On Monday, March 7th 2022, Salvation Farms welcomed Vermont’s Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray for a day of hands-on participation in the local food system. The Lt. Governor was introduced to the work of Salvation Farms, an agricultural surplus management organization, through taking part in several components of their work.
“Here in Vermont and nationally, food insecurity is linked with climate security and economic security. As a state, we need to invest in local, resilient food systems that diminish waste, strengthen resilience and grow local partnerships. Salvation Farms does just that and serves as a model for Vermont,” says Lt. Governor Gray.
The Lt. Governor toured the storage and wash-pack operations at long-time Salvation Farms’ partner Pete’s Greens farm in Craftsbury and assisted in a glean of culled storage crops. The Lt. Governor and her staff along with Salvation Farms’ staff and volunteers collected more than 800 pounds of potatoes, beets, and carrots.
From there, the Lt. Governor visited Salvation Farms’ barn in Morrisville, a space owned and renovated by the United Way of Lamoille County provided to Salvation Farms for five years rent free. Here she met with Salvation Farms’ Board President and the Co-Directors of the United Way of Lamoille County in addition to helping unload the crops collected that morning into the barn’s cooler.
Wrapping up her visit, the Lt. Governor traveled to the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson to process surplus potatoes, with the center’s staff and Salvation Farms’ staff. A small batch of 40 pounds of potatoes was processed into a cubed, frozen product.
“It was a pleasure to visit all the stages of agricultural surplus management today — from gleaning at Pete’s Greens through processing at the Vermont Studio Center. I’m inspired by Salvation Farm’s leadership and what Executive Director Theresa Snow has built in Northern Vermont. I look forward to discussing her work with the governor and legislature,” the Lt. Governor shared at the end of her visit.
All crops collected from Pete’s Greens and processed at the Vermont Studio Center will be distributed to community-based food programs like food shelves and senior meal programs.
For more information about Salvation Farms, visit: www.salvationfarms.org.
For more information about Vermont’s Lieutenant Governor visit: https://ltgov.vermont.gov/about.