During the winter season of 2023-2024, the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets conducted a series of in-person and virtual listening sessions for the agricultural community. The primary goal of these listening opportunities was to create a space to hear the concerns and ideas of Vermont’s agricultural producers, processors, and distributors; hear directly about their experiences, needs, priorities and concerns; and record this feedback to inform and guide our programs and future funding opportunities.
An incredible diversity of important stories, experiences, and feedback was shared across the state during these sessions. Participants were encouraged to share feedback on any topics important to them and their community, resulting in nine primary topic areas:
- Agricultural Plastics
- Advocacy for Farmers
- Accessibility of Funding Opportunities
- Climate Recovery and Resilience Planning
- Housing Availability and Quality
- Increased Intra-Agency Communication and Collaboration
- Non-Regulatory VAAFM Engagement with Communities and Partners
- Over-Prescription of Funding Opportunities
- Technical Assistance Provider Capacity
After a rigorous compilation and visualization process, our reports on these listening sessions are now complete. In them you will find the thoughts and ideas of our neighbors in Vermont agriculture, across the spectrum of food production and processing, geographically around our state. Here are the reports:
Final Report: Summary and Priority Topics Session Visualization: What We Heard
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team with comments and/or feedback. This report is an important part of our efforts to serve Vermonters, and feedback from you and the community members we heard from is welcomed and encouraged.
Sarah McIlvennie (she/her) | Emerging Issues Specialist | sarah.mcilvennie@vermont.gov | 802-261-5866