Pam McCarthy
Democratic Candidate for Vermont House of Representatives in the Franklin-2 District
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 a former AHS Field Director, I believe strongly that state government needs to work with federal and local goverment, nonprofits, businesses, and community members to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food. This is a building block of health and well-being, for people and the economy.
What would be your policy priorities to move Vermont toward food security for all?
I strongly support Universal School Meals (breakfast/lunch/weekend and summer food supports), Meals on Wheels efforts, Healthy Roots-type gleaning programs, Vermonters Feeding Vermonters, creative thinking around enhanced local food production, food waste reduction/redistribution, etc. We need to be prepared for the impacts of poor Federal choices and environmental changes that threaten food production and distribution. Building upon existing Vermont networks will be important, going forward.
What do you believe are the root causes of hunger, and what should the state do to address those underlying factors?
Lack of resources. Poverty and high costs of living in our state mean very difficult choices for many Vermonters, esp. those with little-to-no or fixed incomes that are stretched beyond reason in our current reality. The state needs to find ways to reduce our highest-in-the-nation healthcare costs and promote universal primary care, of which nutition and food security are a natural part. We need to support food producers and community-based programs that ensure access to food for people in need, esp. children and elders.
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?
Our farmers and food producers are an integral part of the Vermont economy. We need to make sure that these folks can afford to grow, harvest, and market their products in our state, and outside its boundaries. We are facing increasingly incomprehensible pressures from poor policy and economic choices at the Federal level. If elected, I would want to work with farmers and food producers to figure out how best to support and stabilize their businesses and create a vibrant Vermont economy that works for everyone.