Green Mountain College
( Poultney VT 5764 )
Contact Name:
Philip Ackerman-Leist
Contact Title:
Director of Farm and Food Project & Professor
Telephone:
(802) 287-8254
E-Mail:
ackermanleistp@greenmtn.edu
Program Web Site:
http://www.greenmtn.edu/farm_food/
Who was most responsible for initiating your farm-to-college program?

University administrator(s)

Student(s)

Faculty/Staff
In what year did the program begin?

Other, please specify:
Are students actively involved in maintaining the program?

yes
How are the students involved in the program?

Researching costs/benefits of local purchasing

Researching availability of local products

Promotional/educational outreach

Other research

Menu/event planning

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Food preparation

Culinary classes to use food products

Coordinating purchase/delivery of products
In what ways, if any, would you like students to be involved in the program?

Coordinating purchase/delivery of products

Culinary classes to use food products

Food preparation

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Menu/event planning

Other research

Promotional/educational outreach

Researching availability of local products

Researching costs/benefits of local purchasing
What role, if any, have cooperative extension agents or other agency/agricultural professionals played in the farm-to-college program?

Facilitator for certain program components

Resource/contact person

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)
What role, if any, would be useful for cooperative extension agents or other agency/agricultural professionals to play in the farm-to-college program?

Facilitator for certain program components

Resource/contact person

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)
Who runs/is primarily responsible for the farm-to-college program? (please choose primary person/group in charge)

Other, please specify:
Where do the majority of your locally purchased farm products come from?

Region-wide (e.g., Midwest, Pacific Northwest)
What are the primary local farm products you purchase? (please list top 3-5 items)

Other, please specify:
Are any of these local food products organically grown?

yes

yes
Approximately how much, in dollars, does dining/food services spend annually on local farm products?

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify:
What is the approximate total number of individual farmers you purchase products from during an entire calendar year?

More than 20 farmers

More than 20 farmers
Who/where are local products purchased from?

Broker(s)

Campus/student farm or garden

Distributor(s)

Individual farmer(s)
If you work with a farmer-managed cooperative, other farmer network, or distributor that carries local farm products, please write in as much of the the following information as possible - Name, Complete mailing address, Phone, Email, Website.

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify:
Are local food products used in...

Catering

Regular menus

Special events
Was external funding or other resources (grants, equipment, etc.) used to...

Start the program
If you have received external funding or other resources for the program, what is/was your source?

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify:
Have any of the following individuals or groups been directly involved in development, coordination, education or promotion related to the farm-to-college program?

Campus sustainability center(s)

Faculty member(s)

Farmer association(s)

Food service management company

Student environmental organization(s)

University department(s)
Is there a local farmer's organization (i.e., a cooperative) involved in your program that was in place prior to the program's start?

Other, please specify:
Have you used any of the following to promote the program or enhance its educational value?

Class research

Farm tours

Information in dining locations about the program

Press releases

Speakers/demonstrations

Special events (eg., local foods dinner)

Web site
What, if any, other environmental initiatives on your campus are connected with the farm-to-college program?

Canning projects

College/student farm

Composting program

Fair trade projects

Farmer's market

Nutrition education

Recycling program

Sustainable agriculture research and curriculum projects
Are there any bidding requirements for purchasing local food?

no

no
Do local products cost more on average?

yes

yes
If yes, how do you manage the higher price?

Reduce costs elsewhere to make up the difference
What do you see as the most significant barriers to starting or sustaining farm-to-college programs?

Getting farmers approved through food service company

Coordinating purchase/delivery of products
What do you see as the most significant benefits from farm-to-college programs?

Higher quality food

Supporting local farmers, community and/or economy
Of the following policy issues, please choose up to two, if any, that you believe would provide the most significant support for farm-to-college programs:

Language written into food service contracts to support local food purchases

More leniency in bidding regulations
What strategies, if any, do you recommend for making farm-to-college programs work?

Build positive relationships among key players (such as dining/food services, farmers, faculty/staff, and students)

Incorporate 'buy local' requirements into food service contracts
What resources, research, or contacts, if any, were useful for starting or expanding your farm-to-college program?

Community Food Security Coalition

Farmtocollege.org Web site
What resources, materials or research are needed for better guidance and encouragement of farm-to-college projects?

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify:
Is dining/food services:

Contract-managed (please provide contractor name)

Contract-managed (please provide contractor name)
If the program is contract-managed, from which level(s) of the company are individuals involved in the program?

Local level
Total number of individual meals served daily in locations operated by dining/food services:

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify:
Does food services use a (please choose most appropriate answer):

Mixed plan

Mixed plan
What is dining/food services' approximate annual budget for food?

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify: