Early 2025 will kick-off a new opportunity for those involved in our state's dairy industry to express their thoughts, concerns, ideas and hopes about the future of Vermont dairy. The Agency is launching these new listening sessions because we want to hear directly from dairy stakeholders, farmers and processors, to understand your perspectives and visions for the future of dairy in Vermont. Agency leadership looks forward to hearing and engaging in conversations with the dairy community across the state that can lead to new, actionable ideas for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.
At all times, it is also important to the Agency that the Vermont dairy community feels heard and respected. These listening sessions will be constructed so that every individual who has an interest in participating has an opportunity to access a meeting or provide feedback. Along with various leaders of the Agency, all meetings will be facilitated by the Dairy Strategy and Innovation Manager, Laura Ginsburg. Each meeting will include a working portion focused on putting ideas into short-term, near-term, and long-term priority levels.
See below for a schedule of virtual sessions occurring in late April/May. Virtual sessions will be offered for particular dairy focus groups such as young/beginning dairy farmers, goat and sheep dairy farmers, dairy processors, and a general dairy audience. More information will be found on this webpage for each virtual session by mid-April, so please check back.
At the conclusion of these listening sessions, the Agency will be using the anonymous ideas and data provided to develop a report that can support the Agency's future dairy policy discussions, efforts and initiatives.
Please join us at one of the following meetings:
Date |
Day |
County |
Location |
Time |
March 7 |
Friday |
Grand Isle |
Sheriffs Dept conference room – 10 Island Circle, Grand Isle, VT |
9:30-11:30 |
March 7 |
Friday |
Franklin |
City Hall - 100 N Main St, St Albans City, VT 05478 |
1:00 - 3:00 |
March 17 |
Monday |
Addison |
American Legion of Middlebury |
9:30 - 11:30 |
March 17 |
Monday |
Rutland |
TBD |
1:30 - 3:30 |
March 18 |
Tuesday |
Bennington |
225 Northside Dr, Bennington, VT 05201 |
9:30 - 11:30 |
March 27 |
Thursday |
Windsor |
Ludlow American Legion |
9:30-11:30 |
March 27 |
Thursday |
Windham |
Brattleboro State office building - 232 Main St. Brattleboro |
1:00 - 3:00 |
March 28 |
Friday |
Orange |
Randolph Town Clerk office - 7 Summer St, Randolph |
9:00 - 11:00 |
April 7 |
Monday |
Caledonia |
UVM EXT 374 Emerson Falls Road, Suite 1, St. Johnsbury |
9:30 - 11:30 |
April 7 |
Monday |
Orleans |
Newport Legion upstairs 35 Veterans Ave, Newport, VT |
1:00 - 3:00 |
April 8 |
Tuesday |
Essex |
Guildhall Guildhall Town Clerk 13 Courthouse Drive Guildhall, VT |
9:30 - 11:30 |
April 14 |
Monday |
Washington |
Waterbury State complex – 280 State Dr. Waterbury |
9:30 - 11:30 |
April 14 |
Monday |
Chittenden |
TBD |
1:00 - 3:00 |
April 15 |
Tuesday |
Addison |
American Legion of Middlebury |
9:30 - 11:30 |
April 17 |
Thursday |
Franklin |
City Hall - 100 N Main St, St Albans City, VT 05478 |
1:00 - 3:00 |
April 24 |
Thursday |
Lamoille |
Green Mountain Tech Center - 738 VT-15, Hyde Park, VT 05655 |
9:30 - 11:30 |
Virtual Sessions with Specific Focus Group
Date | Day | Time | Focus Group |
April 28 | Monday | 12:00 - 2pm | Sheep and Goat |
May 1 | Thursday | 6:00 - 8:00 pm | Processors |
May 7 | Wednesday | 12:00 - 2pm | Young and Beginning |
May 8 | Thursday | 12:00 - 2pm | General Public |