Champlain Valley Farmers Coalition moves forward
MIDDLEBURY — The Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition (CVFC) recognized three of its board members whose terms were coming to a close at their Annual Membership Meeting held at the Vergennes American Legion on Jan. 13.
Brian Kemp of Cornwall, Ben Dykema of Ferrisburgh, and Ted Foster of Middlebury all had served three year terms and were founding members and directors of the organization, which was founded in 2013. Their service and commitment to the organization was commended.
During the annual membership meeting, nominations and voting were held to fill the empty seats. Kemp, who works at Mountain Meadows Farm, was re-elected as president, a post he as served in for the past year. Rachel Orr of Orr Family Farm in Orwell was elected to one seat on the board, and George Foster of Foster Brothers Farm in Middlebury will fill the another seat on the board. In all, the CVFC has 12 directors that meet monthly to carry on the business of the organization. They represent over 60 members from Addison, Chittenden and Rutland counties.
The annual meeting also included a dinner, an address by former Gov. Jim Douglas, and a panel presentation from CVFC members Howard VanderWey of Nea-Tocht Farm in Ferrisburgh/Vergennes, Ben Dykema of Wilcon Farm in Ferrisburgh, and Eric Severy of Matthew’s Trucking and Custom Manure Handling in Cornwall. They shared the newest farming practices they have been using to protect water quality and grow healthy crops.
Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition is a non-profit corporation made up of Vermont farmers of all kinds (dairy, beef, field crops, vegetables) and supporting organizations and individuals. Members are committed to working together to protect water quality in Lake Champlain and to support a thriving agricultural economy in Vermont. With more than 60 members that include farmers, agricultural businesses and support organizations, they aim to demonstrate the many ways farms can accomplish both goals and share that with other farmers, the public and policy makers.