A Closing 2025 Statement from Graham
As the sun drifts to its furthest south on the horizon and the light grows short and long at once, we look to what has come this past year, and what is coming ahead. For Rural VT, we are thinking of the gifts provided by those who have made this work possible over time, of the work and love and dedication of the farms and communities we are here to support, and we are moving into the new year with a new Course of Action, and an understanding that we must be strong in our commitments, generous with our solidarity, and agile and aware in the moment in order to shift our capacity and focus based on our communities’ emergent needs and goals. We look to our members, our local communities, our allied organizations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, and we are guided by the constellation of our mission, vision, and the principles and values we embrace.
The new year will see a host of new and ongoing legislative efforts, events on farms and in communities celebrating and listening to people’s voices and ideas. There will be on farm workshops, work brigades, citizen advocacy trainings and opportunities to testify at the statehouse. You will hear from us on issues ranging from healthcare and childcare, to on-farm slaughter and poultry processing, to equitable cannabis regulations, to extreme weather recovery funding for farmers, to municipal regulation of agriculture, farmworker rights, civil rights, human rights, and support for the boycott divestment sanctions movement in solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle for self determination and food sovereignty. We will be organizing, educating, and activating locally, nationally, and internationally.
We want to hear from you - on the issues we are and aren’t working on. When we hear from the grassroots community, we know better how to be there for you as Rural Vermont and the values we are committed to. Tell us what you are concerned about, what your ideas for a better future are, what you are working on, what is happening on your farm and in your community, and together we can chart a path forward.