Follow Matt on Facebook

@mattdunnevt

The Issues

Agriculture

Protect Our Farms and Our Farmers

Maintain Vermont’s Tradition of Working Farms and Expand Marketing Opportunities for Farmers

Farming has always been critical to Vermont’s economy and the fundamental character of our state.

My father was a co-founder of the Land Trust, not because his grandfather was a farmer in the Northeast Kingdom or because he thought farms were part of making Vermont pretty. He believed fundamentally that a community and nation must be able to feed itself and that when the water runs out in the west, Vermont will return to being the breadbasket of the region. Following in his footsteps I have been an adamant defender of farming and ensuring all types of farming can succeed in Vermont.

As Governor, my administration will:

1. Help farmers diversify to generate new sources of income including energy, agri-tourism, and alternative fuel production.
2. Directly support the development of appropriate slaughter house and processing facilities around the state.
3. Support the work of the Vermont Agriculture Development Corporation, coordinate agriculture-related event promotion and purchasing opportunities and strengthen organizations that support the development of agricultural product and their markets.
4. Engage neighboring urban areas, including Boston and New York City, to export CSA shares and expand Vermont markets.
5. Protect use value appraisal and invest in the Land Trust to ensure available, affordable prime agriculture land.
6. Encourage replication of the Intervale structure of agriculture to allow entrepreneurial farming efforts.
7. Where appropriate, help commodity dairy farmers rethink how they can do agriculture to receive a higher return on hard work and investment, including providing transition capital.
8. Support export development by providing aid to farmers and Vermont Innovation Kitchens to bring Vermont products to the rest of the world.
9. Expand on "Farm to Plate" and "Farm to School" programs to expand markets for Vermont farmers, strengthen brand for Vermont products and strengthen an understanding of where food comes from.
10. Develop systems for philanthropic entities and state capital to help young farmers grow inherited or new ventures.
11. Work with the Congressional delegation to fight for fair prices for milk and other agriculture products.