The Future of Agricultural Programs at Vermont State University at Stake

Support Still Needed for Recently Established Center for Agriculture and Food Entrepreneurship (CAFE) at VTSU-Randolph.

Applied agricultural and food system education is critical to the future of agriculture and food security in Vermont and New England. The former interim President of Vermont State University (Mike Smith) and the Board of Trustees recently approved a series of Optimization 2.0 recommendations which called for agriculture and forestry programs are being “discontinued” at VTSU-Randolph. There are indications that this ‘discontinuance’ was only intended for the next academic year. While the framing of this message was disheartening, there still is hope. To be viable as a re-imagined and re-developed academic and workforce development program, the Farm to Plate community needs to show its support and to have that support apparent to the public and all internal and external partners.

We are confident that the agricultural programing being developed for the CAFE will meet critical workforce needs and fill a vital and in-demand niche in higher education. Farms and food business owners are clamoring for workers for jobs that are open now and will be in the coming years as workers continue to retire. The sector needs VTSU-Randolph to be graduating Vermonters and New Englanders with an associate’s degree and providing valuable certificates and short courses that meet the continuing education needs of people who want to be part of the growing regional food sector.

Everyone understands and respects the challenging work going into optimizing the many degree programs at VTSU. But to be successful we need VTSU leadership to show continued confidence and support as we work, together, to chart a future for agricultural programming at VTSU-Randolph. Vermont Farm to Plate remains fully committed to the success of this important work, and seeing it through. We encourage Farm to Plate Network members to write a respectful letter to VTSU President David Bergh (David.Bergh@vermontstate.edu) and share your thoughts on how important it is to continue to enroll students at VTSU-Randolph in the new Center for Agriculture and Food Entrepreneurship, starting in academic year 2025-26.

To learn more, watch Glenn Evans, Executive Director of the CAFE at VTSU-Randolph present at the Farm to Plate Gathering on 11/16/23.

You can also be involved in future conversations by joining the Farm to Plate Education, Workforce and Labor Topic Exchange. Please email Kelly Dolan, Farm to Plate Network Manager, for details: Kellydolan@vsjf.org

Photo credit: VSJF, Glenn Evans speaking at 2023 Farm to Plate Annual Gathering, November 16th, 2023.