May 29, 2024
We’re thrilled to share that the state legislature allocated $300k in one-time funding to support NOFA-VT’s food access programs! This is a collective win and the result of grassroots power. YOU made this happen by contacting your representatives, testifying at the statehouse, and sharing our calls to action with your friends and family.
The demand for our food access work has increased dramatically over the past few years, with the need exceeding our available resources. The public investment in NOFA-VT’s longstanding food access programs will have an outsized impact on Vermont communities. Our programs subsidize the cost of locally grown food, either by partially covering the cost of a CSA membership or giving people extra cash for fruits and vegetables when they spend their SNAP benefits at farmers markets.
This means:
- More people are able to buy locally-grown food.
- Farmers have more customers and are fully compensated for their work.
- Federal money in the form of SNAP benefits circulates in our local economy.
In addition to celebrating the continuation of these programs through 2024, we’re also heartened by the momentum we have toward meaningful food security in our state. Public funding marks a crucial step forward on the Vermont Food Security Roadmap, a guide to ensuring all Vermonters are food-secure by 2035.
Thank you again to all the community members who took on a piece of this effort and to the Vermont Legislature for including this funding in the state budget. Together, onwards!