Center for Nutrition and Healthy Food Systems
- Type:
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Categories:
- Research, Policy, and Extension/Outreach Programs
- Keywords:
- General info
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The Center for Nutrition and Healthy Food Systems
At The University of Vermont Medical Center, we understand that nutrition and food systems are inextricably linked to the health of our patients and our community. This is reflected in our commitment to serving fresh, locally produced, minimally processed foods, and to partnering with farmers throughout the region to supply healthier food to patients, while boosting the local economy.
Thanks to the leadership of Vermont Senator Patrick J. Leahy and Congressman Peter Welch, we recently established the Center for Nutrition and Healthy Food Systems to educate other health care institutions about building a sustainable food service. Our goal is for the Center to be a national role model for healthy and sustainable food systems.
The Center serves as an educational and operational link between health care and our local and regional food system, and includes the following core functions:
- Serving as a core participant in the New England Leadership team for healthy food systems, which includes health care food service professionals who are working to improve the health of the regional food system
- Being a national model for on-site implementation of sustainable food - such as our sustainable seafood policy, rooftop garden and bee-keeping initiatives
- Providing an annual, science-based training program and curriculum for medical, dietetic and nursing professionals regarding food systems health and nutrition
- On-site implementation and research of food policy changes and initiatives
- Partnerships with local food producers
- Community based education and research, geared toward enhancing the general public's understanding of healthy food systems
Center for Nutrition and Healthy Food Systems
Sustainable Agriculture