Mike Rice

Mike Rice was born in New York, and has lived in Dorset, Vermont. Rice earned a B.A. in English with an interdisciplinary minor in environmental policy from the State University of New York at Albany in 2012 and a master’s degree with distinction in food and agriculture law and policy from Vermont Law and Graduate School in 2020. His career experience includes working in operations for a dairy farm and creamery. He also worked with the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) on regional policy and funding solutions.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I first moved to Vermont with my partner, Sean, in 2017 to work as an apprentice on a farm. I helped with the harvest, learned to make value-added products to support the farm’s viability, and witnessed Vermonters coming together to steward the land and help feed their neighbors. That’s when I fell in love with Vermont.

It’s also when I started to learn that choosing to stay here can be hard to do. I’ve done it, and I know so many others have done it, because here we’ve found a community we love: one worth fighting for.

I earned my policy master’s degree from Vermont Law School. I’ve managed operations for a small local farm, led development and advocacy efforts with the Northeast Organic Farming Association, worked to raise funds for local institutions that serve our community, and organized for more resilient food systems and rural economies with national non-profit organizations.

Four years ago, I took a leap and ran for office because I know firsthand how hard it can be to make a life here, whether your Vermont roots go back generations, or you got here more recently. We’re all aware of the challenges: finding meaningful work that pays what you need to get by, affording a house to call home, accessing healthcare providers when you need them, and the list goes on.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I have a basic core belief: our government should help make our lives better. It should help make life more affordable and give us all a fair shake when it comes to accessing and affording housing, healthcare, energy, childcare, and education.

But right now, life here is still too expensive for too many of us, and with the federal government doing more harm than good, state and local solutions are more important than ever. Our community deserves a state representative who leads with values, shows up with solutions, works hard to make progress, and communicates directly and effectively with constituents.I was honored when this community put its trust in me to serve as State Representative four years ago. And when I got to Montpelier, I fought for this community:

- Rising above dogma and politics to stand up for our region’s unique and effective education system and the schools that we know serve our kids and families so well.

- Passing landmark childcare legislation that stabilized our state’s system and provides access to quality, affordable childcare for thousands of Vermont families who couldn’t find it or afford it before.

- Prioritizing real solutions to our housing crisis, including both significant investment to build the housing we need and regulatory reform that makes it easier to build it in the right places.

(cont. below)- Eliminating prior authorization requirements that put insurance companies over people, reducing costs and burdens on providers and increasing access to crucial care.

- Creating new programs that support our small farms, help build our rural economy, and ensure sound stewardship of our rural lands. Protecting those lands and our health by restricting the use of toxic pesticides.

- Making universal school meals permanent so that no kid goes hungry in Vermont while they’re trying to learn.

- Helping our towns, homes, and businesses mitigate and adapt to the dangers of climate change, and asking the world’s largest fossil fuel companies to pay their fair share when there is damage caused by floods and other climate-related disasters.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

rural community livability and affordability, housing, healthcare, education, climate and environment, agriculture and food systems

Mike Rice did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Mike Rice did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.