Posted July 8, 2025 at 10:27am by VDW Admin
Request for Breakout Session Proposals for 2025 Farm to Plate Network Gathering is Open!
Join us at our new location in Burke for the 15th Annual Network Gathering!
The theme of this year's Gathering is "Keep Calm, and Collaborate On: Working Better Together as a Region in Uncertain Times"
Vermont Farm to Plate is excited to invite network members and non‑members who work across Vermont’s food system to submit proposals for 11 breakout sessions at our 15th Annual Gathering.
Considering our current political and cultural landscape, our community is seeking concrete pathways for effective collaboration. We are looking for sessions that equip participants with practical tools, skills, and relationships that upholds our shared values and builds a food system that is more resilient, prosperous, and just.
Priority Topic Areas
All proposals must engage at least one of the four strategic goal categories of the Vermont Agriculture and Food System Strategic Plan 2021-2030 within the context of the overall theme:
- Economic Development
- Environmental Sustainability (includes land use and access)
- Healthy Local Food For All
- Racial Equity
Desired Session Formats
We welcome two distinct—but equally valued—session types. We encourage co-facilitation.
| Type | Description | Example Topics (not an exhaustive list - feel free to submit other relevant topics) |
|---|---|---|
| A. Skill-Building | Highly interactive workshops that teach cross‑cutting skills applicable across food‑system sectors. |
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| B. Experiential Deep Dive | Facilitated explorations of real food‑system challenges in which participants co‑create solutions and next steps. Lived‑experience stories and knowledge are centered. |
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Each session is estimated to run for 1.5 hours.
Equity & Inclusion Expectations
F2P is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI‑B). Proposals must explicitly integrate DEI‑B in both content and facilitation design and should feature a diversity of voices—especially farmers, farm and food‑system workers, and individuals from historically under‑represented or marginalized communities (race, gender, age, geography, ability, and role in the food system).
Design Guidelines
- Action‑oriented & hands‑on. Limit lecture or slide decks: prioritize movement, small‑group work, and tangible outputs.
- Solution‑focused. Participants should leave with clear takeaways, tools, actions, or commitments they can implement.
- Collaboration‑first. Demonstrate how the session will spark new partnerships or strengthen existing ones.
- Innovative & creative. Please think outside the box: interactive, hands-on group activities that enhance collaboration and forward solutions thinking.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be scored on:
- Alignment with theme & priority topic areas
- Quality of interactive design & clarity of learning objectives
- DEI‑B integration & diversity of facilitators/participants
- Practicality of skills/tools offered
- Potential for measurable impact & follow‑up action
Applications will be reviewed by a panel comprised of Farm to Plate Steering Committee members and staff.
No-cost Registrations & Honorariums
No-cost registration is available to all farmers, farmworkers, food workers, small food business owners, legislators, farmers market managers, and anyone that identifies as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color. Students who are not supported by their degree program to attend the Gathering may register at no-cost.
Farm to Plate offers a $100 honorarium plus mileage reimbursement, to any facilitator who will NOT be compensated, by their employer or another organization, to speak at the Annual Gathering.
Submissions
Submissions are due by Friday, August 15th. Please reach out to Hannah Baxter, Vermont Farm to Plate Network Manager, with any questions: hannah@vsjf.org