Food is Medicine in Vermont: Building Health Through Local Food

Overview
In 2024–2025, Dr. Deb Kennedy and a team of partners led a statewide assessment to understand how Vermonters are experiencing Food is Medicine (FIM) programs. The project engaged more than 50 voices across the state—including clinicians, dietitians, community health workers (CHWs), food providers, and patients—to explore unmet needs, identify strengths, and chart a path forward. The resulting 55-page report, Food is Medicine in Vermont: 2024–2025 Summary of Unmet Needs, highlights both the promise of this movement and the critical steps needed to sustain it.
 

“It’s been an honor to look under the Food is Medicine hood.” – Dr. Deb Kennedy

Audience and Participation
The intended audience for this work was broad: clinicians, dietitians, CHWs, food access organizations, and health systems who care about the intersection of health and food. Participants included people on the frontlines—clinicians prescribing food, dietitians helping patients cook unfamiliar vegetables, CHWs balancing FIM with food insecurity, and farmers and food hubs delivering fresh, local produce. Their combined insights grounded the findings in real-life experience and made clear that FIM is already making a difference, but needs support to grow.

Purpose and Background
The driving force behind this project was simple yet urgent: Vermonters are facing rising rates of diet-related illness, while many still struggle with food insecurity. FIM programs—such as produce prescriptions, medically tailored meals, and teaching kitchens—are proven tools that can improve health while strengthening local food systems. But sustaining them has been a challenge. This project came together through a generous grant from BiState Primary Care to document both successes and gaps so the state can take its next steps with clarity.
 

One clinician summed up the value of FIM simply:
 

“That one minute of talking about food makes a big difference for our patients.”

Connection to Vermont’s Food System
FIM is a natural extension of Vermont’s Farm to Plate Strategic Plan and the Food Security in Vermont: Roadmap to 2035. By connecting local farmers and food providers to healthcare, it achieves two goals at once: improving community health and supporting a resilient local food economy. Every produce box delivered is both nourishment for patients and a paycheck for Vermont farms. The Farm to Plate CSA & Healthcare Community of Practice were consulted as key stakeholders for this report. The community of practice is comprised of the following organizations: ACORN, Vermont Farm and Food Venture Center, Healthy Roots Collaborative, Richford Notch Center, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, University of Vermont Medical Center, and Little Rivers Health Care. 
 

Content and Takeaways: Seven major unmet needs emerged from the research:

1. Sustainable funding to move beyond short-term grants.
2. Centralized coordination to reduce duplication across clinics.
3. Clinical integration with simple, reliable referral systems
4. Workforce support for CHWs, dietitians, and food providers.
5. Patient access to transportation, culturally relevant foods, and cooking education.
6. Evaluation and research to prove impact and attract investment.
7. Training and education across all groups, from clinicians to patients.

The human stories behind these needs were powerful. One CHW emphasized the importance of going beyond access:
 

“We’re not just handing out food—we’re helping people actually use it and see it as part of their care.”
 

Another patient reflected Vermont’s culture of humility, admitting:
“Someone else needs it more than I do.”

These voices reveal both the barriers and the deep commitment Vermonters bring to this work.

Next Steps
The report outlines a clear roadmap forward: build sustainable funding streams, create a statewide coordination hub, integrate food into clinical care, and expand training and support for the workforce. These actions will ensure that FIM programs can grow into a lasting, statewide system rather than remain isolated pilot projects.

The most important takeaway? FIM is not a fringe idea—it’s a practical, cost-effective way to improve health while supporting Vermont farms and communities. As one dietitian explained:

“We translate the science into the plate.”

For questions or additional information, please reach out to Dr. Deb Kennedy 

Download the Full Report