Farm to Plate Network Task Force Activities

Task Force / Projects / F2P Network Fund / Key Contacts
Aggregation and Distribution Working Group (Chair, Tara Kelly)
Farm to Institution / Finalized definition of what constitutes "local food" / Abbey Willard (VAAFM), Erin Buckwalter (NOFA-VT)
Sodexo scaling up/matchmaking session (Completed) / $4,950 / Abbey Willard (VAAFM), Annie Harlow (ACoRN)
Supply & Demand / Conduct surveys and local food counts at independent retailers / $15,000 / Sona Desai (Intervale Center), Annie Harlow (ACoRN)
Consumer Education and Marketing Working Group (Co-chairs, Beth Cullen and Chris Howell)
Food Retailers / Marketing support for independent grocers / Faye Conte (Hunger Free Vermont), Beth Cullen (Root Consulting)
Agritourism / Supporting and developing Vermont’s agritourism industry / Vera Simon-Nobles (Shelburne Farms), Chris Howell (VT Farm Tours)
10% Campaign / Develop a buy local consumer campaign / Carrie Abels (Local Banquet),
Scott Pellegrini (Hen of the Woods)
Audience Segmentation (sub-committee) / Consumer profiling & audience segmentation to develop messaging / $3,200 / Beth Cullen, Chris Howell, and consultant team
Education and Workforce Development Working Group (Co-chairs Dan Smith and Jonathan Kaplan)
Governor’s Institute / Develop and manage a summer institute for high school students on food systems / $7,500 (challenge grant) / Molly Willard (Vermont Technical College)
Career Pathways and Image / Develop pathways to food system careers and improve image of food system careers / Jonathan Kaplan (Lyndon State College)
Business – Education Partnerships / Find ways to help young people to access apprenticeships and internships in the food system. / Kevin O’Donnell (Hunger Mnt. Coop)
Integrated Curriculum and Flexible Pathways / Integrate food system curriculum and foster flexible learning pathways. / Tom Sabo (Montpelier High School) and Kristyn Achilich (UVM)
Task Force / Projects / F2P Network Fund / Key Contacts
Business-Education Partnerships / Build relationships between food system businesses and educational professionals / Louise Calderwood (Sterling College) and Kevin O’Donnell (Hunger Mt. Coop)
Farmland Access and Stewardship Working Group (Co-chairs Jill Arace and Nancy Everhart)
Food 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 agriculture and food system planning / $9,375 / Peg Elmer (Community-Resilience)
Farmland Access / Explore and promote innovative land tenure financing models / $9,995 / Mike Ghia (Land for Good)
Production & Processing Working Group (Co-Chairs, Ela Chapin and Jackie Folsom)
Dairy Professional Development
TA Coordination / Survey dairy farmers to assess TA needs that will be used to develop a Dairy TA resource guide / $5,000 / Willie Gibson (Independent Consultant); Louise Calderwood hired as project consultant
TA Coordination / TA evaluation survey / $4,000 / Ela Chapin (VHCB/FV)
Producer and Processor Association Support / Producer and Processor Association Survey / Eric Deluca (Independent consultant)
Tech Task Force / Exploring options to support technology solutions for food systems and agriculture / Aaron Desrochers (Data Systems), Stan Ward, tech consultant
Completed Task Forces
Task Force / Projects / F2P Network Fund / Key Contacts
Education and Workforce Development
Workforce Needs Assessment & Summit / Food system employer survey and report; Summit at VTC on 1/15/13 / $10,000 / Holly Tippett, Wendy Meunier (consultants); Dan Smith
Production & Processing
Meat Processing / Market Analysis to determine which characteristics of the meat processing stage of the supply chain carry the highest value for marketing to the end user. / $5,000 / Chelsea Lewis (VAAFM)
Various other initiatives (e.g., meat processing presentation by Lorentz Meats per workplan) / Chelsea Lewis (VAAFM)
Total funds to date / $83,670

Cross Cutting Team Leadership

Labor / Heather Pipino (VT Worker Center)
Research / Doug Lantagne (UVM Extension)
Energy / Chris Callahan (UVM Extension)
Finance / Janice St. Onge (VSJF Flexible Capital Fund)
Slow Money-VT / Mary McBryde & Caitlin Jenness (NOFA-VT)
Food Access / Linda Berlin (UVM Center for Sustainable Ag) & Richard Berkfield (Food Connects)
Soil & Water / Abe Collins (Collins Grazing)

To learn more about the Farm to Plate Network: http://www.vtfoodatlas.com updated 4.29.14