Mark Yuengling

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?

As congressionally appropriated funds are diverted away from state agricultural projects, it becomes the responsibility state governments to tax in support of, and supply needed nutritional subsidies. The divisive national politics cannot feed Vermonters; it is up to us.

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

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

Misallocation of assets. Desperation and addiction. Housing insecurity and inaccessibility of food prep facilities leads to a dependence on over processed or convenience foods and poor nutrition. Supporting all efforts to expand public housing at rational prices leaves limited resources available for proper nutrition that hopefully finds its way into Vermont farmers pockets.

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?

One of my campaign slogans is Dairy farms not Data centers. Loss of farmland to big tech projects will cost jobs, environmental integrity, water access, food stores, and ability to generate income and taxes. There is a desperate need to transform our reliance on property taxes to fund education and other governmental services over to actual income based taxation. Rural working class Americans have always subsidized urban wealthy food production. Urban wealth should subsidize rural America with capital. Basic farming should be taught in schools to aid the workforce and larger society.