'More Than Milk' - Dairy Panel Discussion 9/16/16

PANEL DISCUSSION: MORE THAN MILK: DAIRY'S IMPACT IN SOUTHERN VERMONT

The dairy industry is changing rapidly.  Despite difficult times for dairy farmers, dairy still remains at the heart of the Vermont economy—accounting for some 70 percent of all agricultural sales, providing thousands of jobs, and contributing to a vital working landscape.

Facilitator:

·       Carolyn Partridge, Vermont State Representative

Panelists:

·       Peter Cole, Executive Director, Holstein Association USA

·       Ross Gibson, Commonwealth Dairy

·       Adam Grinold, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation

·       Rob Wheeler, Dairy farmer from Wilmington, VT

Special remarks by:

·       Peter Welch, U.S. Congressman representing Vermont

·       Diane Bothfeld, VT Deputy Secretary of Agriculture

·       Jenny Nelson, Agriculture Policy Advisor for Senator Bernie Sanders

·       Ted Brady, State Director for Vermont and New Hampshire, USDA Rural Development

·       Invited: Patrick Leahy, U.S. Senator representing Vermont

Hosted at the Vermont Agricultural Business Education Center on September 16, 2016.