Vermont Fresh Network announces 2019 Annual Meeting

For Immediate Release

January 3, 2019

Media Contact: Tara Pereira

(802) 434-2000

tara@vermontfresh.net

Vermont Fresh Network announces 2019 Annual Meeting

Chefs and farmers discuss the future of local food in Vermont

RICHMOND, VT - The Vermont Fresh Network’s 23rd Annual Meeting combines panel discussions with networking opportunities connecting farmers, food producers, distributors, chefs, and other culinary professionals. The day is also open to any members of the public interested in looking at the future of food in Vermont through the intersection of our chefs and farmers. This event will take place on Monday, January 28th at the UVM Alumni House in Burlington.

Panels will explore trends farmers, food producers, and chefs have seen over the last decade, and what they anticipate for changes in the future. Discussion will include trends in consumer interests, changing logistics in local sourcing, and goal setting for local purchasing among other topics vital to Vermont Fresh Network’s role in strengthening Vermont’s system. Participants will also discuss the implication for these trends in VFN’s social mission areas of environmental sustainability, strong rural communities, and food system transparency.

“VFN’s ultimate goal is to strengthen the connections between farmers and chefs, and we know that happens just as much in one-on-one conversation as it does in a more formal structure, so we’ve built lots of informal networking time into the agenda,” says VFN Executive Director Helen Labun. “It feels like now more than ever these chances to make in-person connections across the food system are important as we build both transparency and a sense that ‘local’ can mean more than simply the number of miles our ingredients have traveled.”

Speakers will include: Vermont Agency of Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts, Mimi Buttenheim, President of Mad River Distillers; Matt Birong, Chef / Owner of 3 Squares Café in Vergennes and Vermont state representative; Stephanie Bonin, Executive Director of the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance & co-owner of duo Restaurant; Sigal Rocklin, Head Chef at the Reluctant Panther in Manchester and 2018 Vermont Chef of the Year; Andrew Peterson of Peterson Quality Malts; Emma Marvin from Butternut Mountain Farm; Niko Horster fromShire Beef; and Anne Doe of Boston Post Dairy.

Registration is required and available online at www.vermontfresh.net. Registration is $15 for VFN Members and $25 for non-members, with student discounts available. The Vermont Fresh Network thanks its Affiliate Partner sponsors Black River Produce, Farrell Distributing, Foley Services, and Hotel Vermont.   A full sponsor list, including our food providers, is found at www.vermontfresh.net.

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Vermont Fresh Network

The Vermont Fresh Network (VFN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, building a strong local food system through the connections between farmers, chefs, and consumers who value their contribution to healthy communities, environment, and local economies.  Since 1996, we have worked to ensure that the farmer-chef connection is a strong part of agricultural development and that consumers can support this work by where they choose to dine. For more information on Vermont Fresh Network, visit www.vermontfresh.net. Follow Vermont Fresh Network on Facebook, Instagram,  and Twitter.