January 28, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 18 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Page S634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ORLY MUNZING

 Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of 
Orly Munzing, an extraordinary Vermonter and longtime advocate for 
family farms and resilient communities.
  Orly founded Strolling of the Heifers in 2002 in Brattleboro, VT, to 
help bring awareness to the plight of small dairy farms. During Orly's 
tenure as executive director of Strolling of the Heifers, she 
transformed a small town parade into a widely renowned event 
celebrating sustainable agriculture and family farms. I am proud to 
have marched in many of these parades over the last 17 years to 
celebrate our farms and our communities in Vermont and around the 
country. Under Orly's leadership, Strolling of the Heifers has 
continued to expand, now including the farm-to-table culinary 
apprenticeship program to provide underserved community members with 
the vital skills necessary for obtaining good quality jobs in the food 
sector.
  In addition to Strolling of the Heifers, Orly founded the nationally 
recognized Locavore Index, the first tool to measure the growth of the 
local food movement. She also created Windham Grows, a program to 
provide valuable skills and resources to farm and food entrepreneurs. 
Just this past year, Orly received the Innovation & Spirit Award from 
the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility as recognition of this 
work.
  Prior to all these important accomplishments, Orly worked for 24 
years as a learning specialist in the public school system and 
consulted with teachers on cutting-edge educational techniques. For 
decades, she has been a truly tireless champion who has made 
significant strides to create more healthy and prosperous rural 
communities. At a time of increased recognition of the profound impact 
agriculture and food have on the vibrancy of rural lands, our health, 
and the health of the planet, it is heartening to know that dedicated, 
passionate people like Orly are making a real difference in our 
communities.
  Mr. President, I am not only enormously grateful for all of Orly's 
many contributions over the years, but I am also proud to call her a 
good friend. I wish her all the best in her retirement and know she 
will continue to fight for more environmentally sound and fundamentally 
just communities.

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