By Will Stevens, Golden Russet Farm, Shoreham, Vt.
posted
Dec 19, 2012
Last month, Governor Shumlin announced his priorities for the
upcoming legislative session. As notable as what we heard was
something we didn't hear: discussion about economic development and
Vermont's working landscape.
Last year, the Legislature passed H.496, the Working Lands
Enterprise Investment bill, which, with the Governor's signature,
became Act 142. It creates the Working Lands Enterprise Board
(WLEB), made up of individual Vermonters who are active in the
farm, forest product, and value-added sectors, which oversees a
fund of nearly one million dollars. It is a marriage of tradition
and modernity in that it supports private enterprise and
light-handed government as it embraces contemporary concepts such
as stakeholder identification, collaboration, coalition-building,
and strategic intervention.
The Act puts us in position to maintain our cultural heritage by
acknowledging that people have a place on the land. It promotes the
concept that individuals and businesses that support the wise
stewardship of the land are welcome here, especially if they
utilize our land and natural resource base in ways that
meaningfully contribute to our economy. It also builds on the
Farm-to-Plate Strategic Plan, which has been adopted as our roadmap
for growing Vermont's food system and serves as an important guide
to deploying Working Lands Enterprise funding in the ag and food
sectors.
The genesis for this visionary effort comes straight from Joni
Mitchell: "Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what
you've got 'til it's gone..." In that context, Act 142 represents a
timely and potentially transformative commitment of state resources
toward a sector of Vermont's economy that shows great promise for
the future.
The Legislature showed a lot of courage last spring as it
crafted H.496, and the Administration pushed back hard, with good
reason. Money was (and continues to be) tight, and there are a lot
of competing priorities. Although the funding for this initiative
was not in the Governor's original F/Y 2013 budget, it became clear
as the discussion evolved that no one wanted to be in the position
of someday wondering why our farmers and loggers have
disappeared.
This is a pivotal time for the ag and forest product sectors in
Vermont, and the idea that those sectors could meaningfully drive
future economic development became too compelling to ignore, as the
potential ancillary benefits to our environment, our communities,
and our "brand" became clear.
To its credit, the administration recognized the value of this
effort and has whole-heartedly kicked off the implementation
process.
In the rollout, announcement in Middlebury on Nov. 29, Agency of
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Jolinda LaClair announced that the
WLEB is now ready to receive requests for proposals for grants in
three priority areas of investment: start-up or expanding
entrepreneurial enterprises; technical, research, or support
services for farm and forest product-related businesses; and
capital or infrastructural needs or improvements. Potential
applicants have been lining up in anticipation of leveraging
private and foundation (philanthropic) dollars with state money in
ways that will undoubtedly energize our economy. Rumor has it that
the WLEB is worried about the high number of applications they
might receive, but in this economic environment, that's a reason to
celebrate, not worry! Demand defines need, and design reveals
intent. Act 142 is meant to draw on, and support, the best of
Vermont.
All that said, this is not the time to pat ourselves on the back
and declare, "Job well done!" Rather, it is time to up the ante and
sustain the initiative by infusing additional capital into the
Working Lands Enterprise Fund in the Governor's budget so that the
economic stimulus germinated by the Working Lands initiative can
actually take root and grow.
I'd like to invite the Governor to consider a legacy that
includes the same sort of courage he has shown around health care.
This legacy will be achieved through economic activity by
continuing his investment in Vermonters whose work contributes to
the iconic landscape and environmental benefits that set this state
apart from all others. Including Vermont's Working Landscape as a
budgetary and legislative priority will have a positive multiplier
effect on social and economic conditions, and will one day be
looked back upon as a truly wise and bold investment in our
future.
For more information on the Working Lands Fund (including how to
apply), visit www.vermontworkinglands.com.
Will Stevens is an organic market gardener and Independent state
representative from Shoreham.
