As a way to ensure the continued establishment and improvement of such partnerships in Vermont, the Department of Agriculture and the New England Culinary Institute established the Vermont Fresh Network. Chefs showcase the farmers with photos in their restaurants and mentions on the menus. These chefs support agriculture. They understand the value of family farming and are committed to the landscape. Chefs are also celebrities who influence the consuming public.
Chefs help to emphasize the value of agriculture by serving locally grown ingredients.
They make the connection between the farmer and their customers real. Chefs are also the best advocates for the specialty cheese industry. They create the best ways to use the cheeses. VBC's success is built on a 13-year relationship with chefs. The Vermont Fresh Network is just another way to make that relationship more explicit.