The Rutland region’s food system is made up of:

• 658 Farms selling $35,386,000 in product (Rutland County only), according to the last USDA Ag Census in 2007
• 13 branches of major chain grocery stores
• 4 community food co-ops
• 140+ restaurants
• 135+ other grocery/retail outlets
• 15+ farmers’ markets

Hungry for More?

RAFFL is part of local, statewide, and national conversations about how our food is produced and distributed. Check out these resources we often rely on:

RUTLAND REGION FARMERS MARKETS AND CO-OPs

• Rutland Area Food Co-op – Healthy, whole, local and organic foods, right in downtown Rutland
• Stone Valley Community Market – Fresh, local produce, meats, baked goods, and bulk products in Poultney
• Shrewsbury Co-op at Pierce’s Store – Community-led co-op in Shrewsbury

RAFFL’S STATEWIDE PARTNERS

• ACORN – Addison County Relocalization Network
• BALE – Building a Local Economy in White River Valley of VT
• FoodWorks / Two Rivers Center
• Green Mountain College
• Green Mountain Farm to School
• Center for an Agricultural Economy – Advancing a healthy regional food system in VT’s Northeast Kingdom
• The Intervale – Strengthening community food systems in the Burlington region
• Mad River Food Hub
• Mad River Valley Localvores
• NOFA-VT – Nonprofit association of farmers, gardeners, and consumers
• Post Oil Solutions – Brattleboro-based nonprofit dedicated to building sustainable communities
• St. Johnsbury Area Local Food Alliance
• UVM Extension’s Food Spire
• Vermont Council on Rural Development
• Vermont Farm to Plate Initiative – 10-year plan to strengthen Vermont’s food system
• Vermont Fresh Network
• Vital Communities: Valley Food and Farm
• Windham Farm and Food Network

FARM & LAND ACCESS

• Land for Good
• New England Farmland Finder
• Vermont Agriculture Land Access Database – Project of UVM Extension
• Vermont Land Trust – Land Conservation Organization
• Vermont Working Landscape Partnership

AGRICULTURE POLICY

• National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition – Alliance advocating for federal ag policy reform
• Rural Vermont
• US Department of Agriculture
• Vermont Agency of Agriculture
• Vermont Farm to Plate Initiative – 10-year plan to strengthen Vermont’s food system

VERMONT FARMER ASSOCIATIONS & NETWORKS

• Vermont Agricultural Organizations – VT Agency of Agriculture keeps an up-to-date list

FOOD HUBS & OTHER FOOD SYSTEM RESEARCH

• Fair Food Network
• Farm Aid
• Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food (USDA)
• National Good Food Network
• Neighboring Food Cooperative Association
• Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
• Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NESAWG)
• Wallace Center – National organization that supports entrepreneurs and communities as they reinvent our food system

CREATIVE FINANCING

• Carrot Project
• Farm Aid – Promotes family farms
• Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE)
• Slow Food USA
• Slow Food Vermont
• Three Revolutions – Crowdsource fundraising for food and agriculture enterprises
• Vermont Community Foundation – Home to over 600 charitable funds
• Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Flexible Capital Fund

AGRITOURISM

• Dig In Vermont – A statewide agriculture site geared towards tourists
• Vermont Farms! Association – Organization of VT farms offering on-farm experiences

FOOD ACCESS & GLEANINGS

• Fair Food Network
• HOPE – Addison County gleaning program
• RAFFL’s Grow a Row program
• Salvation Farms – VT Nonprofit building increased resilience in Vermont’s food system through agricultural surplus management
• Vermont FEED
• Vermont Foodbank
• Willing Hands

FARMING & GROWING WORKSHOPS

• New Farmer Project – UVM Extension
• NOFA-VT Workshops & Events
• RAFFL Summer Workshop Series
• University of Vermont – Statewide lists of upcoming events and workshops
• UVM Master Gardener

FOOD SAFETY & REGULATIONS

• New England Extension Food Safety Consortium
• Real Time Farms
• UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture
• UVM Extension Master Gardener

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR FARMERS

* Can’t find what you’re looking for? E-mail info@rutlandfarmandfood.org for help!

• Ag and Farm Business Planning & Management – UVM Extension
• Agronomy & Conservation Assistance Program – UVM Extension
• Crops, Soil, & Pasture Resources – UVM Extension
• SARE Publications – Business planning resources
• Technical Assistance Organizations – Links compiled by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture
• Vermont Farm Viability Program
• Vermont New Farmer Networks
• Women’s Agricultural Network – Funding opportunities and houses New Farmer Project