB)

Farm to Plate Grantees

Five food systems organizations were award grant funding to support critical equipment and infrastructure needs that we identified through the Farm to Plate Initiative. The funding was made available as part of the Vermont General Assembly’s Jobs Bill in 2010 (Act 78), which provided implementation funding for the Farm to Plate Strategic Planning process.  Read the Press Release. 

Ribbon Cutting at Mad River Food Hub

Ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Mad River Food Hub in Waitsfield on January 17, 2012.
Left to right: Robin Morris (owner of the Food Hub), Senator Vince Illuzzi, Senator Sara Kittell, Governor Peter Shumlin, Representative Carolyn Partridge, Representative Tess Taylor

Table of Contents for the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan

If you would like a hardcopy of the Executive Summary report mailed to you, or if you would like to pick up a copy at our office, please contact us.  We ask that if you want a copy mailed that you please assist us with postage by sending $5 to: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, 3 Pitkin Court, 301e  Montpelier, VT 05602.  If your organization would like to receive multiple copies, please send an email indicating the number of copies requested and contact information so we may contact you for postage rates and mailing instructions.

Click on the image to download a high resolution file.

Executive Summary

F2P Executive Summary cover

Chapter 1: Overview of the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan

F2P Chapter 1 cover


Chapter 2: Getting to 2020: Goals and Indicators for Strengthening Vermont's Food System

F2P Chapter 2 cover

Chapter 3: Analysis of Vermont's Food System

Ch.3 Cover

Chapter 3 Sections:

  • 3.1 Consumer Demand, Consumer Education, and Marketing

  • 3.2 Farm Inputs (intro, 3.7 MB, 9/13/11) (Note: All Farm Inputs figures re-adjusted for inflation to 2010 dollars)

Land Access and Availability (4.4 MB, revised content 11/03/11)
Soil (2.1 MB, 9/13/11, includes Farm Assets and Debts)
Animal Feed (2.2 MB, 9/26/11)
Seed (Content revision, 1.8 MB, 9/13/11)
 Water (1.4 MB, 9/13/11)
 Energy (2.2 MB, 9/13/11)
 Labor (1.9 MB, 9/13/11)
 End Notes, Credits (1.5 MB, revised end notes 11/03/11)

  • 3.3 Food Production

    • Dairy
    • Livestock (7 MB, revised 11/11/11: Tables 3.3.9, 3.3.10, and 3.3.11 revised)
    • Fruits and Vegetables
    • Maple (4.8 MB, revised 11/11/11: figures adjusted for inflation to 2010 dollars, Table 3.3.1 revised)
    • Eggs
    • Grains
    • Honey (2.2 MB, revised 11/13/11: new honey laundering content and Table 3.3.1 revised)
    • Fish
    • Beer and Wine

Chapter 4: Crosscutting Issues

  • 4.6 Food System Energy Issues

  • 4.7 Food System Regulation (1.5 MB, 3/14/11)

  • 4.8 Leadership, Communication, and Coordination Across the Food System

Chapter 5: Summary

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Enabling Legislation (73 KB, 1/10/11)


Appendix B: Revitalizing Vermont's Dairy Industry 

 

Appendix B cover

Appendix C: Connecting the Dots: Strategies for Aligning Production, Processing, Distribution, and Market Outlets for Vermont's Local Food System

Appendix C Cover

Appendix D: Dissolving the Double Bind: Strategies for Expanding Food Access and Developing Vermont's Local Food System

F2P Appendix D cover

Appendix E: Meeting the Demand: Strategies for Expanding Vermont Livestock Production and Meat Processing

Appendix E Cover

Farm to Plate Process Team

F2P Process Team members met monthly and assisted VSJF staff in developing the strategic planning process.  Members included:

  • Roger Allbee (Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets)
  • Marie Audet (Blue Spruce Farm)
  • Stacy Burnstein (Castanea Foundation)
  • Megan Camp (VT-FEED and Shelburne Farms)
  • Guy Choiniere (Choiniere Family Farm)
  • Eric Clifford (Clifford Dairy Farm)
  • Paul Costello (VT Council on Rural Development);
  • Brian Dunkiel (Shems Dunkiel Raubvogel & Saunders)
  • Amanda Ellis-Thurber (Lilac Ridge Farm)
  • Bill Schubart (formerly of Resolution, Inc.)
  • Will Stevens (Golden Russet Farm)
  • Ryan Torres (VT Community Foundation)
  • Steve Voigt (King Arthur Flour)
  • Tom Vogelmann (UVM College of Agriculture & Life Sciences)
  • Enid Wonnacott (NOFA-Vermont)

Farm to Plate Researchers / Writers

  • Caroline Abels (Local Banquet)
  • Linda Berlin (UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture)
  • Louise Calderwood (Everything Agriculture)
  • Sam Fuller (NOFA-VT)
  • Greg Georgaklis (Verdant Valley, LLC)
  • Doug Hoffer (independent policy analyst)
  • Virginia Nickerson (Nickerson Consulting)
  • Rachel Schattman (UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture)
  • Helen Labun Jordan
  • Holly Tippett
  • Nicholas Rockler

Farm to Plate Funders

  • ARRA – State Stimulus Funds
  • VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
  • Vermont Community Foundation
  • High Meadows Fund
  • Jane B. Cook 1983 Charitable Trust
  • John Merck Fund
  • Growald Family Fund
  • Eagleridge Fund
  • Cabot Creamery Cooperative
  • Gardeners' Supply Company
  • Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream
  • Ben & Jerry's Foundation
  • Block Foundation
  • Burlington City Market
  • Vermont Health & Nutrition Fund of the VT Community Foundation
  • VT Agriculture Innovation Center
  • Fieldstone Foundation
  • Jane's Trust
  • Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
  • Kendall Foundation
  • Vermont Department of Education 
  • Anonymous (3)

A special thanks to members of the Vermont Legislature and Administration who have provided important funding (Act 54 & Act 78) and staff support to this planning process including:

  • Senators Illuzzi, Miller, Ashe, Carris, Racine, Bartlett, Kittel, Starr and Choate.
  • Representatives Partridge, Botzow, Heath, Stevens, Bray, Lorber, Ainsworth, Bissonnette, Clerkin, Conquest, Dickinson, Johnson, Kitzmiller, Larson, Lawrence, Malcolm, Manwaring, Marcotte, Minter, McAllister, Shand, Smith, Taylor, Toll, Turner, Wilson and Zuckerman.
  • Governor Douglas, Secretary Lunderville, and Secretary Allbee.

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