Christopher Haessly

What do you believe is the role of state government, if any, in ensuring that everyone living in Vermont has the food they need to thrive?

State government has a clear role: making sure no Vermonter goes hungry, and making the programs that prevent hunger simple to use. Food is a basic need, and the state is best positioned to provide a reliable floor through programs like 3SquaresVT and school meals, while drawing down every available federal dollar.

But the state's role goes beyond emergency help. When rent, heat, and healthcare eat up a paycheck, groceries are often the first thing cut. That's why my campaign is built around a Vermont we can ALL afford to call home: affordable housing, livable wages, and property tax relief for seniors on fixed incomes. Making sure everyone has the food they need to thrive means addressing what families can afford, not just what's available on the shelf.

What would be your policy priorities to move Vermont toward food security for all?

First, protect Universal School Meals. As a seven-year Ward 2 School Commissioner, I know how much learning depends on a full stomach, and I stood with the food service workers who feed our students every day. No child should go hungry at school, and no family should need paperwork to prove it.

Second, protect the safety net as federal changes shift more costs to the states, so programs like 3SquaresVT stay reliable and easy to access.

Third, support programs like Crop Cash and Farm Share that connect lower-income families with fresh, local food while putting money in the pockets of Vermont farmers.

Finally, keep working on the affordability priorities at the heart of my campaign — housing, livable wages, and senior property tax relief — because food security starts with a household budget that adds up.

What do you believe are the root causes of hunger, and what should the state do to address those underlying factors?

Hunger is mainly an affordability problem. When incomes don't keep pace with rent, heat, healthcare, and transportation, the grocery budget is what gives. After 25 years as a Burlington renter, I know how quickly a rent increase can squeeze everything else.

The state should address these root causes directly: build more homes people can afford on a working wage and protect renters from displacement; work toward wages where a full-time job covers rent and groceries; and target property tax relief to seniors on fixed incomes, so no one has to choose between staying in their home and eating well.

Other factors matter too. Untreated mental health conditions and substance use disorder can destabilize a household, so I'll fight for more treatment beds, with access not tied to insurance. And reliable public transit matters for families without a car who need to reach a full-service grocery store.

How would you help strengthen the state’s agriculture and food economy to ensure Vermont farms can continue to grow the food we all need?

I'll be honest: I'm a downtown renter, not a farmer, so I'll start by listening to Vermont's farmers and to partners like the Vermont Food Security Coalition. But several of my priorities connect directly to the challenges you describe.

Housing is a farm issue. Farms struggle to find and keep workers when there's nowhere affordable to live, so I'll support farmworker housing as part of a broader push to build more homes across Vermont.

Markets matter, too. When schools, hospitals, and state institutions buy local, farms gain steady customers and Vermonters get fresher food. I'll support strengthening farm-to-school and farm-to-institution purchasing, building on what Universal School Meals already makes possible.

Finally, I'll support efforts to keep farmland affordable and in agriculture, so the next generation of Vermont farmers can get started.