Greg Cox, President of the Vermont Farmers Food Center (VFFC) Board of Directors, todayhosted a site visit and discussion with Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman. The Board was alsorepresented by Ryan Yoder, Vice President; Jody Condon, Treasurer; Kathleen Krevetski, Secretary; andJoshua MacDuff.
"I thoroughly enjoyed my site tour of the Vermont Farmers Food Center in Rutland. Farmer and BoardPresident, Greg Cox, and his team are on the cutting edge of developing market opportunities for localfarmers. Their facility is an outstanding example of an incubator for many innovative farm value-addedprojects. As a farmer, I can really appreciate how the Vermont Farmers Food Center is bringing local farmerstogether to find successful ventures to save and expand small Vermont farms and create new jobopportunities," said Lt. Governor Zuckerman.
Greg Cox thanked the Lt. Governor for his interest and making the time to discuss its current and futurepotential for increasing agriculture-based economic development at VFFC’s 2.93 acre Agriculture Center in
the heart of downtown Rutland.Greg Cox added, on behalf of VFFC’s Board of Directors, “VFFC’s an excellent example of how lost industrialjobs can be backfilled by agriculture. The repurposing of Lincoln Iron Works, a former industrial giant, into an
agricultural center combining the infrastructure and efficiencies necessary to grow food sector jobs, illustrateshow an entrepreneurial non profit organization can, not only aide in education and food access, but
strengthen the local food economy.”
The Lt. Governor’s visit, follows site visits by U.S. Representative Peter Welch; Governor Phil Scott, joined byRutland Mayor David Allaire, as well as Rutland County Senate and House members; and the Senate
Committee on Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs with the Senate Committee onAgriculture.
Vermont Farmers Food Center (VFFC) began as a grassroots, volunteer-led project and is spearheading the rebuilding ofinfrastructure necessary for agriculture to serve as a regional economic engine through the development of 2.93 acres ofindustrially zoned land with four existing buildings in the heart of Downtown Rutland. VFFC increases access andavailability of locally produced food in the Rutland Region by expanding markets and market access, aggregation, anddistribution of locally produced and value added agricultural products. VFFC is the initiative of the Vermont FarmersMarket Education Center, Inc., a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization founded in Rutland, Vermont, in 2012.