The Steering Committee provides overall network governance and guidance for the Farm to Plate Network. It is responsible for identifying gaps in strategies, developing processes for learning, helping organize the annual F2P Network Gathering, and shaping the evolution of the Network over time. It is comprised of following members: team chairs, the Secretary of Agriculture or designee, the Secretary of Commerce or designee, a representative of the Vermont Food Funders Network, and a representative of the Sustainable Agriculture Council.
The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund serves as the Network Coordinator -- or Backbone Organization -- for the Farm to Plate Initiative.
According to the Collective Impact research of John Kania, Mark Kramer, and colleagues, ""Collective Impact occurs when organizations from different sectors agree to solve a specific social problem using a common agenda, aligning their efforts, and using common measures of success."" They identified five conditions that enable systems level change:
- A Common Agenda: the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan
- Reinforcing Activities: through the Farm to Plate Network
- Shared Measurement: the 25 Farm to Plate Goals
- Continuous Communication: through the Farm to Plate Network
- Backbone Organization: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
The Farm to Plate Initiative has developed all five conditions and is actively pursuing this Collective Impact approach to transforming our local and regional food system.