Mike Pieciak

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?

My mother set an example for me growing up that nobody should worry about going hungry at the end of the day. She spent her life helping others, most notably by starting St. Brigid's kitchen in Brattleboro, which serves over 40,000 Vermonters a year who face food insecurity. I’ve led my career in public service, following in my mother’s footsteps, with the simple belief that the work of government is to safeguard the dignity of every Vermonter. At a basic level, that requires that everyone has a roof over their head, access to a doctor that they can afford, and enough food to eat and to feed their families. When some are failed by a system that’s broken, putting those essentials out of reach, we have a moral obligation to step in and lend a hand to our neighbors in need.

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

Food security is a policy choice and as Treasurer, I've worked to ensure Vermont can keep making the right one. The most urgent threat comes from Washington. Federal cuts slashed 3SquaresVT funding and put thousands at risk of losing benefits. My first priority is fully funding 3SquaresVT administration so it remains accessible to every eligible Vermonter.

I'll continue championing Universal School Meals and local food access programs like Crop Cash, Farm Share, and Vermonters Feeding Vermonters. These strategic investments feed people and strengthen Vermont farms.

Food security is inseparable from economic security. I've directed more than $125 million into affordable housing, fought to reduce prescription drugs costs and eliminate medical debt, and championed a Baby Bonds pilot to build lasting economic security for families most at risk of hunger. In my next term, I’ll keep fighting the root causes of hunger so everyone in Vermont has the food they need.

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

I agree with HungerFreeVT’s analysis that hunger is not just a food scarcity problem. It’s a systemic problem having to do with the distribution of basic needs, and the high cost of essentials like healthcare and housing. Bringing these costs down is our best way to alleviate the pressure that families feel between choosing between refilling their essential medications or putting groceries on the table. These root causes are made worse by a federal government that has stripped food access for thousands with undue paperwork requirements and restrictions on SNAP purchases. I was proud to stand with the Food Security Coalition against efforts by the Trump administration and Governor Scott to institute a so-called “junk food ban” on SNAP recipients, and I was happy to help facilitate the state-funded contingency benefit to protect food access during last year’s government shutdown.

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?

Vermont's farms are critical to our economy, our landscape, and our identity – and as Treasurer, I've worked to ensure our farms have the resources they need to keep doing what they do best.

Our farms are threatened by climate change, and it is paramount that we do everything in our power to insulate our farmers from the worst effects. I've been proud to lead the state's effort to craft a Resilience Implementation Strategy, which lays out recommendations for maintaining our farms as this crisis continues.

I've also seen how consolidation harms our producers – when a single processor's decision can eliminate jobs and strand family farms overnight. I'll use the Treasurer's voice and our investment power to champion local processing capacity, fair markets, and farm viability.

Vermont farms feed us. Investing in them helps ensure they always will.