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The Network Continues to Evolve: The first year of the Farm to Plate Network was characterized by the formation of Working Groups (WG), getting familiar with the 25 Goals and strategies connected to each, building new or strengthening existing relationships, and building trust between Network members. The second year has seen a deepening of relationships and connectivity across the Network, the formation of Task Forces with clear action plans and funded projects, the formation of Cross-Cutting Teams, the beginnings of cross WG fertilization, and a growing awareness of the importance and value of working together in a “networked way.” The Network has doubled in size over a two year period—from about 125 when we launched to nearly 300 today!
Two years ago we joined our efforts and created the F2P Network to accelerate the transformation and deepen the impact that our efforts will have over a 10 year time period. The F2P Network is based on the network governance model developed by RE-AMP and the Collective Impact research findings of Kania and Kramer as discussed in Stanford Social Innovation Review. The “five conditions of collective impact” are:
Common agenda: the F2P Strategic Plan articulates a shared vision and identifies ways to strengthen Vermont’s food system over the next ten years.
Mutually reinforcing activities: the F2P Network reflects and supports existing programs, projects, and organizations; and seeks to advance new ideas in a coordinated fashion.
Continuous communication: the F2P Network and the Vermont Food System Atlas provide new opportunities for communication and collaboration.
Shared measurement: The F2P Goals and measurements described in Chapter 2 link the analysis of the Plan with the actions and progress of the Network.
Backbone support: VSJF provides logistical support to coordinate the F2P Network and maximize the collective impact of the F2P Strategic Plan, maintains the Vermont Food System Atlas, and publishes annual indicators of progress.
This annual report provides an overview of Year Two Network accomplishments as they relate to the collective impact framework.
YEAR 2 PROGRESS REPORT (2013)
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Collective impact works differently. The process and results of collective impact are emergent rather than predetermined, the necessary resources and innovations often already exist but have not yet been recognized, learning is continuous, and adoption happens simultaneously among many different organizations...the rules of interaction that govern collective impact lead to changes in individual and organizational behavior that create an ongoing progression of alignment, discovery, learning and emergence. In many instances, this progression greatly accelerates social change without requiring breakthrough innovations or vastly increased funding…Existing organizations find new ways of working together that produce better outcomes.
Kania and Kramer, Embracing Emergence: How Collective Impact Addresses Complexity
Common Agenda: Farm to Plate Strategic PlanThe F2P Strategic Plan is the foundational document for the Farm to Plate Network. The Plan features four chapters and three appendices that provide system-wide analyses of Vermont’s food system. The Vermont Food System Atlas features thousands of food system resources, including stories, videos, job listings, tons of data, a searchable map, and all sections of the Strategic Plan. Network members are encouraged to familiarize themselves with sections of the Plan that are most relevant to their work.
How widely shared is this agenda? In 2012, VSJF worked with UVM to survey network members to evaluate Network relationships and activities. The survey asked Network members to identify F2P goals they are working on, existing relationships organizations had with each other, and what benefits they were getting out of participating in the Network. All network members reported they were working on at least one goal, and nearly all were working on more than one. The most frequently cited goals were Goal 1 (i.e., increase consumption of local food) and Goal 7 (i.e., increase production of local food). Over three quarters of Network members said that the Network is helping them build new relationships and 80% said their existing relationships have been made stronger though participation in the Network. Approximately three quarters of respondents also felt that the Network was helping advance their organization’s goals.
Continuous Communications: Vermont Food System AtlasThe Farm to Plate Network is built upon regular communication between members via Working Group, Task Force, and Cross-Cutting Team meetings, by working on projects together, and through many other formal and informal opportunities for connecting. VSJF and several other organizations distribute monthly e-newsletters with food system news, many Network members are increasingly active on social media sites (e.g, Facebook and Twitter), and food system events are held year-round.
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Shared Measurement: Results Based Accountability
What makes so much of our collective effort succeed? It’s the relationships we have with each other and the expanding degree of trust that has been steadily building over the past two years. For example, a July 2012 meeting with key Sodexo managers and UVM personnel to discuss local food sourcing tracking led to organizing the Sodexo Scaling-Up Forum in November. This events then led to a meeting with directors from hospitals around the state in January 2013, and a Healthcare Forum in June that then led hospital leaders to ask their distributors to provide annual local food sourcing data back to them. Conversations are ongoing between healthcare community partners and distributors regarding local sourcing and addressing on-going food tracking policies.
In May 2013 the Vermont Food System Atlas was launched to amplify communications opportunities for the Farm to Plate Network. Network members are encouraged to get connected to the Food Atlas by creating accounts that enable them to email their group through a listserve, access meeting notes, read about activities and announcements, and add website content, including jobs, news and announcements, events, Network activities, and progress updates toward meeting Farm to Plate goals. VSJF staff have helped Network members learn how to use the Atlas, but we all still have work to do to maximize its usefulness.
Learn & Adjust
Plan Monitor
Implement
Members of the Farm to Plate Network and food system organizations throughout Vermont were super-active in 2013 (page 4).
Chapter 2 and the Getting to 2020 page of the Food Atlas attempt to capture the accomplishment of the 25 goals for strengthening Vermont’s food system. VSJF is using the Results Based Accountability (RBA)framework to assess how activities within the Network are helping us reach the 25 F2P goals.
In early October 2013, Common Good Vermont and Benchmarks for a Better Vermont held a training for Network members to learn about the RBA framework and how it can apply to both their organization’s work and the F2P Network. Network members are encouraged to utilize the crowdsourcing feature on the Food Atlas to add information about activities and performance measures their organizations are working on to achieve F2P goals.
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The opening of Black River Meats in Springfield
Opening of the Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center in Newport
$1 million in grants given out through the Working Lands Enterprise Fund
Launch of the Food & Farm Initiative Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation
Expansion of Farmers to You (now delivering products from 40 producers in VT to >400 families in the Boston area)
New independent grocers opening stores in Waterbury and Johnson
Installation of a 100kW wind turbine at Blue Spruce Farm
New HACCP plans that are enabling value added producers to reach new and bigger markets
Expansion of free breakfast program to include free lunch to eligible students
3.1 Consumer Demand
3.2 Farm Inputs
3.3 Food Production
3.4 Food Processing + Manufacturing
3.5 Wholesale Distribution + Storage
3.6 Retail Distribution
3.7 Nutrient Management
4.1 Food Security in Vermont
4.2 Food System Education
4.3 Food System Labor + Workforce Dev.
4.4 Food System Bus. Planning + Tech. Assistance
4.5 Financing the Food System
4.6 Food System Energy Issues
4.7 Food System Regulation
Fletcher Allen Health Care wins 2 awards for sustainable food procurement + exemplary food service professional
First Governor’s institute on food system issues: Farms, Food and Your Future
Act 148 - Food Cycle Coalition formed
Migrant workers granted driving privilege cards
National Farm Viability Conference hosted in Vermont
4.8 Leadership and Collective Impact
New Vermont Land Link website launched
Cellars at Jasper Hill take Best in Show at American Cheese Society; Hill Farmstead Brewery wins best in world
Pete Johnson named Vermont Small Business Person of the Year by the Small Business Administration
Vermont’s F2P planning process and network development are being explored in other states
Vermont Tech summit on Food System Workforce Needs
Sterling College launches Rian Fried Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
VHCB invests $5.1 million to protect and conserve farmland across Vermont
CEED Ag Direct Install Program created to assist producers with efficiency measures
Vermont maple producers have best year on record
Food Connects launches to build healthy food & farm connections in classrooms, cafeterias, & communities
Vermont Tech anaerobic digester under construction
Ag Secretary Chuck Ross elected president of National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
UVM Extension offering crop storage workshops throughout Vermont
Vermont tops 2013 Locavore Index
Expansion of free breakfast program to include free lunch to eligible students
TA Working Group publishes report on strengthening producer and processor associations
Here’s just a sampling of the incredible progress made in Vermont’s food system over the past year
October 2013
Farm to Institution
MeatProcessing
Food Retailers
Supply & Demand
VSJF as Network Coordinator: Backbone Support Structure for the F2P Network
STEERING COMMITTEE
Education & Workforce
Development
Technical Assistance
for Producers &Processors
Aggregation &Distribution
Dairy Development
Farmland Access & Stewardship
Consumer Education &
Marketing
Research
Financing
Food Access
Energy
Soil & Water
Labor
Career Pathways& Image
Producer Association Support
Learning & Implementation Progress Report
F2P Network Fund
Special Convenings &
Trainings
F2P Network Coordination
Food CycleCoalition
Dairy Professional Development
TA Coordination
Governor’s Institute
Integrated Curriculum
Agritourism
Affordable Farmland Access
Agriculture Planning Farm to School
Network Steering Committee
Tech
Business & Education Partnership
Slow Money Vermont
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AGGREGATION AND DISTRIBUTION
The Aggregation and Distribution Working Group members include wholesale distributors, food hubs, value chain facilitators, retail distributors, food processing incubators, food service institutions, and online marketers. The primary focus is addressing gaps and opportunities to move more local food to more consumers. The group is working to create new market opportunities from retail stores to institutions by more effectively matching supply and demand. The group has two active task forces: Farm to Institution and Supply and Demand.
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/aggregation-distribution
ChairpersonTara KellyRutland Area Farm and Food Link (RAFFL)[email protected](802) 417-1528
The Farm to Institution Task Force emerged from a series of meetings between Network members who are focused on working with institutions and other supply chain actors to help them source more local food, and to track and annually report on these purchases. On November 7, 2012, the Aggregation and Distribution Working Group sponsored a Forum with Sodexo at the University of Vermont that allowed producers, processors, and technical assistance providers to learn from Sodexo management about their procurement practices around local food. The event was highly successful and resulted in several producers and processors becoming approved vendors to the Sodexo’s institutional market.
This forum model was then applied within the health care sector. Led by the New England Healthy Food in Healthcare Leadership Group, with support from the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and Health Care Without Harm, a Forum that focused on local procurement in health care settings was held in June at Wake Robin in Shelburne. While this was not a direct activity of the Farm to Institution Task Force, the learning from the Sodexo Forum helped inform the design of the Health Care Forum, and the learning from the health care forum was shared back to the full Working Group and Task Force.
The Farm to Institution Task Force also has held a series of informational meetings and webinars, including a session on understanding how institutional procurement contracts work.
Scaling up Sales to Institutions: Sodexo Forum
FARM TO INSTITUTION TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/farm-to-institution
ChairpersonErin BuckwalterNOFA [email protected](802) 434-4122
WORKING GROUPS
Mutually Reinforcing Activities: Farm to Plate Network
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The Supply and Demand Task Force formed in early 2012 with the intention of creating more opportunities to match the supply and demand for local food. Their first project has been an independent grocery assessment. The task force applied for support from the Farm to Plate Network Fund, and the Steering Committee allocated $15,000 to conduct a statewide survey of independent grocers to better understand the challenges and opportunities associated with sourcing more local food into these types of retail establishments (including larger independent grocery stores and convenience stores). The project team is made up of the Intervale Center, UVM Center for Rural Studies, City Market, and ACORN. The Task Force will select five stores to do a deeper analysis and conduct local food counts. The survey has recently been completed and the project team is analyzing results. The local food counts will begin this fall. Findings from this research will be used to guide the task force in developing specific strategies aimed at increasing the amount of local food sold at independent and small retail establishments.
SUPPLY AND DEMAND TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/supply-demand
NEXT STEPS for Working Group:
The Working Group will take a closer look at their progress toward specific Farm to Plate goals and will develop a clear set of objectives for the year ahead. Its members will continue to address gaps in Vermont’s aggregation and distribution system and build relationships along the value chain. The Supply and Demand Task Force will use the survey results to develop specific projects aimed at increasing the amount of local food in independent grocery stores. The Farm to Institution Task Force will continue to work with institutional partners and other supply chain actors to maximize the amount of local food procured at these establishments.
ChairpersonSona DesaiIntervale [email protected](802) 660-0440 x112
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CONSUMER EDUCATION AND MARKETING
The Consumer Education and Marketing Working Group is working toward several Farm to Plate goals, including increased consumption of local food, increasing availability of local food at a variety of market outlets, increasing awareness of how to grow and cook local foods, and decreasing diet-related health problems. The group is made up of marketing experts, food access professionals, nutrition and health professionals, farm-based educators, and consumer educators. This past year the Working Group formed two task forces: Food Retailers and Agritourism.
Special thanks to Cheryl King Fischer from the New England Grassroots Environment Fund for serving as chair of the Working Group up until September.
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/consumer-education-marketing
ChairpersonTo be elected in November 2013
The Food Retailers Task Force’s mission is to increase Vermonters’ consumption of local products and educate the public about the benefits of locally made foods. The task force rose out of the hypothesis that independent retailers, such as small-scale grocers, general stores and convenience stores, are a key leverage point to increasing the access to local foods by more Vermonters. The Task Force has joined forces with the Vermont Department of Health’s Healthy Retailers Initiative which has already developed a network of community coalitions dedicated to increasing access to healthy food at retailers across the state. The Department of Health provides extensive training for coalition members and marketing materials to partnering stores. Suzanne Kelley from the Department of Health is a Food Retailers Task Force member and is serving as a liaison between the Task Force and Healthy Retailer coalition members.
The task force has been working with community coalition leaders to glean insights about independent retailers’ interest and the challenges they face in offering local, healthy food at affordable prices, and what point-of-purchase information might help consumers buy more of these items. The task force will assist the Department of Health in creating training and survey materials for the upcoming program year and help community coalitions optimize merchandise placement, promotions, and signage of local food. The task force will also utilize the survey results from the independent grocery assessment, currently underway by the Supply and Demand Task Force within the Aggregation and Distribution Working Group, to inform its work moving forward.
FOOD RETAILERS TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/food-retailers
Co-ChairsFaye ConteHunger Free [email protected](802) 865-0255
Elizabeth CullenRoot [email protected](802) 419-0826
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The Agritourism Task Force formed in 2013 to advance Vermont’s culinary and agriculture tourism industry and communicate Vermont’s agricultural story. The task force includes both statewide and sub-state regional organizations. The task force developed its main purposes and objectives, which include:
Serve as a resource for agriculture businesses interested in developing agritourism assets Function as a community of practice -- a space for practitioners to share, communicate, and offer opportunities for professional development Identify initiatives to advance the work of Farm to Plate through consumer education and agritourism Develop a referral network for those involved in agritourism Conduct some strategic planning for the agritourism industry Coordinate with the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing on how we market Vermont Interact and connect with Agriculture and Culinary Tourism Council and assist with Dig In Vermont website outreach
AGRITOURISM TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/agritourism
Co-ChairsMegan CampShelburne [email protected](802) 985-8686
Vera Simon-NobesShelburne [email protected](802) 986-8686
NEXT STEPS for Working Group:
At the recent Consumer Education and Marketing Working Group meeting a panel of Vermont marketing experts engaged the group in a dynamic conversation to clarify the similarities and differences between consumer education and marketing. The panel helped the working group understand the need to break down the broad Farm to Plate goal of increasing local food access to smaller, more results-based based campaigns that target messages to specific audiences. Several members of the group and panel volunteered to draft a marketing plan for the group which will serve as their roadmap for the coming year. A next project for the group is to identify and develop the specific target audiences in Vermont to educate and market local food consumption.
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DAIRY DEVELOPMENT
The Dairy Development Working Group focuses on Goal 8 of the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan that states: Vermont’s dairy industry is viable and diversified. The group is made up of technical assistance service providers to the dairy industry, dairy producers, dairy associations, dairy marketing experts, regulators, and dairy financing professionals.
The group has predominantly focused on exploring what are the opportunities for farmers to access business and technical support that can help make their businesses more successful. It has also held discussions on important issues within the dairy industry. For example, the working group held a session on labor issues that led to the launch of the Labor Cross-cutting Team in summer 2013.
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/dairy-development
Chairperson
The Professional Development Task Force is working to develop a resource guide on professional development opportunities and technical assistance services for dairy farmers. The task force recently hired Louise Calderwood as a consultant to conduct a preliminary assessment of what kind of dairy resource guide would be of greatest value to the industry. The task force will capitalize on some existing venues such as the Vermont Farm Show to gather input from farmers in winter 2013/14. The consultant will work closely with the task force and working group to develop questions and implement the survey. The findings will be used to develop a comprehensive dairy resource guide in 2014.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/dairy-professional-development
ChairpersonWillie GibsonBVM AG-Vantage Consulting
Jackie FolsomKingdom [email protected](802) 426-3579
NEXT STEPS for Working Group:
The Dairy Development Working Group will be working with Louise Calderwood to gather feedback from farmers over the winter. The group is particularly interested in reaching out to farmers who do not often utilize available support resources, and due to time constraints and other factors may not have the ability to seek the support they need to become a more successful operation. They will also be determining how comprehensive the content of resource guide will need to be and what will be the best design and dissemination method.
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EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
The Education and Workforce Development Working Group focuses on strategies that will improve and enhance education: K-12, higher education, adult and continuing education, and internship/apprenticeship programs that lead to careers in the food system. It also works on strategies that address food system workforce needs and labor issues. In its initial sessions, the group developed an “educational continuum”—and identified what exists, what is working, what is missing and what needs improvement within education and workforce training related to food systems and agriculture. From this work, the group commissioned an in depth study with funding support from the Farm to Plate Network Fund, the VT Ag Innovation Center and the Vermont Agency of Education to better identify the workforce needs of food systems employers. That study was released at a Summit in January which was part of the Vermont Technical College’s Groundwork Series. The Summit provided valuable additional feedback which the Working Group is actively using to inform its work.
Certain clear conclusions can be drawn from the study and are being used to inform the direction of Working Group strategies and action plans:
The results of this research further indicated the need to broaden the practice of embedding food systems and agriculture into the secondary science curriculum; to improve career awareness by virtue of work-based learning opportunities and internships; and to build compelling narratives that describe successful entrepreneurs in agriculture, food processing and production through the lens of their educational experience.
Following the Summit, the group formed several task forces to implement these strategies.
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Co-Chairs
This task force has been working to address ways to get more youth attracted to food system careers -- by improving the image of careers in the food system. It was been working with VSJF staff and the Agency of Education to develop a series of career pathways schematics. The pathways include a variety of traditional and non-traditional pathway options for specific food systems careers (e.g., how to become a dairy farmer, a chef, a cheese maker). The career pathway schematics will be paired with profiles of successful food system professionals to provide concrete real-life examples which can inspire youth to consider these careers. The task force is also developing food system career fair materials to be used by organizations and task force members to attend career fairs and thus promote food system careers.
CAREER PATHWAYS AND IMAGE TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/career-pathways-image
ChairpersonJonathan KaplanLyndon State [email protected](802) 751-9903
Jonathan KaplanLyndon State [email protected](802) 751-9903
Daniel SmithVermont State [email protected](802) 373-6225
E D U C A T I O N A N D W O R K F O R C E D E V E L O P M E N T W O R K I N G G R O U P
Charting a Path: Food System Workforce Needs Assessment
Prepared By:Holly Tippett Wendy Meunier Version Date: 3/18/13
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The Governor’s Institute Task Force was formed shortly after the Working Group undertook a gap analysis of the food system educational continuum. Members of this Task Force include Vermont Tech, NOFA Vermont, Sterling College, Lyndon State College, UVM, and the Center for Sustainable Systems. It was evident that there was a dearth of summer learning opportunities. The Governor’s Institutes of Vermont is an organization that offers high school age youth experiential learning opportunities during summer months, and the task force was formed to develop an institute on food systems.
This past summer was the inaugural year for the Food, Farms and Your Future summer institute. The institute was highly successful in its first year. 14 students learned about dairy, diversified agriculture, processing, culinary arts, composting and food policy through hands-on experiences and reflective discussions. It will likely serve as a model in future years to expand throughout the state to engage more students in summer learning opportunities within the food system. The Task Force received some funding support from the Farm to Plate Network Fund and is currently raising additional funding support for next year’s institute.
GOVERNOR’S INSTITUTE TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/governor-s-institute
ChairpersonMolly WillardVermont [email protected](802) 535-5315
This task force is hoping to make stronger ties between Vermont food system businesses and educational institutions. They recently developed their objectives as a task force, and will begin developing strategies to meet these objectives:
Increase proficiency as defined by the workforce needs assessment
Improve access to interns for food system employers
Initiate a food system apprentice program at Vermont colleges
Increase the number of agricultural and food system business that host interns/apprentices
Develop a common course for food system internships across institutions
BUSINESS-EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/business-education-partnerships
ChairpersonMatt DerrSterling College
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The Integrated Curriculum Task Force will be conducting a survey this year to gauge the extent to which Vermont educators are integrating food systems into curriculum. While there are some innovative examples within farm to school programs in the primary and middle schools and even within some high schools for various subjects, food system education is often sporadic and hardly ever systematic across school culture. The survey is intended to lead to more accurate benchmarks for integrated curriculum, and will hopefully provide a resource for educators to use as examples on how to successfully integrate food systems learning into curriculum including science, math, social studies, health education, and language arts.
INTEGRATED CURRICULUM TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/integrated-curriculum-flexible-pathways
Co-ChairsTom SaboCenter for Sustainable [email protected]
The Vermont Farm to School Network Steering Committee is a satellite task force of the Farm to Plate Network’s Education and Workforce Development Working Group. The Farm to School Network, which preceded the Farm to Plate Network, is well established and consists of schools, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations working to strengthen and expand farm to school activities throughout the state.
FARM TO SCHOOL NETWORK STEERING COMMITTEE TF
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/f2s-network-steering-committee
ChairpersonAnne BijurVermont [email protected](802) 985-0318
NEXT STEPS for Working Group:
Task forces will continue to work on their respective projects this coming year. Developing the career schematics will be useful to all of the task forces. Once career fair materials are developed, these task forces may join together to develop a career fair focused on food systems.
Anne BijurVermont [email protected](802) 985-0318
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FARMLAND ACCESS AND STEWARDSHIP
The Farmland Access and Stewardship Working Group is made up of professionals in the areas of farmland access, land use planning, conservation and stewardship, and financing. Because this group was so diverse, it spent the first year doing a series of learning sessions in these areas. This provided excellent professional development opportunities and helped the group develop a common language. Once this shared understanding was established the group began to identify implementation strategies . The group has two active task forces: The Food Cycle Coalition and Agriculture Land Use Planning.
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/farmland-access-stewardship
Co-ChairsJill AraceVermont Association of Conservation [email protected](802) 496-5162
The Food Cycle Coalition is a statewide coalition of organizations with expertise in food rescue, agriculture, solid waste management, composting, and energy production. Beginning in 2014, new regulations, resulting from the adoption of Vermont’s precedent setting Act 148, go into effect. The primary focus of the Food Cycle Coalition Task Force is to help Vermonters transition to universal recycling of organic materials. One of the requirements is a phased-in ban on the landfilling of organic materials such as food scraps, leaves, yard trimmings, and food processing residuals.
The Food Cycle Coalition is committed to building healthy and resilient communities where no one is hungry and no resource is wasted. A primary goal for the group is to help develop accessible programs, services, and facilities for food rescue and organics diversion that can support local food systems and economies. This would include educating Vermonters about how to capture and redirect currently landfilled material such as food suitable for rescue to feed people, food scraps to feed livestock, food scraps and other organic materials to composting or anaerobic digestion. The Coalition has already leveraged over $100,000 in in-kind resources from its member organizations and some funding from the Farm to Plate Network Fund to support this work. The group is currently conducting an asset mapping of relevant statewide resources and capacity. This information will become part of a strategic plan that will guide the Coalition’s efforts to prepare for 2020 when the ban on landfilling these materials will become mandatory for everyone.
FOOD CYCLE COALITION TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/food-cycle-coalition
ChairpersonPat SaguiComposting Association of [email protected](802) 744-2345
Ben WatermanUVM Center for Sustainable [email protected](802) 656-9142
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The Agriculture Land Use Planning Task Force is developing a series of online modules to guide land use planners on such topics as composting, agritourism, farmland conservation, farmland and property taxes, and land use regulations. The Task Force formed a project team to develop the modules, which is being managed by Community-Resilience.org and includes staff members from Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, Vermont Housing and Conservation Bureau, Vermont Natural Resource Council, Composting Association of Vermont, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission, Northeastern Vermont Development Association, Lamoille County Planning Commission and several consultants.
Module topics include: food system planning, agricultural land conservation, farmland and property taxes, and land use regulations. The planning guidance modules build off the work of Sustaining Agriculture, an agriculture planning guide from the 1990’s developed by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture. The guide will be available on a variety of websites in early 2014, including Vermont Planning Information Center.
AGRICULTURE LAND USE PLANNING TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/agriculture-land-use-planning
ChairpersonPeg [email protected](802) 522-3844
NEXT STEPS for Working Group:
The group will focus its effort in the coming months on assessing Farm to Plate goals related to this group, including increasing the amount of land in agriculture. They will continue to identify strategies to increase access to affordable farmland, including innovative tenure models and other financing mechanisms.
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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR PRODUCERS AND PROCESSORS
The Technical Assistance for Producers and Processors Working Group is working to ensure that Vermont’s farms and food system businesses have access to a full range of relevant, high quality business and technical assistance services at every stage of business development, scale of operation, and type of market channel. Working Group members include a wide array of technical assistance providers (e.g., business planning, farm safety, water quality, energy, production techniques, regulation, etc.), producer and processor association representatives, government agency personnel, producers and processing business owners, and other organizations working to support Vermont’s food enterprises. The working group has four task forces.
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/technical-assistance-producers-processors
Co-ChairsEla ChapinVermont Farm Viability [email protected](802) 828-2117
Chelsea Bardot [email protected](802) 828-3360
The Farm to Plate Meat Processing Task Force facilitates collaboration between livestock slaughter and processing stakeholder organizations in order to coordinate technical assistance and strengthen and expand Vermont’s meat industry. The task force also helps implement, coordinate, and track the Farm to Plate strategies related to meat processing. The task force is made up of organizations and industry groups that provide technical assistance or other forms of support to commercial meat processors.
The Meat Processing Task Force formed in early 2011 and was the first task force of its kind within the Farm to Plate Network. They conducted a financial assessment of four of the USDA and state-inspected, commercial, red meat slaughter and processing facilities to help provide these businesses with their own performance indicators and to recommend possible ways that technical service providers can help the businesses to develop and expand. Task Force members have also partnered to deliver educational programming, coordinate one-on-one technical assistance, and direct public investment in meat processing. In January 2013, the task force met with members of the Vermont Meat and Poultry Processors Association to develop strategic objectives for the task force and for the industry over the next 7 years.
The task force has been featured in a recent USDA ERS report and associated National Good Food Network webinar. Task force members were also actively involved with planning the New England Meat Conference held in March 2013 and planning is underway for the 2014 conference.
MEAT PROCESSING TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/meat-processing
ChairpersonChelsea Bardot [email protected](802) 828-3360
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This task force received Farm to Plate Network funding this year to hire Yellow Wood Associates to conduct a survey of technical assistance providers to gauge the kinds of evaluative tools they use and if they share any common metrics. The task force will use this information to assess training needs for program level performance measures, as well as assist VSJF staff with tracking specific Farm to Plate goals.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE COORDINATION TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/technical-assistance-coordination
ChairpersonEla ChapinVermont Farm Viability [email protected](802) 828-2117
This task force formed to help strengthen Vermont’s trade associations that serve a variety of producers and processors. The task force worked with VSJF staff to conduct interviews with 15 associations to assess their current situation and determine what their needs so that they can better serve their members. The report, At a Turning Point: Strengthening Vermont’s Producer and Processor Associations, is available on the Vermont Food System Atlas.
STRENGTHENING PRODUCER + PROCESSOR ASSOCIATIONS TF
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/producer-processor-association-support
ChairpersonEric [email protected](413) 854-3428
T E C H N I C A L A S S I S T A N C E F O R P R O D U C E R S + P R O C E S S O R S W O R K I N G G R O U P
At a Turning Point: Strengthening Vermont’s Producer and Processor
Associations
Prepared By:Jake Claro Version Date: 10/1/13
The Tech Task Force recently formed to help spark innovation and provide industry support for the Vermont food system. Task force members hope to identify and provide technology solutions to small scale food producers and processors to help solve a variety of technology-related challenges. The group hopes to help identify, implement and support technology solutions to strengthen our regional food system.
TECH TASK FORCE
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/tech-task-force
ChairpersonAaron [email protected](802) 862-1289
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NEXT STEPS for Working Group:
The working group will continue to have robust discussions on topics of interest that may inspire new projects that would be implemented at a task force level. Upcoming topics will likely include food safety regulations, and supporting businesses scaling-up to reach wholesale and regional markets.
FINANCING
The Financing Cross-cutting Team held a series of three case study panels to learn about innovative financing models. The first panel focused on High Mowing Seed’s convertible debt deal. The second panel was a case study of Bread and Butter Farm—a complex farmland access deal—and how they were support by two towns and many organizations to purchase affordable farmland and conservation easement. The third case study focused on understanding equity and near equity (royalty financing) through a case study of Liz Lovely cookies. Each of these sessions included the entrepreneurs as well as their funding partners. All were videotaped and will soon be available for viewing.
The Financing Cross-cutting Team is the first CCT to form an official task force—Slow Money Vermont—to explore more community-based and innovative financing options for food system businesses to access.
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/financing
ChairpersonJanice St. OngeVSJF / Flex Cap [email protected](802) 828-0398
The Food Access Cross-cutting Team undertook a research project this past year to assess how food access is perceived across the Farm to Plate Network, what Network groups and organizations are doing in their work to address food security and food access, and what ideas they have to increase access of local healthy food for all Vermonters.
The research was conducted by a team from University of Vermont, led by Dr. Linda Berlin. The researchers held focus groups with six Farm to Plate Network groups. The team is using the findings from the research to develop action steps to take over the year ahead to address food insecurity and improve food access throughout the state.
FOOD ACCESS
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/food-access
ChairpersonDr. Linda BerlinUVM Center for Sustainable [email protected](802) 656-0669
CROSS-CUTTING TEAMS
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LABOR
The Labor Cross-Cutting Team emerged because labor issues were being discussed in several working groups and it was determined that the issues could best be addressed through a cross-cutting team. The group met for the first time in July 2013. Many at the meeting felt that the group should be a place to welcome food system workers into the Farm to Plate process and that workers should be the primary focus. Others felt that strategies are needed to better educate business owners about good labor and human resources practices and that technical assistance professionals should also be a focus of their work. The team will meet again in late fall to further discuss strategies on how to help ensure that food system jobs are high quality jobs with livable wages and good working conditions.
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/labor
ChairpersonHeather PipinoVermont Workers [email protected](802) 595-1671
The Energy Crosscutting Team explores and promotes strategies related to the expansion of on-farm energy production (e.g., bioenergy, solar, wind) as well as the deployment of energy efficiency improvements for farms and food system businesses. The Energy Cross-cutting Team is currently writing Chapter 4, Section 6: Food System Energy Issues.
It is working on a revision to the On-Farm Energy Handbook published several years ago that will be expanded to focus on total food system energy issues.
ENERGY
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/energy
ChairpersonChris CallahanUniversity of [email protected](802) 773-3349
The Research Cross-Cutting Team was launched in late May, 2013 in a day-long meeting to discuss food system research related opportunities and needs. Researchers from all over the state—from academic institutions as well as private consultants and nonprofit organizations—shared current and potential research opportunities that could help move Farm to Plate goals forward. The group hopes to develop a way to compile food system research projects from across the state and to further enhance collaborative research endeavors.
RESEARCH
www.vtfoodatlas.com/network/research
ChairpersonDoug LantagneUniversity of [email protected](802) 656-2990
What lies ahead for Year 3? Many Task Force work plans are in full swing and tangible projects are underway, including the independent grocers assessment, developing additional support and capacity for producer and processor trade associations, developing a multi-year strategic roadmap to reach Act 148’s goal of keeping all food residuals out of the waste stream, and developing food system materials for career fairs at high schools and on college campuses, to name just a few.
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FARM TO PLATE STEERING COMMITTEE The Farm to Plate Network Steering Committee provides the overall guidance to the Farm to Plate Network. It is made up of the six elected working group chairs, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, a representative of the Vermont Food Funders Network, and the chair of the Vermont Agriculture and Forest Products Development Board. The Steering Committee holds together the high-level view of the Network. They award Farm to Plate Network Fund to advance specific projects within Network groups. The Steering Committee also plays an active part in planning for the Annual Gathering.
Backbone Support: VSJFBackbone support organizations are key to making collective impact networks successful. There are several core functions that VSJF provides to the F2P Network:
Guide vision and strategy Support aligned activities (facilitate dialogue across the Network) Establish shared measurement practices Mobilize funding Manage core Network communication needs Provide professional development and leadership training opportunities Build public will (coordinate public/community outreach)
VSJF supports all Network groups by helping to create agendas, providing logistical and communications support, and weaving ideas and people together across the Network. VSJF developed the Vermont Food System Atlas to serve as the communications hub for the Network and other food system stakeholders in Vermont. VSJF also provides professional development trainings throughout the year.
VSJF has raised funds from philanthropic foundations to provide stipends to working group and task force chairs, as well as for stipends that enable farmers and others to attend meetings who would otherwise be unable to. VSJF has also raised funds for the Farm to Plate Network Fund – a special fund reserved for Farm to Plate groups to apply for to move high priority strategies forward (See page 21).
VSJF has been primarily focused on the first six core functions listed above. With increased communications and outreach efforts, we are now more focused on building public will. As a practical matter, VSJF is not a policy-focused or advocacy organization so it has never been our intent to advocate for policy changes. However, the Farm to Plate Network, as a self-governing collection of organizations, could choose to support and move forward various public policy initiatives.
Food System Planning and Implementation in New England
As backbone organization for Vermont, VSJF is also playing an active role in Food Solutions New England (FSNE) and other regional initiatives. VSJF staff are part of the FSNE Network Team and help plan and lead the Vermont delegation at the New England Food Summit each year. We have also formed a New England Food System Planning Community of Practice and hold monthly conference calls with others in New England undertaking statewide food system planning and implementation.
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Task Force Projects F2P Network Fund Key Contacts
Aggregation and Distribution Working Group
Farm to Institution Sodexo scaling up/matchmaking session $4,450
Abbey Willard, Annie Harlow (ACORN), Erin Buckwalter (NOFA Vermont)
Supply and Demand Conducting an independent grocers assessment (survey) and grocery assessment tool kit
$15,000
Sona Desai (Intervale Food Hub), Tara Kelly (RAFFL)
Education and Workforce Development Working GroupWorkforce Needs Assessment
Food system employer survey and report
$18,000 Holly Tippett, Wendy Meunier (Consultants)
Governor’s Institute (2014)
Developed summer institute for HS students on food systems (VTC)
$7,500 Molly Willard (Vermont Tech College)
Farmland Access and Stewardship Working GroupFood Cycle Coalition Further develop coalition
to work towards Universal Recycling Bill goals
$9,650 Pat Sagui (Composting Association of Vermont)
Agriculture Land Use Planning
Develop guidebook and online modules on land use and food systems planning
$9,725 Peg Elmer (Consultant)
Technical Assistance for Producers and Processors Working GroupTA Coordination TA evaluation metrics survey $4,000 Ela Chapin (Farm Viability),
Mark Cannella (UVM Extension)
TOTAL $63,825 Special thanks to Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and the John Merck Fund for making the F2P Network Fund possible!
Task Force Projects funded through the F2P Network Fund July 1, 2012 – Sept. 30, 2013
A BIG THANK YOU! to our Funders …The Collective Impact work we are doing in the F2P Network would not be possible without the generous funding support of:
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets Vermont Community Foundation
Vermont State Legislature / Vermont General Fund Jane’s Trust
Henry P. Kendall Foundation Claneil Foundation
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Sandy River Charitable Trust
John Merck Fund Vermont Agency of Education
