Early 2025 will kick-off a new opportunity for those involved in our state's dairy industry to express their thoughts, concerns, ideas and hopes about the future of Vermont dairy.  The Agency is launching these new listening sessions because we want to hear directly from dairy stakeholders, farmers and processors, to understand your perspectives and visions for the future of dairy in Vermont. Agency leadership looks forward to hearing and engaging in conversations with the dairy community across the state that can lead to new, actionable ideas for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.

At all times, it is also important to the Agency that the Vermont dairy community feels heard and respected.  These listening sessions will be constructed so that every individual who has an interest in participating has an opportunity to access a meeting or provide feedback. Along with various leaders of the Agency, all meetings will be facilitated by the Dairy Strategy and Innovation Manager, Laura Ginsburg.  Each meeting will include a working portion focused on putting ideas into short-term, near-term, and long-term priority levels.

See below for a schedule of virtual sessions occurring in late April/May.  Virtual sessions will be offered for particular dairy focus groups such as young/beginning dairy farmers, goat and sheep dairy farmers, dairy processors, and a general dairy audience.  More information will be found on this webpage for each virtual session by mid-April, so please check back.

At the conclusion of these listening sessions, the Agency will be using the anonymous ideas and data provided to develop a report that can support the Agency's future dairy policy discussions, efforts and initiatives.

Check out this link for other in-person sessions and virtual session dates.