Press releases, staff articles, and other news published by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund features our efforts to accelerate the development of Vermont’s agriculture and food systems, forest products, renewable energy, waste management, and environmental technology sectors.
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Meet Danielle Fitzko, the state’s new Director of Forests and the first woman to hold the position. Danielle, or Danny to her friends and colleagues, spent the last 15 years building the Urban and Community Forestry Program, designed to help communities plan, plant and care … Read More
2018 Farm to Plate Annual Report provides latest impacts of Vermont’s food system plan and lays out groundwork for continuing beyond 2020. MONTPELIER, VT. – Representatives of the Vermont Farm to Plate Network and staff at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund presented the 2018 Farm to Plate Annual Report to the Vermont Legislature’s House and … Read More
Eight climate solution entrepreneurs graduated from the Vermont business accelerator to help solve agriculture and food technology challenges while honing business models for success. SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT – Accel-VT, a business accelerator providing support, mentorship, and access to capital for early stage companies committed to climate economy innovation, announced the winners of the latest Accel-VT … Read More
David Russell walks through 365 days on a Vermont choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Most of us think about a Christmas tree for a few weeks in December, but David Russell, owner of Russell Christmas Tree Farm in Starksboro, Vermont thinks about them just about every … Read More
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Vermonters have a long history of heating with wood, and most of us know there is nothing like the warmth of a well-stoked wood stove on a cold winter night. It is only in recent years, however, that advances in technology have made wood a … Read More
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund “Buy local” is a common refrain around Vermont, and many of us feel good about supporting small, independently-owned businesses, farms and restaurants around the state. For Peggy Farabaugh, owner of Vermont Woods Studios in Vernon, the idea has roots that are much deeper and farther … Read More
Over 250 members of the Vermont Farm to Plate Network convened November 1-2, 2018 at the eighth annual Farm to Plate Gathering in Killington where it was announced that local food and beverage consumption in 2017 by Vermonters increased to 12.9 percent, surpassing a 2020 target of 10 percent. The 2020 target of 10 percent … Read More
By Jake Claro, Farm to Plate Director Owning and operating a small dairy had long been a dream when Stina Kutzer received a beautiful Jersey calf named Babette for her birthday in 2004. Stina had worked with dairy cows throughout her adult life and with milk from Babette began to produce handmade butter and yogurt. … Read More
Eight climate solution entrepreneurs set to participate in business accelerator to help solve agriculture and food technology challenges while honing business models for success in the marketplace South Burlington, Vt. – Eight entrepreneurial start-up companies will convene tomorrow at the Ben & Jerry’s headquarters for their first “sprint” of Accel-VT—a business accelerator providing support, mentorship, … Read More
By Jake Claro, Vermont Farm to Plate Director One of the first things you notice at Molly Brook Farm is that Rhonda and Myles Goodrich call every single one of their 77 cows by name. “Move along Clover,” or “this way Charlotte” is heard in the milking parlor during the daily milking sessions. The Goodrichs, … Read More
By Jake Claro, Farm to Plate Director Vermont continues to lose dairy farms at a devastating rate – as of July the state had lost 66 this year alone. As dairy farmers struggle with whether or not they can survive in their current industry many look to what could be next. The Nottermann family, owners … Read More
By Christine McGowan, forest program director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Like many trade occupations, woodworking was traditionally passed along from mentor to apprentice, one generation to the next. Young adults might have been introduced to the fundamentals of woodworking in high school shop class, producing the mandatory birdhouse or book shelf, but most who entered … Read More
