Membership

In Vermont, all roads start at the farm. Locally grown and raised products are central to much of Vermont’s culinary scene, and on-farm adventures are quintessential Vermont experiences. Whether you want to expand your partnerships with local restaurants, connect directly with more people in your community, welcome visitors to your farm, or all of the above, VFN has resources and programs to support you.

Benefits include:

• Marketing -  Members can use the VFN logo for brand recognition, and have the opportunity to get featured in media, in VFN’s own collaborative marketing campaigns, and on platforms like DigInVT to promote Vermont food tourism and local food.
• Professional Development - Members receive the monthly Fresh Insider e-newsletter, access to webinars and our library of resources, opportunities to participate in special projects, and discounts for conferences to enhance business skills.
• Networking - Members receive discounted or complimentary admission to VFN events, including regional networking events, the Annual Forum Dinner every summer, and our Annual Meeting every winter. Members can use the business-to-business directory to connect directly with other VFN members and find new markets for their products.

Criteria:

Farm members may qualify through local partnerships, or through agritourism offerings.

Farms that focus on local partnerships must have at least one* Vermont restaurant or distributor who you sell to on a regular basis.

*If you do not currently have any culinary or distributor partners, that’s ok! You can still join VFN, with the intent of building more local partnerships. You will need to have at least one local partner when you renew.

Farms that focus on agritourism offerings must:

• Be a working farm* with produce, animal products, or other agricultural goods grown and raised onsite
• Provide a safe and welcoming environment for visitors
• Be open and set up for visitors year round or seasonally, with visiting times clearly communicated
• Comply with all applicable regulations, including short-term rental permitting and regulations for commercial sale of products

*We adhere to the USDA farm definition, which means you must produce and sell at least $1,000 of agricultural products in a given year.

Join VFN as a Farm member here.

Vermont’s chefs and restaurants work their magic to bring Vermont's food and drink to the table. Our culinary members are restaurants, hospitals, school and business cafeterias, food trucks, senior residential homes, college dining halls, and more! Whether you’re a restaurant, institution, non-profit kitchen, bed & breakfast, school cafeteria, catering business, or food truck, VFN can help you connect with farm and producer partners, and drive new quests to your culinary establishment.

Benefits include:

• Marketing - Get the iconic VFN sign for your restaurant/location, plus a window sticker for every year you’re a member. Members have the opportunity to get featured in media, in VFN’s own collaborative marketing campaigns, and on platforms like DigInVT to promote Vermont food tourism and local food. Plus, culinary members have the opportunity to apply annually for the Gold Barn distinction, which recognizes our members who take extra steps to prioritize working with local farm and producer partners.
• Professional Development - Members receive the monthly Fresh Insider e-newsletter, access to webinars and our library of resources, opportunities to participate in special projects, and discounts for conferences to enhance business skills.
• Networking - Members receive discounted or complimentary admission to VFN events, including regional networking events, the Annual Forum Dinner every summer, and our Annual Meeting every winter. Members can also use the business-to-business directory to connect directly with other VFN members to find new products.

Criteria:

Culinary members must:

• Have at least 4 local farm or producer partners you regularly purchase from*
• Incorporate local ingredients from at least 3 of the 6 USDA Food Groups

*If you do not currently have any local farm or producer partners and/or you’re a newly opening restaurant, you can still join VFN, with the intent of building local partnerships! You will need to meet the qualifications of membership when you renew.

Join VFN as a Culinary member here.

Food & beverage producers take the harvest of the land and turn it into something new! Whether you brew, ferment, pickle, preserve, bake, distill, or some other type of craft, your artisanal approach to Vermont-grown ingredients is an essential component of the food system. VFN can help you source farm-fresh ingredients for your products, and help you connect with buyers and distributors to share your products throughout our state.

Benefits include:

• Marketing -  Members can use the VFN logo for brand recognition, and have the opportunity to get featured in media, in VFN’s own collaborative marketing campaigns, and on platforms like DigInVT to promote Vermont food tourism and local food.
• Professional Development - Members receive the monthly Fresh Insider e-newsletter, access to webinars and our library of resources, opportunities to participate in special projects, and discounts for conferences to enhance business skills.
• Networking - Members receive discounted or complimentary admission to VFN events, including regional networking events, the Annual Forum Dinner every summer, and our Annual Meeting every winter. Members can also use the business-to-business directory to connect directly with other VFN members to source ingredients and find new markets for their products.

Criteria:

Producer members must:

• Have at least 4 local farm or producer partners you regularly purchase from*
• OR use more than 50% local ingredients in your finished products (excluding water)

*If you do not currently have any local farm or producer partners and/or you’re a newly opening business, you can still join VFN with the intent of building local partnerships! You will need to meet the qualifications of membership when you renew.

Join VFN as a Producer member here.

Our food hubs, markets, co-ops, grocery stores, and distributors are essential to connecting farmers, producers, culinary professionals, and consumers around the state. 

Benefits include:

• Marketing -  Members can use the VFN logo for brand recognition, and have the opportunity to get featured in media, in VFN’s own collaborative marketing campaigns, and on platforms like DigInVT to promote Vermont food tourism and local food.
• Professional Development - Members receive the monthly Fresh Insider e-newsletter, access to webinars and our library of resources, opportunities to participate in special projects, and discounts for conferences to enhance business skills.
• Networking - Members receive discounted or complimentary admission to VFN events, including regional networking events, the Annual Forum Dinner every summer, and our Annual Meeting every winter. Members can also use the business-to-business directory to connect directly with other VFN members to find new products.

Criteria:

Market & Distributor members must:

• Have purchasing agreements with at least 4 local farms or producers*

*If you do not currently have any local farm or producer partners and/or you’re a newly opening business, you can still join VFN with the intent of building local partnerships! You will need to meet the qualifications of membership when you renew.

Join VFN as a Market & Distributor member here.