Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Roger Allbee, Secretary of Vermont Agriculture.
I am a student of Vermont agricultural history. I have been studying the old yearbooks of agriculture that go back to the 1800s and other related documents. What I have discovered is that many of the forces of change are similar today even as Vermont has evolved from a largely subsistence farming state before railroads in the 1850s, to the commercial agriculture that continues today.
So what do these forces of change illustrate? They illustrate the many changes that took place as Vermont went from the major sheep raising state in the early to mid 1800s, to being the butter producing capital of the world in the late 1800s. In the 1900’s Vermont’s dairy production was the leading agriculture industry and that continues today.
Of course Vermont has always been known for the diversity of its agriculture. In the mid 1800s Vermont was considered the bread basket of New England. Farmers in the Champlain Valley area were producing wheat barley and oats and in other regions of the state farmers were growing tobacco, potatoes, hemp, hops, apples and other fruits and vegetables and many of these crops continue to be are grown in Vermont today.
And we can’t overlook the maple industry. Early on, maple production helped to establish Vermont’s reputation as an agricultural state and also continues to be one of the most important economic contributors to the agriculture economy. The maple industry has also been important in establishing the Vermont brand. Historically, Vermont farmers recognized that diversifying into producing maple syrup was important for their economic survival.
The future of Vermont agriculture is best illustrated in a paper that was delivered by the Reverend G.F. Wright of Bakersfield, Vermont in 1872 to the State Board of Agriculture. He stated “It is useless for the Vermont farmer to compete with those of the West in raising those few staples of product that can be naturally raised in the West. The great increase of population and of the wealth of the East indicates a growing market for milk, for first quality butter, veal, mutton, and for products from the garden, the beehive, the poultry yard and the fish pond. Only those will prosper who use their minds in studying how to cater to the demands of this growing market and this changing state.”
Today, we are experiencing a renaissance of the past. Consumers want to know where their food comes from, who grows their food and how it is grown. Hence the growth in farmers’ markets, CSA’s, specialty cheeses and new products such as ice cider and wine as well as the increased interest in food hubs.
In addition, the Keep Local Farms initiative has shown that many consumers want to support local dairy farms when purchasing milk and other dairy products knowing that the dairy farmer will benefit financially.
History has demonstrated that where Vermont farmers have taken advantage of their location, resources, brand, environment and local and regional markets to develop and distribute products that appeal to consumers, many have prospered. It is encouraging to see this renewal of the past and the interest in the many products produced from the Vermont land and the animals that thrive on this land. It makes and sustains our working landscape.
