Overview:
State House to Farmhouse is an annual event and opportunity for farmers, farmworkers, and legislators to build relationships and engage in rich dialogue about how policy can support the transition to a resilient and equitable agriculture that benefits all of our people, communities, and landscapes. In the midst of a year where so much has changed on farms and within our greater food web, and so many structural inequities have been exacerbated, there is much to discuss. We look forward to bringing together farmers, farmworkers, and legislators for this important conversation. We hope you’ll join us.
This event is ONLINE via Zoom. RSVP is required. Please RSVP here: https://bit.ly/3exujd7
This year's event is presented by Addison County Relocalization Network, Center for an Agricultural Economy, Food Connects, Franklin County Conservation District, Healthy Roots, Merck Farm & Farmland, Farm to Plate, Northeast Organic Farming Association of VT, Rural Vermont, Vermont Farmers Food Center, Vermont Grass Farmers Association, and Vital Communities.
More Detail: The pandemic has radically changed much of our lives, in our families, our communities, on our farms, and throughout the greater food web. It has exacerbated and made more clear long standing structural inequities in our society and in agriculture. New courage and bold leadership is called for if we are to meaningfully address such long-term, systemic issues as food insecurity, economic consolidation and concentration in agriculture and the greater economy, social/racial/economic inequity, just livelihoods, land access and farm succession, climate change, and healthcare, childcare, eldercare access and affordability. Together, we can turn this moment of reckoning into an inflection point to realize the potential of the land, and build an equitable working lands economy and community, for healing psychological, social, economic, racial, and ecological harms. Policy at the State and national levels plays a substantial role in shaping our livelihoods, our agriculture, and the health of our families and communities. The annual State House to Farmhouse event is an opportunity to build relationships and engage in rich dialogue that examines how policy can support the transition to an agriculture that benefits all of our people, communities, and landscapes.
Agenda | 2 hours:
Arrivals and Welcome
Introductory Remarks with Panel Featuring Farmer Abbie Corse and Senate Pro Tem Becca Balint
Small Group Regional Break-Outs with Dialogue Between Local Farmers/Farmworkers & Legislators
Large Group Reconvenes, Small Groups Share Takeaways, and Closing Remarks