Tom Harty

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?

The role of the state is to help in any way it can to alleviate hunger in Vermont. The ways that this can be accomplished are many and varied but include State and Federal programs, charity program. Universal school lunch, supporting [Meals on Wheels], senior meal programs, coordination, program collaboration, information sharing and program aggregation and supplementation, and being open to programs like gleaning, second harvest and others. No person should be hungry in Vermont!

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

See above! Again, anything that works! And… we must not fear experimental or pilot programs including guaranteed income etc. no one should be hungry in Vermont!

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

The causes for hunger are as varied as the hungry. We need to learn to divorce causation from shame/blame etc. and just feed the hungry! Let’s use the best ideas we can and keep trying! Innovate, propagate, disseminate!

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?

As Deputy Sec. of Agriculture in the Dean administration, I introduced many of the programs still existent snd provided start-up funding for programs that had promise and some that just ‘felt’ right. We need to be bold and forward looking as well as understanding the vital link in the chain that our working landscape provides. I’d like to see privately owned ( non farm) lands get tax reductions ( like current use type programs) in exchange for allowing and supporting food production.