Welcome to Field Notes!
by: Dr. Kristin Haas, Food Safety, Consumer Protection Director, Agency of Agriculture
The month of March means different things to each of us in Vermont. It marks ice-out for many of our state's beautiful ponds and lakes, it is the peak of the maple sugaring season, and it holds the longer days and warming temperatures that allow us to plant cold-hardy veggie seeds. And this year, March marks a hopeful light at the end of the pandemic tunnel as COVID-19 vaccination administration in our state is in full swing.
For the public servants employed by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture's Food Safety and Consumer Protection (FSCP) Division, the end of March marks the close of another busy quarter of "essential business as usual". Throughout the pandemic, FSCP Division employees have continued to regulate, educate, assist and promote the sectors and businesses on which you depend. If you eat in Vermont, put gas in your car, shop at retail outlets, and/or depend on livestock or poultry for your livelihood, we are your "behind-the-scenes" people working to ensure safe food and fair markets for all Vermonters.
We are thrilled to share with you the inaugural edition of the quarterly FSCP Field Notes newsletter. Step inside each quarter to find out a bit more about the work we do and discover some of the businesses that we have helped along the way. We are pleased to play a role in their successes and look forward to sharing our stories with you!
Happy reading... Kristin