Regional Food System Plan for Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Chapter 1: The development of the 2016 NEK Food System Plan for Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom was a highly collaborative effort among many individuals and organizations. The project was funded by a USDA Rural Business Opportunity Introduction and Perspective 3 Grant to the Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE), in partnership with the Northeastern Vermont Development Chapter 2: Association (NVDA). Principal: Sarah Waring, Executive Director CAE; Project Manager: Taylar Foster; Senior Profile of the Northeast Kingdom 15 Planner: Alison Low, NVDA; Design and Layout: Ravenmark (www.ravenmark.com); GIS Specialist: Tracy McIntyre, NVDA; Storage and Distribution Study Consultant: Rosalie J. Wilson, Business Development Services Chapter 3: (www.rosewilson.com). Unless otherwise noted, all photos provided by Taylar Foster. Regional Food System Assets 29 NEK Food System Steering Group Chapter 4: Lila Bennett, Tangletown Farm; Hope Colburn, Community National Bank; Heidi Cooperstein, Northeast Cross Cutting Issues 71 Kingdom Community Action; Matthew Derr, Sterling College; Andre Messier, Lake Region Union High School; Jon Ramsay, Vermont Land Trust; Katelyn Robinson, Northern Community Investment Corporation (NCIC); Laural Ruggles, Chapter 5: Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH); Katherine Sims, Green Mountain Farm to School; Stephanie Smith, Implementation Plan 103 Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, & Markets (VAAFM); David Snedeker, Northeastern Vermont Development Glossary 126 Association; Max van Houten, Lake Region Union High School; Christopher Wenger, St. Johnsbury Area Local Food Alliance Bibliography 130 Center for an Agricultural Economy Board of Directors Paul Costello, Vermont Council on Rural Development; Matthew Derr, Sterling College; Tom Gilbert, Black Dirt CASE STUDIES Farm; Pete Johnson, Pete’s Greens; Andy Kehler, The Cellars at Jasper Hill; Emily Maclure, Craftsbury General Store; Vermont Chevon 26 Linda Markin, Vermont Community Loan Fund (retired); Andrew Meyer, Vermont Soy & Vermont Natural Coatings; Jon Ramsay, Vermont Land Trust; Tom Stearns, High Mowing Seeds (board member through May 2016) Northeast Kingdom Processing 46 Center for an Agricultural Economy Staff Farm Connex 50 Sarah Waring, Executive Director; Kristin Blodgett, Financial Manager; Bethany Dunbar, Community Programs Manager; Connor Gorham, Facilities Manager; Daniel Keeney, Farm and Food Business Advisor; Northeastern Vermont Alissa Matthews, Special Projects Manager. Regional Hospital 56 Additional support was provided by the following individuals who were interviewed, offered information or Newport. Fresh by Nature 60 guidance, or lent their assistance to the vast outreach effort: Kristyn Achilich, St. Michael’s College; Jenna Banning, Hunger Free Vermont; Nancy Baron, Vermont Farm Fund; Simeon Bittman, Sterling College; Jennifer Black Leithead, Fresh Start Community Farm Fresh Start Community Farm; Farley Brown, Sterling College; Erin Buckwalter, Northeast Organic Farming Association and Cornucopia 80 of Vermont; Butterfield Brothers, Brian Cassino, Upper Valley Produce; Nicole Civita, Sterling College; Jenn Colby, Sterling College 88 UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture; Ben Copans, Vermont Department of Environment Conservation; Roger Dekett, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service; Alex DePillis, VAAFM; Ben Doyle, Cheryl Ducharme, USDA Lake Region Union High School 92 Rural Development; Jane Edwards, Upper Kingdom Food Access; Maxfield English, Danville School; Elizabeth Everts, Too Little Farm/Caledonia Farmers’ Market; Christian Feuerstein, Seth Fineman, Sterling College; Ginny Flanders, The Vermont Farm Fund 98 NVRH; Karen Geraghty, NVDA; Reg Godin, VAAFM; Karen Guile-Caron, Peaslee’s Potatoes; Gwyneth Harris, Sterling College; Jeff Jones, Vermont Hydroponics; Eleanor Leger, Eden Ice Cider Company; Edmund Lessard, Northeast Kingdom Processing; Chelsea Lewis, VAAFM; Vaunne Masse, Cornucopia; Don Maynard, Farm Connex; Jeremy Michaud, Kingdom Creamery; Sharon Murray, Front Porch Community Planning & Design; Jon Osborne, Vermont Land Trust; Susan Poland, USDA Rural Development; Carl Powden, Vermont Land Trust; Shirley Richardson, Vermont Chevon; Charlotte Rosedahl, Sterling College; Annie Rowell, Sodexo; Pat Sagui, Composting Association of Vermont; Kristy Scott, Farm Connex; Paul Tomasi, Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District; Mike Welch, NCIC; Abbey Funding for Regional Food System Plan for Vermont’s Willard, VAAFM; Sienna Wolf, Flourish Farm; Tracy Zschau, Vermont Land Trust Northeast Kingdom was made possible in part with a The NEK Food System Summit also received the generous support of these local food producers: The Cellars Rural Business Development Grant from USDA Rural at Jasper Hill, Jocelyn and Cinta’s Bakery, Patchwork Bakery, Sweet Rowen Farm, Vermont Chevon, and Vermont Development. This publication is the result of tax- Switchel. supported funding from USDA, Rural Development, Finally, a special thank you to the Vermont Farm to Plate staff of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, whose and as such is not copyrightable. It may be reprinted guidance and generous support was vital to this plan update: Ellen Kahler, Erica Campbell, Rachel Carter, Jake Claro with the customary crediting of sources. and Scott Sawyer. Regional Food System Plan for Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom Photo: Black Dirt Farm Photo: Black Dirt Farm Photo: Page 2 Chapter 1 Introduction & Perspective Why Develop a Regional Food System Plan? Food has enormous impacts on society and the environment, from production to consumption. Beyond basic nourishment, food touches many segments of daily living including jobs and the economy, health, land conservation, environmental quality, and community quality of life. People are becoming more aware of how fresh, healthy food is important for a healthy society, and these foods are increasingly accessed from local farmers and food producers. Communities throughout the country are planning for food systems that are ecologically sustainable; supportive of local farmers, food producers, and economies; and respectful of social equity. We were not always disconnected from the food we ate. The Abenaki Indians and other Native Americans hunted, fished, gathered wild food, and made maple syrup. Vermont has enjoyed a longstanding tradition of growing and raising a variety of food, “putting food by” and processing it into many kinds of products, and giving away, bartering, and selling the food produced. While we honor and recognize these traditional local food activities, a contemporary local food movement has emerged that aims to reclaim our connection with food. The Purpose and Context of our Regional Food System Plan A food system, as defined by the American Planning Association, is “the chain of activities connecting food production, processing, distribution and access, consumption, and waste management, as well as all the associated supporting and regulatory institutions and activities.” (APA, 2005) By contrast, the terms “local” and “regional” lack a shared, formal definition and are highly dependent on geography and context. (Martinez et al., 2010) While this plan defines “regional” as primarily focused on the three counties of the Northeast Kingdom — Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans — the plan does not rigidly adhere to those geopolitical boundaries. In fact, many of our food system’s stakeholders enjoy and depend on dynamic relationships with enterprises in neighboring Vermont counties, New Hampshire, and Canada. The Regional Food System Plan for Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom (herein referred to as “the NEK Plan”) was initially developed in 2011. This Plan is a substantive update to reflect recent developments, not to mention lessons learned. As with the original 2011 Plan, the revised NEK Plan represents an Page 3 attempt to develop a vibrant agricultural economy and food system in the region through a regional planning process that builds on the strengths of regional and statewide planning, as well as local and decentralized planning. The ultimate goal of this Plan remains unchanged: To drive the development of new and more diverse agricultural activity and to develop a comprehensive strategy to stimulate this innovative food system sector for Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties. Specifically: i provide strategic guidance to the area’s key businesses and non-profits; i integrate agriculturally focused approaches with existing land use and community development priorities; i identify economic growth opportunities for the major constituent groups in the agricultural sector in the region; i provide coordination of existing and future technical assistance providers to maximize benefit to working lands enterprises; i energize and support regional public health and social equity initiatives; and i provide an informed basis for coordination with ongoing regional planning efforts. The 2016 Plan was developed under the aegis of two entities that share vested interests in the health and sustainability of the region’s agricultural economy. The Hardwick-based Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE) is nationally recognized as a leader in the local food movement. Its stated mission is to “engage the public in building a regenerative, locally-based, healthy food system through collaboration opportunities, food access and hunger relief, educational outreach and providing infrastructure.” Since 2005, the CAE has served as the region’s