4th Annual Producer and Buyer Forum

Announcing the 4th Annual Producer and Buyer Forum

With Keynote Speaker Dan Horan of Five Acre Farms

 Discussing the Rewards and Risks of Growth 

MIDDLEBURY, VT – All growers, food producers, retail and institutional buyers and distributors are invited to attend the 2019 Producer and Buyer Forum. Hosted in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, Vermont Farm to Plate and ACORN, the Forum will take place on October 16 at Middlebury College’s Kirk Alumni Center. The Forum will include a Keynote by Dan Horan of “Positively Local” Five Acre Farms in N.Y. who will bring a comprehensive perspective on the rewards and risks of growing your business.  Having attended two of the three past Forums, Dan recognizes the unique opportunities this business to business sharing forum provides to farmers and growers to learn from each other in an engaging format.

Dan has been creating and building food and farming businesses for 25 years. He founded Five Acre Farms to make high-quality, healthy food more broadly available and to keep farmers farming. Previously, Dan served for ten years as President & CEO of Papaya King, the New York-based restaurant company, and was a General Manager at Gourmet Garage, an independent supermarket in New York City. In 1990, Dan founded Waldingfield Farm, an organic vegetable farm in Washington, Connecticut. As the business grew, he recruited his two younger brothers to join him, and Waldingfield Farm continues to operate to this day. Dan graduated from Tufts University and earned an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

Following the keynote are round table discussions addressing the rewards and risks associated with food business growth, touching on issues of capitalization, distribution, and trucking to reach intended markets. There is a full two-hour lunch which will provide plenty of time for networking, another element that makes this event so unique.  These conversations are all centered around the theme: “Rewards & Risks of Growing Your Food Business.”

Some of our speaker highlights include:  

• Allie Dercoli of FinAllie will give insights on buying directly from local vegetable producers
• Heather Belcher of Sweet Clover Market will offer advice from a buyer and understanding business growth objectives
• Dominique Giroux from the VT Agency of Ag  helps buyers learn about food safety standards
• Seth MacCausland of Pumpkin Village Foods is a distributor who sells Vermont products to buyers in Brooklyn, NY
• Benjy Adler of Skinny Pancake will discuss their mission to purchase from local suppliers across all categories and to expand to the greater Northeast region

ACORN hosted the first Forum in March 2016 to bring together buyers and producers around topics of interest to increase distribution opportunities. The VAAFM and Farm to Plate support this year’s event with funding from a USDA grant. The Forum is a great opportunity to develop new relationships and stimulate new business. Jake Claro, Vermont Farm to Plate’s Director, says of the event, “The Producer Buyer Forum provides a unique opportunity to get insider intel on market trends and practices while creating space for forming and deepening business to business relationships, both of which are essential to successfully navigating the rewards and risks of growth.”

Join other businesses for engaging conversations on the state of local and regional markets and the rewards and risks associated with expansion. Space is very limited; all food categories, buyers and distributors are welcome. This event is #RootedinVermont. Register at acornvt.org

Questions: Contact Annie Harlow 802-922-7060

Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Time: 8:30AM – 2:30 PM. Registration opens at 8:30AM. A local foods lunch will be served.

Location: Middlebury College’s Kirk Alumni Center, 217 Golf Course Rd, Middlebury

Cost: Early registration $30 (includes coffee, light refreshments and a local foods lunch).

Price increases Oct 13

Please purchase your ticket at http://www.acornvt.org