March 25, 2025
NOFA VT’s Farm Share Program provides fresh, local foods to Vermonters in need of financial assistance via CSA shares, reduced 25-75% in cost. For the past 30 years, the Farm Share Program has reviewed applications on a first-come, first-served basis. In recent years, demand has quickly outpaced the availability of funds for shares. It feels increasingly important that we explore restructuring Farm Share’s application review process to make sure folks experiencing the most significant barriers can access the program.
We are looking to form a committee that will be tasked with proposing a new application review process for the program. We hope this committee can be made up of farmers, participants, those who have not been able to participate, and direct service providers with experience supporting people in accessing the program. On March 26th and 28th, we will host two initial informational sessions to share background information about the program and discuss the scope of the future committee’s work.
The meetings will be held as follows:
- Wednesday, March 26, 5:30-6:45 pm - South Burlington Public Library Community Room
- Friday, March 28, 12:00-1:30 pm - Virtual, via Zoom
If you are interested in attending an informational session to explore the possibility of joining this committee, please RSVP by March 25th. If you know any other community members or farmers who may be interested, we welcome you to share the form with them, as well. We can organize interpretation support if needed.
What will the advisory committee entail?
Selected committee members are expected to attend two meetings, approximately two hours each, sometime between June and September 2025. Depending on the committee members’ needs, these meetings may be in person, virtual, or a combination. Additionally, there may be 1-2 hours of work requested of committee members before these meetings. In the event that additional meetings are deemed necessary, these will be optional for members to attend, depending on their availability. After the initial informational session, selected committee members will be compensated at a rate of $50/hour for the ensuing meetings. Mileage and childcare reimbursement will be available for in-person meetings.
We look forward to creating a more equitable program based on your insights! Please reach out to NOFA-VT’s Local Food Access Director, Johanna Doren ([email protected]), with any questions.