Staff Articles
Town Forests Bring Vermonters Together, Even While Social Distancing
By Christine McGowan, Forest Products Program Director at Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund In the era of COVID-19, Vermonters are particularly fortunate to live in a rural state where access to the outdoors is abundant. Even people living in Vermont’s largest city and the epicenter of coronavirus cases in the state, most Burlington residents had access … Read More
What does the future of farming and food in Vermont look like?
We Need Your Input to Shape the Future Together By Jake Claro, Farm to Plate Director at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund MONTPELIER, VT – The Farm to Plate Network, managed by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF), just launched a public survey that will help develop a new vision for farming and food, and … Read More
COVID-19, Community, and Curbside Pick-Up
Upper Valley Produce Responds to New Needs of Vermont’s Food System By Geoff Robertson, Business Assistance Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund It’s no secret that the food industry has been among the hardest hit by COVID-19. The pandemic forced producers, farmers, and restaurants to adapt their business models—or close their doors—virtually overnight. In the middle … Read More
Farm to Plate Statement of Solidarity
The Farm to Plate team at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund stands in solidarity with the Black and African American community in condemning the murders of and demanding justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others.
New Technology for Vermont’s Oldest Industry
Start-Up Whiteout Solutions Piloting Forest Inventory and Mapping Technology in Northeast Kingdom By Christine McGowan, Forest Products Program Director at Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. Vermont’s first sawmill opened in 1738, nearly a century before the first chainsaw was invented, not to mention cars or telephones. And it was at least 150 years before that sawmill … Read More
Growing the Next Generation of Vermont Farmers
Young Farmers in Vermont Met with Challenges and Opportunities By Shane Rogers, Farm to Plate Communications Manager at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund The landscape of farming is changing throughout the country, and Vermont agriculture is by no means an exception. To see this borne out, one only has to look to the dairy industry … Read More
The Vermont Forest Industry Network Launches “The Rough Cut”
The Rough Cut Issue No. 1, May 2020 By Christine McGowan, Forest Products Program Director at Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. Dear Network Friends, I hope this inaugural Vermont Forest Industry Network newsletter finds you healthy and safe. I’ve started to write this many times in the last few weeks, only to have the world change … Read More
From Cutting Boards to Cutting Face Shields, J.K. Adams Responds to COVID-19
One of Vermont’s oldest manufacturers shifts from wood products to personal protective equipment. By Christine McGowan, Forest Products Program Director at Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. As stay-at-home orders rippled through Vermont’s business community last month, one of the state’s oldest manufacturers, J.K. Adams began to experiment with cutting plastic instead of wood. “We have … Read More
Communications During COVID-19
Considerations and Tips for Communicating with External and Internal Audiences During COVID-19 By Kelly Nottermann, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Communications Director We are all connected and, now more than ever, we depend on one another for understanding, support and partnership to get through a worldwide event that none of us has ever experienced before. Some … Read More
For Vermont Entrepreneur, Wood Heat Fits Like a Glove
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund As a young entrepreneur, Sam Hooper carefully considers every decision he makes for his business, and every dollar he spends. So when Hooper, who bought the hundred-year-old Vermont Glove last year, was faced with replacing the building’s ancient heating system, he did his homework. “We … Read More
Op Ed: Vermont’s food system is critical to our local economy, identity and quality of life
By Jake Claro, Farm to Plate Director at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund I encourage everyone to read through the Vermont Agriculture and Food System Plan recently released by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) in fulfillment of Act 83. The jointly created 2020 plan … Read More
Local Planning for Food Access: A Toolkit for Vermont’s Communities
Supporting the economic viability of local farms and increasing food access for all community members are often treated as separate, or even conflicting, objectives. The Farm to Plate Network, however, works to address these issues simultaneously, as both are necessary for economic stability and thriving communities. While models can be developed and sometimes implemented by … Read More