Emily Wheeler Reynolds

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?

I believe a key role of state government is ensuring that every Vermonter has the necessary foundation for a successful future and that means access to healthy food.

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

I will support policies that prioritize feeding kids, that strengthen access to local foods and that support our local agro-economy.

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

Hunger is an economic crisis rooted in systemic poverty and racism. The root causes of hunger are low wages and high cost of living, a housing crisis, high healthcare costs, lack of affordable childcare, rural isolation, historical inequities and racial discrimination, climate disasters, underfunded public schools. State government should be working to uplift every Vermonter by making strategic investments in people and programs to improve the quality of life for all Vermonters. For me this means lowering costs, reducing barriers to homeownership and strengthening access to healthcare through programs like Universal Primary Care.

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 believe the way to strengthen our agriculture and food economy is to ensure that we keep Vermont dollars in Vermont through community wealth building. For our farmers that might look like collaborative land ownership which help decrease the risk and debt farmers can face, deepen the economic relationship between local consumer and farmers through community supported agriculture and supporting institutional purchasing so that large employers like hospitals and schools, are directing their food budget to local farmers.