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 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
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
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
A Letter from Farm to Plate Director Jake Claro to the Vermont General Assembly and Governor Phil Scott: This year’s Vermont Farm to Plate Annual Report features highlights of key projects from 2019, including grass-fed beef industry development, local planning for food access, wholesale markets, and small-scale on-farm composting. You will also see how Rooted … Read More
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Women-only trainings target growing number of female landowners in Vermont. “Learning to use a chainsaw was the most empowering thing I have ever done,” said Caitlin Gosciminski, a natural resources major at the University of Vermont. Gosciminski was among ten women who participated in the … Read More
Burlington Electric Department and Green Mountain Power working with start-up EVmatch to reduce “range anxiety” for Vermont EV owners. Electric vehicles (commonly known as EVs), are widely seen as one of the most promising ways to move away from fossil fuels, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and move Vermont closer to its clean energy goals. Reliable … Read More
Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) announced today the renaming of Accel-VT, a climate economy business accelerator managed by VSJF, to DeltaClimeVT in order to better align with the program’s mission of finding climate change solutions. Delta meaning change. Clime meaning climate. DeltaClimeVT is change for the better. “The only constant in life is change and for … Read More
At The Crossroads: Our Food and Farm Culture and Economy Over 280 Vermont Farm to Plate Network attendees convened November 7-8, 2019 for the ninth annual Farm to Plate Gathering in Killington where attendees took a deep look at the meaning of culture and envisioning ways to move our food and farming culture forward. This … Read More
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Barnet resident Calvin Willard ranks among best in U.S. When most people think about world-class athletes from Vermont, they think of Olympic skiers and snowboarders like Kelly Clark, Hannah Kearney and Sophie Caldwell. And while it’s true that Vermont is a breeding ground for snow … Read More
By Geoff Robertson, Business Assistance Director at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Dynamic Organics Innovating Energy Storage for a Cleaner, Greener Electric Grid Remember Tuesday, July 30 a few months back? It was the hottest day of a record-breaking month – the warmest recorded in the history of the earth. It was also a day … Read More
Lead image photo caption: Ken Gagnon, avid hiker and owner of Gagnon Lumber in Pittsford, hikes on the Long Trail near Pico, VT. His nickname is “The Walking Sawyer.” Photo by Erica Houskeeper. By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Somewhere between the Oak trees near the Massachusetts border and the Maple … Read More
Fourteen entrepreneurs from seven climate solution start-ups graduate from the Vermont-based business accelerator to help reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the heating and transportation sectors. BURLINGTON, VT – DeltaClimeVT (formerly Accel-VT), a business accelerator providing support, mentorship, and access to capital for early stage companies committed to climate economy innovation, announced … Read More
