VCRD founded and is facilitating the Vermont Higher Education Food Systems Consortium. University of Vermont, Vermont State Colleges including Vermont Technical College, Sterling College, Green Mountain College, Vermont Law School, Middlebury College, and the New England Culinary Institute are all making agriculture, food systems and the working landscape key priorities. Today under this initiative they are designing new ways to collaborate, share students and resources and expand the elective opportunities for place-based food systems education where “Vermont is our classroom.”

As part of this effort, we are working with this team on the Vermont Food Systems Summer Study Tour and its outreach in Vermont Food and Farm Education. The website (vermontfoodeducation.org), keyed toward potential students, profiles the contributions of each school; together they provide academic programming and certificates in almost two dozen core areas of food systems study. With an emphasis on integration, practical learning, sustainability, service learning, and food education, this Higher Education Food Systems Consortium defines Vermont as the epicenter of community-based food systems education in this country, while inspiring a new global community of leaders to change the way we think about, cultivate, and leverage food systems. (Image to the right showcasing the Study Tour on Cabot Creamery butter boxes on store shelves across the country!)

Check out this great news story on the 2015 Vermont Food and Farm Education Summer Study Tour‬ that the VT Higher Education Food Systems Consortium put together with VCRD's facilitative assistance. http://www.wcax.com/story/29288672/course-allows-students-to-explore-vt-food-systems?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=11586104