Burlington Farmer Tells Committee Vermonters Feeding Vermonters Program Boosts Food Access and Farm Stability

Hillary Martin, co‑owner of Diggers Mirth Collective Farm in Burlington, told the Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry committee that the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program provides steady markets for small farms while delivering culturally specific fresh produce to families in need.

Martin described the program’s mechanics: "The food bank contracts us to create weekly shares of vegetables from July through October. We are paid retail value for those shares, and then we’re given control entirely of what we grow and how to distribute the crops," she said. Under the arrangement, growers wash, pack and deliver shares to partner agencies, which then distribute them to recipients.

Martin said the program began as a pandemic response and has continued after initial grant support. She highlighted partners the Family Room and Feeding Champlain Valley, saying those organizations are "embedded in the community" and know how to get produce to people while handling cooling and food‑safety needs. "It's a total joy to be growing produce for these folks," Martin said.

Committee members praised the program’s fit for New American communities. One member said of Diggers Mirth’s work: "What Diggers Mirth contributes to the cultural and ethnic unique needs of new Americans is really heartwarming and critical," and noted that the work had positive connections with recruitment for the Vermont National Guard.

Martin told members she is already planning the farm’s 2026 season and is counting contracted deliveries when placing seed orders, underscoring that the program provides predictable demand for participating farms.

The committee was told earlier in the session that the Appropriations Committee had recommended and included funding for the program in the bill under consideration; presenters and members said staff would follow up with documentation and photos Martin submitted to the committee.