Agency of Agriculture discontinues “Vermont Seal of Quality” program

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture announced this week that it will discontinue its Vermont Seal of Quality program. Agriview, a newsletter published by the Agency of Agriculture, stated that since the 1990s, budget and staffing issues at the Agency have resulted in a lack of quality standards enforced on products which bear the seal. Launched in 1982, the program originally had 14 distinct product categories with separate quality standards. According to Agriview, any Seal of Quality only has integrity with consumers if quality standards exist and are enforced.
According to a press release from the Secretary of State s office, all new applications to the program were denied starting January 1, and all references to the program have been removed from the department s Web site. The decision, which was announced on Monday, has drawn criticism from both Secretary of State Deb Markowitz and Lt Governor Brian Dubie.
Vermont's brand is a major asset," Markowitz said. Eliminating Vermont's Seal of Quality is a short-sighted move by the current administration and is anti-business. If the program needed to be fixed come up with a plan to fix it, but don't put small businesses at risk. Our own government has put the seal of disapproval front and center for an entire sector of our economy. Our value-added products must be part of our economic plan and I will make sure the governor's office is a soap box for marketing Vermont products. Brian Dubie should put aside politics and tell the governor this is a bad move."
Today, Lt Governor Dubie also released a statement which deemed the program too important to lose.
I disagree with the Douglas administration s decision to retire this important program. I will do everything in my power as Lt. Governor to protect our state s brand, Dubie said. The Vermont Seal of Quality Program s standards should be maintained, the program should be monitored, and the standards should be enforced.
This is just another example of broken-government in Vermont," Markowitz said. I turned around the Secretary of State's office and instituted a culture of service for our businesses. Vermont products and the Vermont brand are a top success story for our state. Our 28-year effort to boost Vermont-made products was a national model. But the funding for this program was cut for more than a decade. Squandering a real business opportunity for our maple industry, our dairy farms and other value-added products that support thousands of families and small business owners.
(Sources: Agriview, Office of the Secretary of State, Office of the Lieutenant Governor)