“Across the Fence” Multi-Media Journalist Ben Willis (left) and Senior Producer Keith Silva (right) during an on-location shoot for the program.
By Ed Neuert, UVM
For over 20 years, outstanding farmers, producers, and other individuals involved in Vermont’s working landscape have been honored with induction into the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame. This year, for the first time, a new member of the Hall of Fame will be not a person, but a thing: the long running television show “Across the Fence.”
“Across the Fence” is a 15-minute program broadcast every weekday on WCAX, Channel 3 during the noon hour. Co-produced by UVM Extension and WCAX, the program is the only one of its kind in the United States. In February of this year, it celebrated its record-breaking 70th year on the air. The program informs viewers about the wide range of work that University of Vermont faculty, staff, and students pursue that addresses current issues and needs of Vermont and the wider region.
Since its inception in 2003, the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame has recognized over 100 individuals. The selection of “Across the Fence” marks the first time an entity other than an individual person has been honored.
“Induction into the Vermont Agriculture Hall of Fame is a testament to the dedication and passion of all those involved in the production.” –UVM Associate Dean and Extension Director Roy Beckford
“’Across the Fence’ has been connecting viewers with agriculture each weekday,” says the Hall of Fame citation. “[Its] stories, information and interviews shaped how agriculture is viewed and appreciated in Vermont. ‘Across the Fence’ has stayed relevant throughout the years by connecting Vermonters to things Vermonter’s care about, making it uniquely successful in the Green Mountain State over the last seven decades.”
“Induction into the Vermont Agriculture Hall of Fame is a testament to the dedication and passion of all those involved in the production of ‘Across the Fence,’” said Roy Beckford, associate dean and director of UVM Extension. “This singular recognition, marking the first time an entity rather than an individual has been honored, compellingly underscores the immense value of ‘Across the Fence’ to our state’s agricultural narrative.”
“Across the Fence” is produced by a tight-knit three-person team led by Senior Producer Keith Silva. He’s joined by Multi-Media Journalist Ben Willis and Associate Producer and Host Amy Finley.
For Silva, who’s been part of the production staff for 30 years, the program “is all about connecting people with their friends and neighbors. It’s about the fulfillment of our land-grant mission and using the resources of the university to help Vermonters, to educate them, and to do the work of Extension.”
The official induction of “Across the Fence” to the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame takes place August 27 at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction.
“Across the Fence” episodes can also be watched on the program’s YouTube channel.
About UVM: For People and Planet
Founded in 1791, UVM is the leading public university where discovery, creativity, community, and action coalesce to secure a thriving future for people and planet. Recognized among the nation’s top R1 research institutions, Vermont’s land-grant university attracts $260 million annually for groundbreaking research and enrolls approximately 14,000 students from 50 states and 75 countries. At UVM, students, faculty, and staff work together in pursuit of a healthier, greener future. Learn more at uvm.edu.
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