Farm Viability Indicators Task Force

Natalie Bekkouche

natalieREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@salvationfarms.org

Erica Campbell

erica_campbellREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@sanders.senate.gov

Policy & Outreach Staff - Agriculture, food, rural dev. & transportation
Office of Senator Bernie Sanders
1 Church St, 3rd Floor
Burlington Vermont, 05401

Office on Senator Bernie Sanders--agriculture, nutrition, rural development & transportation policy

Mark Cannella

mark.cannellaREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@uvm.edu
(802) 223-2389

Director: Farm Viability and Farm Business Management Specialist
University of Vermont Extension (Berlin)
uvm.edu/extension
327 US Route 302
Berlin VT, 05641

Mark is an Associate Professor with UVM Extension and the director of Agricultural Business Programs.

Thomas Case

thomasREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@salvationfarms.org
(802) 338-9096

Thomas Case is the Vermont Commodity Program Director for Salvation Farms. He has also been a full time Organic Vegetable farmer and owner of Arethusa Farm in Burlington's Intervale and The Intervale Food Hub's Packing house supervisor in his previous work.

Ela Chapin

elaREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vhcb.org
(802) 828-2117

Viability Program Director
Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program
vhcb.org/viability
VT Housing & Conservation Board
58 East State Street
Montpelier VT, 05602

Ela Chapin is Director of the Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program, a program of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board that provides business planning and technical assistance to farm, food and forest products businesses. Since 2006, Ela has managed and advanced the quality of program services and provided professional development opportunities to strengthen the network of agricultural service providers in Vermont and beyond. She has a MA in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University.

Jake Claro

JakeREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vsjf.org
(802) 828-5669

Farm to Plate Program Director
Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
vsjf.org
3 Pitkin Court
Suite 301E
Montpelier VT, 05602

Abbie Corse

abbue.corseREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@gmail.com

Co-owner
The Corse Farm Dairy
thecorsefarmdairy.com
1085 Corse Road
Whitingham Vermont, 05361

Organic dairy farmer / mama / Vermont climate council / NOFA-VT board. Always always fighting to connect the threads between food security and agriculture and the immense power of investing int Those who can nourish us.

Ollie Cultrara

ollie.cultraraREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vermont.gov


Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
vermontagriculture.com
116 State Street
Montpelier VT, 05620

Sarah Danly

sarahREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vsjf.org
(802) 828-3745

Farm to Plate Network Manager
Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
vsjf.org
3 Pitkin Court
Suite 301E
Montpelier VT, 05602

Sam Fuller

samREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@nofavt.org
(802) 434-4122

Technical Assistance Program Administrator
NOFA Vermont
nofavt.org
14 Pleasant Street
Richmond VT, 05477

Sam Fuller manages NOFA-VT’s Technical Assistance Program, which provides an array of services to commercial farmers ranging from in-depth whole farm business planning and technical production assistance to educational offerings and industry development. His work focuses primarily on sustainable livestock production, meat processing and value chain integration. Prior to joining NOFA-VT in 2008, he managed a number of different agricultural enterprises including a pasture-based livestock operation, a diversified crop farm and a multi-farm producer co-op. Sam graduated from Colorado College with a degree in Anthropology. His focus was on food systems, agricultural economics and migrant labor. His thesis work was on "Localizing Culture - How a New Agricultural Model Could Save the Family Farm".

Beret Halverson

beretREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vsjf.org
802-828-5670

Farm to Plate & Forestry Products Program Coordinator
Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
vsjf.org
3 Pitkin Court
Suite 301E
Montpelier VT, 05602

Corey Hennessey

corey.a.hennesseyREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@gmail.com

Founder
Orchard Street Business Services
orchardstreetvt.com

East Montpelier Vermont, 05651

Daniel Keeney

danielREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@hardwickagriculture.org
802-751-9011


Dunc's Mill
duncsmill.com
622 Keyser Hill Road
St. Johnsbury Vermont, 05819


Center for an Agricultural Economy
hardwickagriculture.org
140 Junction Road (PO Box 422)
Hardwick VT, 05843

M.S. and Graduate of UVM's Department of Community Development & Applied Economics Proud Farm Worker 2003, 2009, 2010 Production Assistant & Junior Partner, Dunc's Mill Artisanal Rums 2010-2017 Farm & Food Business Specialist, Center for an Agricultural Economy, 2014-Present

Michelle Klieger

michelleREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@helianthpartners.com
16173295127

Founding Partner
Helianth Partners
helianthpartners.com
11 Leighton Street
Natick Massachusetts, 01760

Michelle Klieger is the founder of Stratagerm Consulting and a cofounder of Helianth Partners, an agricultural and business consulting firm. She has worked in the food and agriculture sector for over a decade. As an economist and a business consultant, she works with the global seed industry, agtech companies, conventional and non-conventional agriculture firms, and philanthropic foundations. Her work has taken her around the world, helping industry leaders manage and grow their global businesses. Michelle has spoken at workshops, meetings, and conferences in the United States, Asia, and South America, wrote The Demise of Free Trade, has been published in over two dozen publications, hosts a podcast, and is a professor of economics at Bentley University. She holds a Masters in Agriculture Economics from Purdue University and an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.

Katie Michels

katieREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vhcb.org

Jen Miller

jenREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@nofavt.org
802-434-4122


NOFA Vermont
nofavt.org
14 Pleasant Street
Richmond VT, 05477

Jen manages NOFA-VT's Farmer Services Program which provides business planning services, technical assistance, one-on-one farmer mentorships, and educational opportunities for Vermont's organic and sustainable farmers.

Mariah Noth

mariahREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vhcb.org
(802) 828-1098


Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program
vhcb.org/viability
VT Housing & Conservation Board
58 East State Street
Montpelier VT, 05602

Vermont Farm and Forest Viability Program Outreach & Communications Coordinator

Kelly Nottermann

kellyREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vsjf.org
(802) 828-1121

Communications Director
Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
vsjf.org
3 Pitkin Court
Suite 301E
Montpelier VT, 05602

Benneth Phelps

bennethREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@dirtpartners.com
978.290.2220

Director of Farmer Services
Dirt Capital Partners
dirtpartners.com
PO Box 457
Hudson New York, 12534

Benneth joined Dirt Capital Partners in 2016 as the Director of Farmer Services to further develop and refine the company’s approach to investing in land in partnership with farmers, and the company’s organizational culture and infrastructure. Previously, Benneth was Loan and Business Assistance Manager at The Carrot Project, where she spent five years evaluating loan applications and working with farm and food enterprises to plan for business growth. Prior to this she farmed vegetables and small fruit for ten years, in the Connecticut River Valley of Western Massachusetts, working on organic farms with 4-80 acres in production. Benneth has served as a member of the Fund Advisory Committee of PVGrows, currently serves on the Loan Review Committee of The Carrot Project and as a Board Member of the Vermont Grass Farmers Association. She holds an MRP in community and regional planning from the University of Massachusetts, and a BA from Smith College where she studied American Studies and Economics.

Julia Scheier

julia.scheierREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vermont.gov
(802) 522-7042


Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
vermontagriculture.com
116 State Street
Montpelier VT, 05620

Jaime Silverstein

jaimeREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@nofavt.org


NOFA Vermont
nofavt.org
14 Pleasant Street
Richmond VT, 05477

Sam Smith

samREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@intervale.org
(802) 660-0440 x110

Farm Business Specialist
Intervale Center
intervale.org
180 Intervale Road
Burlington VT, 05401

Sam brings a passion for farming and food systems to his work at the Intervale. He grew up in Southern Vermont, went to UVM, and recently received a MBA in Sustainability from Antioch New England. He has worked as both a livestock and vegetable farmer, and been involved in the Vermont agricultural community for over 15 years.

Kristina Sweet

kristina.sweetREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vermont.gov
(802) 522-7811

Produce Program Manager
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
vermontagriculture.com
116 State Street
Montpelier VT, 05620

Kristina Sweet is the Produce Program Manager at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, where she works with local, regional, and national stakeholders on the development of state produce safety programs and implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule. Her favorite apple is the Macoun.

Rene Thibault

rthibaultREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@newenglanddairy.com
802-673-7057

PR & Communications Specialist
New England Dairy Promotion Board
mustbethemilk.com
The Woolen Mill
20 West Canal St., Suite C13
Winooski Vermont, 05404

Kate Turcotte

kate.turcotteREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@gmail.com

Graham Unangst-Rufenacht

grahamREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@ruralvermont.org
802-223-7222


Rural Vermont
ruralvermont.org
46 East State St
Montpelier VT, 05602

JJ Vandette

jvandetteREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@veic.org
802.540.7915


Efficiency Vermont
efficiencyvermont.com
20 Winooski Falls Way
Winooski VT, 05404

I conduct planning activities related to the agricultural energy efficiency program at Efficiency Vermont.

Jim Verzino

jimREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@strollingoftheheifers.com
(802) 242-1249

Entrepreneur in Residence
Windham Grows
windhamgrows.org
157 Main St.
Brattleboro Vermont, 05301

I help farm and food entrepreneurs start and scale their businesses as Entrepreneur in Residence at Windham Grows.

Becka Warren

beckaREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vsjf.org

Food Security Plan Project Manager
Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
vtfarmtoplate.com
3 Pitkin Ct #301E
Montpelier VT, 05602


Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
vsjf.org
3 Pitkin Court
Suite 301E
Montpelier VT, 05602

Adam and Brittany Wilcox

brittanytobinvtREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@gmail.com
(802) 768-8770

Co owner
Silver Spring Meats
40 Wilcox Road
Manchester Center Vermont, 05255

Adam is a fifth generation Vermont dairy farmer. He and his wife, Brittany, along with their children, Cooper and Delia, live and work in Manchester. Adam also sells pork and veal to local restaurants, including the Equinox, the Perfect Wife, Bistro Henry's, and more!

Andy Wood

awoodREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@veda.org
802-498-8865


Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA)
veda.org/financing-options/vermont-agricultural-financing
58 East State Street
Suite 5
Montpelier VT, 05602