SOUTH ROYALTON, Vt. ––Vermont Law School announced last week that it has joined with higher education institutions in Vermont to form a consortium committed to food systems. Together with the University of Vermont, Sterling College, Green Mountain College, Vermont Technical College, and the Vermont College State System, the consortium will enable students to take classes at participating institutions and food, agriculture, and related subjects. Other learning opportunities, including internships, research, and joint degrees, will be explored in the near future by the consortium. Organized under the impetus of Vermont Higher Education Food Systems Council, the consortium is believed to be the first of its kind in the nation. Dean and President Marc Mihaly attended the signing ceremony in Montpelier, Vermont, along with Laurie Ristino, Associate Professor of Law and director of the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at Vermont Law. “Vermont has long been an agriculture leader and with food playing increasingly important part of our working landscape, we think it’s critical that higher education institutions join together to develop educational opportunities for students interested in the fast-growing part of the economy,” said President and Dean Mihaly. Member of the Consortium will share courses, internships, land-based learning experiences, faculty, and annual symposia across institutions. A coordinated marketing campaign will also be developed regarding the many educational opportunities available for studying food systems in Vermont. “Vermont’s higher education institutions have graduated generations of Vermont farmers, foresters and value-added entrepreneurs,” stated Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin. “Today they are taking an historic step of doing this work better together, with this collaboration offering students from across the country an unprecedented set of experiences in our working landscape. This will attract new youth to rural Vermont communities, spur innovation in the food and forest economies, and help all of us who are working to conserve Vermont’s working landscape in production for the long-term future.” “Vermont is at the forefront of food systems development now, pioneering both local and regional food systems as well as revitalizing the agricultural economy. We believe this effort will make Vermont the top educational destination for students who want to study this critical interdisciplinary subject,” said Professor Ristino.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 22:39:33 +0000
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