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Dear Fellow Vermonter,
If you headed to the U.S. Senate’s Kennedy Caucus Room last Thursday, you would have seen a wonderful sight – not always the case in Washington these days. In that large room were more than 30 Vermont small businesses from across our state, proudly showcasing their Vermont-made foods, beverages, and agricultural products to hundreds of attendees. Not to mention a great musical performance by the Burlington-based band, Mal Maïz.
These Vermont small businesses had come to the Capitol for the 16th Annual Taste of Vermont hosted by Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR). This event continued a tradition begun by Senator Leahy and the Lake Champlain Chamber. The goal is to provide an opportunity for local Vermont businesses to display their products in Washington, D.C., as well as discuss issues they care about with lawmakers.
Earlier in the day, I held a roundtable with Senator Welch and Representative Balint's office and met with many of the local Vermont businesses participating in Taste of Vermont to discuss the challenges they are facing, especially after the devastating floods this summer. In addition to flood response and recovery efforts, business owners and representatives also discussed their struggles to recruit employees, the high cost of health care, the repercussion of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of climate change, the need for greater support from Congress, and much more.
The truth is, and I think we can all agree, these are difficult times. And our farmers, small businesses, and communities have certainly not been immune to the challenges facing our society as a whole.
I must say, however, that I was encouraged and inspired by the incredible dedication and work ethic I saw from our Vermont small businesses, both at the roundtable and Taste of Vermont. To my mind, that really is our Vermont tradition. It is hard work. It is resistance and resilience. It is trying to do the best we can do for our towns and for our communities. And in these difficult times it gives me hope for the future of our state.
I want to give a huge thank you to VBSR for hosting the event, but also for championing the idea that businesses can be about more than making money. They can also care about the environment, how workers are treated, and how we treat each other. I also want to thank every single local Vermont business in attendance and across our state, for all their work and for all that they contribute to our communities.
Sincerely,
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