Vermont Farm Show leaders report broad stakeholder review as board weighs whether to revive event

Teresa Snow, president of the Vermont Farm Show board, told the Legislature’s Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry Committee that the board completed a statewide stakeholder engagement process and is preparing recommendations for the full board on whether and how the Farm Show should continue.

The Farm Show board officers completed “16 virtual focus groups, five in-person gatherings and an online survey” that together included about 300 participants, Snow said. The outreach was intended to answer whether Vermont wants a Farm Show, what form it should take and what organizational structure would make it financially viable.

The Nut Graf: The Farm Show—first held in the 1930s and last staged in January 2020—has historically been funded by exhibitor fees and small state fair grants, and is incorporated as a nonprofit that cannot currently offer tax deductions for donations. That financial and governance backdrop, Snow said, prompted the board to test public and industry interest and to consider changing its corporate status, membership models, or charging admission as ways to sustain a revived event.

Snow summarized the organization’s history and recent work: the show began as a producer association meeting and trade show in Burlington, later moved to the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex, and historically received staff support from the Agency of Agriculture and assistance from UVM Extension. “The Vermont Farm Show has no staff and has never had staff,” Snow said, noting the board contracted a show manager starting about 15 years ago after agency staff support ended.

Snow told committee members the Farm Show receives no regular state funding; one small recurring grant was a Vermont state fairs grant that provided approximately $2,500 annually if the event met conditions such as being three days long and including product competitions. Snow said the last show was in January 2020 and that a contracted manager at the time announced they would stop coordinating the event; the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting exhibitor practices also contributed to the hiatus.

Stakeholder findings emphasized several recurring themes: (1) broad support for the Farm Show in concept, (2) a desire for stronger educational and hands-on elements to serve both farmers and the public, (3) interest in youth programming and making the event more accessible to smaller-scale producers, and (4) questions about timing, location and financial model. Snow said ideas raised included returning to a midwinter time frame, rotating locations, adding a Saturday or youth day, more local-food features and more experiential programming such as demonstrations and workshops.

Board and governance issues were a common thread. Snow said the board currently has 10 members, mostly association representatives, and two ex officio seats (UVM and the Agency of Agriculture, represented by a designee). The board voted at its May 2024 annual meeting to pursue the alternative actions Snow described—specifically, hiring contractors to run stakeholder engagement and an organizational assessment—and the executive committee was authorized to secure that contracted expertise.

Financial and logistical barriers were raised frequently in committee discussion. Snow said a standard exhibit space (10-by-10) was about $400 and that the venue costs alone run “just over $50,000.” She and other speakers noted that large equipment transport and staff costs make exhibiting costly for major equipment dealers, and that many national exhibitors now concentrate on larger regional shows. Snow also said the Farm Show’s corporate status prevents issuing tax-deduction receipts for donations, limiting fundraising.

Committee members and others who spoke offered history and support. Representative Nelson described the Farm Show as “a staple of my life” and urged support for revival. Dave Martin, identified by Snow as the Farm Show board treasurer and an Underhill farmer, echoed the view that public education about small-scale agriculture is central to future success. Several lawmakers suggested greater outreach to youth organizations such as 4-H and to statewide partners, and at least one committee member suggested exploring smaller or different-format events that could reconnect audiences.

Snow said the board officers will present findings and contractor recommendations to the full Farm Show board at its annual meeting in May; the full board will decide whether the organization continues and, if so, what a future event or services should look like. Snow said the board is using retained assets to pay contractors and that a return show in 2026 is not assured, because changing corporate status or hiring staff would take time and money.

Votes at a glance: The transcript records a prior internal action by the Vermont Farm Show board (May 2024) to approve stakeholder engagement and contracting to assess the organization’s future. That internal board vote was recorded by Snow but no mover/second or roll-call tally was provided to the committee.

The board’s next formal step disclosed to the committee is a presentation to the full board at its annual meeting in May, where a decision on continuation and the shape of any future event will be made.