Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Chris Bray who retired from the Vermont House of Representatives earlier this month. He lives in New Haven.
Last week, as I left elected state government and returned to private life, I had the deep pleasure of seeing a bill I sponsored move forward in a remarkable Statehouse ceremony.
At the roll-out of the Farm to Plate initiative, a stellar cast of supporters—the governor, lieutenant governor, secretaries of agriculture and commerce, House Speaker, Senate president pro tem and a number of lawmakers—all got up and spoke of their commitment to this program and the rebirth of food and agriculture in Vermont.
This program deserves such support.
The numbers alone are compelling: Growing just 10 percent more of our own food will generate $344 million annually in economic activity and will create 3,000 new jobs. This is the largest economic development plan in the state’s history.
As Vermont’s economy struggles to recover, Farm to Plate represents welcome economic news.
As remarkable as the ceremony was last week, even more extraordinary is the plan’s origin. More than 10,000 Vermonters contributed their ideas and energy to its development. The real strength of this plan is that it reflects the food system that Vermonters want for themselves.
The program’s goals are set on a 10-year time line, and we’ve only just begun. To succeed, we need to work steadily, keeping an eye on what’s happening throughout our food system and make regular adjustments to our plan to keep it alive and effective.
Our success will be a great gift to future generations and ourselves. While we Vermonters are typically modest, I think that in this program and in the way it was developed we have an important story to share with the nation and beyond. Each year the world struggles harder to feed itself in a time of profound climate change and increasingly expensive petroleum-based feed, fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
Farm to Plate is a good start and a great Vermont legacy.
