2021 Crossover Legislative Update

“Crossover” describes the deadlines by which policy bills and those with money involved have to pass one chamber in order to make it through the process in the same year. Here’s our summary about where Rural Vermont’s policy priorities stand in the process. We also included an overview of all testimonials and committee discussions as they are available on YouTube.
Good news: H.218 on increasing market access of raw milk, and S. 102 on regulating on-farm composting of food residuals as farming, made crossover! 

Raw Milk - H. 218 An act relating to the sale of unpasteurized raw milk

Status: passed the House
Current draft: as passed by the House
Process ups: With your help, we defeated a detrimental amendment that would have nullified any gains offered by this bill. Thank you! The amendment was soundly defeated and the bill passed by the House on a resounding voice vote. 
Process downs: The bill is now in the Senate Ag Cmte, where it again faces stiff opposition from the Department of Health, Veterinary Medical Association, and others. Do you live in Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Orleans, Rutland, or Washington counties? We need you to contact your Senator on this issue! All the details here. 
For more information on H.218, please contact mollie@ruralvermont.org 
Testimonials on H.218 in the House Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

  • Feb 17 - https://youtu.be/2196K3nFxqQ?t=3782 

    •  Rep. Heather Surprenant, Sponsor

  • Feb 23 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DToDHlJ35g 

    • Kylie Cook, Owner, Sunday Bell Farm; E.B. Flory, Dairy Section Chief, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Kent Henderson, Northwest Veterinary Associates, Vermont Veterinary Medical Association; Natalie Kwit, State Public Health Veterinarian, Department of Health; Rich Larson, Owner, Larson Farm and Creamery; Kelley McGill, Law Clerk, Office of Legislative Counsel; Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel; Mollie Wills, Rural Vermont; Elisabeth Wirsing, Senior Environmental Health Program Manager, Department of Health

  • March 9 - https://youtu.be/kBrUu0r5TIU?t=4276

    • Becky Allen, Food Animal Veterinarian, Addison County; Mollie Wills, Rural Vermont

  • March 10 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEE0rabBfks 

    • Roy Folsom, Elite Certified Farm Agent, Nationwide Agribusiness; Mollie Wills, Rural Vermont

  • March 11 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5qTs9rwglM

    • Committee discussion

  • March 12

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8PjU_Mje90
      James Donegan, Owner, Trillium Hill Farm; Rich Larson, Owner, Larson Farm and Creamery; Suzanne Long, Owner, Luna Bleu Farm; Mollie Wills, Rural Vermont

    • https://youtu.be/v6hALlR2xhI?t=1272
      Becky Allen, Addison County; E.B. Flory, Dairy Section Chief, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Rich Larson, Owner, Larson Farm and Creamery; Suzanne Long, Owner, Luna Bleu Farm; Mollie Wills, Rural Vermont

  • March 18 -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxVjfhkqI7s

    • Rep. John L. Bartholomew, former member, House Agriculture and Forestry Committee; E.B. Flory, Dairy Section Chief, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Kristin Haas, State Vet, Director, Food Safety, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel; Rep. Carl Rosenquist, House Committee On Human Services; Mollie Wills, Rural Vermont

  • March 19 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U8IlseBt8s 

    • Consideration of amendment - Rep. John L. Bartholomew, former member, House Agriculture and Forestry Committee; Steven Collier, General Counsel, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel; Rep. Carl Rosenquist, Amendment Sponsor, House Committee On Human Services; Mollie Wills, Rural Vermont

Compost - S.102 An act relating to the regulation of agricultural inputs for farming

Status: passed the Senate with amendment, referred to House Ag
Current draft: as passed by the Senate
Process ups:

  • In its third year in the State House our “chicken bill” finally moves with the support of the Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets as well as the Agency of Natural Resources. 

  • After discussion, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources refrained from putting a sunset into their amendment of the bill

  • Our champions from the Senate Ag Committee secured that municipalities will be able to expressly allow composting within the designated prohibited areas.

Process downs: 

  • The Senate Natural Resources and Energy committee amended the bill to prohibit the development of compost operations within a downtown, village center, new town center, neighborhood development area, or growth area - areas that make up 0.014% of Vermonts land mass altogether. 

  • Being in touch with legislators over complicated discourses virtually or in a quick exchange can be challenging and the Rural Vermont community is missing the opportunity to check-in at the State House cafeteria. 

For more information on S.102, please contact caroline@ruralvermont.org 
Testimonials on S. 102: Senate Committee on Agriculture (SAG), Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy (SNR), Senate Finance

  • SAG Jan 13 - https://youtu.be/9iWAPRNGN80?t=203

    • Kelley McGill, Law Clerk, Office of Legislative Counsel

  • SAG Jan 15 - https://youtu.be/rMmLqrxDiFg?t=6136

    • Cary Giguere, Policy Director, Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

  • SAG Jan 21 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61_YV3v9qz0

    • Kurt Ericksen, Vermont Compost Company; Cary Giguere, Policy Director, Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Caroline Gordon, Legislative Director, Rural Vermont; Karl Hammer, Owner, Vermont Compost Co.; Cathy Jamieson, Program Manager, WMPD Solid Waste Program, Department of Environmental Conservation; Maddie Kempner, Policy Director, NOFA VT; Peter Walke, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation

  • SAG Feb 10 - https://youtu.be/WJ0-lZ_6FdI?t=3563

    • Cary Giguere, Policy Director, Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Eamon Twohig, Program Manager, ResidualS MANAGEMENT & Emerging Contaminants Program, Department of Environmental Conservation

  • SAG Feb 16 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhnqR-8bpks

    • Caroline Gordon, Legislative Director, Rural Vermont; Cathy Jamieson, Program Manager, WMPD Solid Waste Program, Department of Environmental Conservation

  • SAG Feb 19 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnwWejETp60

    • Cary Giguere, Policy Director, Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Caroline Gordon, Legislative Director, Rural Vermont; Cathy Jamieson, Program Manager, WMPD Solid Waste Program, Department of Environmental Conservation; Kelley McGill, Law Clerk, Office of Legislative Counsel; Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

  • SAG Feb 23 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uVzpv2OhAQ

    • Cary Giguere, Policy Director, Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Caroline Gordon, Legislative Director, Rural Vermont; Cathy Jamieson, Program Manager, WMPD Solid Waste Program, Department of Environmental Conservation; Kelley McGill, Law Clerk, Office of Legislative Counsel; Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

  • SNR March 9 Bill Intro - https://youtu.be/joYmLQohrmQ?t=4980 

    • Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel; Sen. Christopher A. Pearson, Sponsor; Sen. Anthony Pollina, Sponsor

  • SNR March 10 - https://youtu.be/l3IsqOwGzgg?t=65 

    • Cathy Jamieson, Program Manager, WMPD Solid Waste Program, Department of Environmental Conservation; Steven La Rosa, Team Leader, Weston and Sampson

  • SNR March 12 - https://youtu.be/YrYtsnHunJ8

    • Committee Discussion: Cary Giguere, Policy Director, Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Peter Walke, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation

    • Continued Committee Discussion

  • SNR March 16 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiKWAMCopqk&t=5s 

    • Amendments to S. 102 on locations suitable for composting

    • Discussion and Possible Vote: Chris Cochran, Director of Community Planning & Revitalization, Department of Housing and Community Development; Cary Giguere, Policy Director, Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Caroline Gordon, Legislative Director, Rural Vermont; Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

  • Senate Finance March 17 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2IR_3gbC8g 

    • Review Finance-related Sections of the Bill: Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

  • SNR March 18 - https://youtu.be/DivVdxTJ_eg?t=3746 

    • Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

  • SAG March 19 - consideration of Amendment by Senate Natural Resources and Energy

  • SNR March 23 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N4O78X9hoQ 

    • Revised Amendments to S. 102: Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

  • SNR March 24 - https://youtu.be/xwtkJs4HrWQ?t=1640 

    • S.102 Amendment; Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Adequate Shelter - proposed amendments to Act 116 (2020)

Status:  Not included in the Miscellaneous Ag Bill or other Legislation / Awaiting interpretation from Legislative Council
Process ups:  

  • We’ve had the support and voices of a number of farmers and grazing experts throughout this process providing testimony in Committee on multiple occasions.  

  • Our testimony before the Livestock Care and Standards Advisory Council shifted votes on the Council such that it provided a split decision on whether to support our proposed amendments or not (as opposed to opposing our proposal).  

  • We have the support of a number of organizations including NOFA VT, Vermont Grass Farmers Association, and the Champlain Valley Farmers Coalition.

Process downs:  

  • Because this policy was amended last year after multiple years of work on it, there is reluctance to change the language at this point.  

  • This process has also made clear that there is an immense amount of education which needs to be done with respect to Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing (AMP Grazing) among policymakers, non-grazing farmers, and the general public - as well as greater education with respect to what qualifies as animal welfare and / or abuse among particular types of animals under particular management.  

  • Lastly, there has been, and remains, significant confusion with respect to whether the existing language of Act 116 is applicable to people raising livestock at all given language in other parts of Title 13 which may or may not provide an “exemption” for accepted livestock management.  We have had multiple interpretations offered by different stakeholders in Committee as well as Legislative Council - and are currently awaiting a more definitive response from Legislative Council to determine how we will proceed with our advocacy.   

For more information on Act 116, please contact graham@ruralvermont.org 
Testimonials on Act 116 in the House Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

  • Feb 17 - https://youtu.be/ewY-9suSWBE?t=1870 

    • Jill Remick, Director of Property Valuation and Review, Department of Taxes

  • Feb 24 - https://youtu.be/z2tPMiMC6bU?t=2640

    • Rep. John L. Bartholomew, former member, House Agriculture and Forestry Committee; Maddie Kempner, Policy Director, NOFA VT; Graham Unangst-Rufehacht, Policy Director, Rural Vermont

  • Feb 25 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omT6n3ZFzlg 

    • Report from the Livestock Care Standards Advisory Council: Ruth Blauwiekel, UVM Veterinarian, Vermont Veterinary Medical Association; Brynn Hare, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel; Kent Henderson, Northwest Veterinary Associates, Vermont Veterinary Medical Association

  • March 10 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRMwGZN5SbM 

    • Brandon Bless, Bread and Butter Farm; Jessica Danyow, Chair, Animal Cruelty Investigation Advisory Board; Bruce Hennesey, Maple Wind Farm; Maddie Kempner, Policy Director, NOFA VT; Barry Londeree, Former Vermont State Director, Humane Society of the United States; Mary McFaun, Animal Cruelty Investigation Advisory Board; Justin Poulin, Poulin And Daughters Farm, Randolph; Graham Unangst-Rufehacht, Policy Director, Rural Vermont

  • March 11 -https://youtu.be/LdS8Bf-TCMg?t=1768 

    • Brynn Hare, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Cannabis - S.25 & H.414 related to cannabis as agriculture and social equity programs

Status:  S.25 passed the Senate, H.414 remains in the House
Current drafts: S. 25 as passed by the Senate, H. 414 as introduced
Process ups:

  • Our coalition was able to work with the Chairs of, and secure time to testify in, the Senate Judiciary, and Senate Government Ops Committees - exploring how we can use S.25 as a vehicle for inclusion of our proposals.

  • We succeeded in having these Chairs and other members of their Committees acknowledge that our agricultural equity and access concerns are most appropriately addressed by the Agricultural Committees.  These Chairs and Senators helped us gain a very brief opportunity to provide testimony in the Senate Agriculture Committee.

  • 3 farmers provided strong testimony in Rural VT and NOFA VT’s Small Farm Advocacy Day in support of our proposed amendments.

Process downs:

  • Our coalition’s agricultural and economic equity and access proposals were separated from our racial equity proposals in the drafting process with Legislative Council, resulting in our advocacy being split between one effort (H.414) focused on racial equity, and another effort (without drafted language) focused on introducing all of our proposals (racial equity, agricultural equity, economic equity) to S.25.  

  • H.414 has not proceeded beyond an initial reading.

  • Extremely few of our proposals have gained traction in Committee, largely due to time based concerns, suggestions that our efforts would be more appropriately directed to the rulemaking process before a 3 member unelected Board (the Cannabis Control Board), and political concerns expressed about how the House of Representatives will receive the bill.  The response from the Senate Agriculture Committee was particularly disappointing, revealing the lack of fluency with Act 164 across the legislature, and the lack of understanding of (and willingness to understand) the issue from the perspective of cultivation and small business.  It is unfortunate that a Committee (in this case the Senate Ag Committee) would determine not to act on proposals which its members acknowledge have "merit", and which will help to achieve equity and access for the communities which a Committee is specifically tasked with serving and representing, for primarily and explicitly political reasons.  

For more information on S.25 & H.414, please contact graham@ruralvermont.org
Testimonials on S.25 & H.414: Senate Judiciary

  • Feb 16 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3Oxho9J_vA

    • Walk-through: Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

    • Ram amendment: Sen. Kesha Ram, Sponsor

  • Feb 25

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXl4RUNV74A
      Mark Hughes, Executive Director, Vermont Racial Justice Alliance; Geoffrey Pizzutillo, Executive Director and CoFounder, Vermont Growers Association;Graham Unangst-Rufehacht, Policy Director, Rural Vermont

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL2uD0rJfGc
      Belan Atensaye, Public Policy and Research Analyst, City of Burlington's Racial Equity,Inclusion & Belonging Office; Skyler Nash , Public Policy and Research Analyst, City of Burlington's Racial Equity,Inclusion & Belonging Office; David Scherr, Assistant Attorney General, Vermont Attorney General's Office

  • March 9

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNVqDiElh84
      Amendments: Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel: Mark Hughes, Executive Director, Vermont Racial Justice Alliance; Geoffrey Pizzutillo, Executive Director and CoFounder, Vermont Growers Association; Virginia Renfrew, Lobbyist, Marijuana Dispensaries; Graham Unangst-Rufehacht, Policy Director, Rural Vermont

  • March 9

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6CtSPfshRI

    • Amendments:  Mark Hughes, Executive Director, Vermont Racial Justice Alliance; Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfEVOLaaPqo

    • Amendments: Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel: Mark Hughes, Executive Director, Vermont Racial Justice Alliance; Joshua Decatur, Trace VT; Geoffrey Pizzutillo, Executive Director and CoFounder, Vermont Growers; Graham Unangst-Rufehacht, Policy Director, Rural Vermont

  • March 10 

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHjscbjyWoI&t=2764s

    • Amendments: Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel: Geoffrey Pizzutillo, Executive Director and CoFounder, Vermont Growers Association; Virginia Renfrew, Lobbyist, Marijuana Dispensaries; Maddie Kempner, Policy Director, NOFA VT; Graham Unangst-Rufehacht, Policy Director, Rural Vermont

  • March 11- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvjeO_qBODw 

    • Committee Discussion: Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

  • March 11

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adPR4j-ohvU&t=4339s

    • Amendments: Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel: Geoffrey Pizzutillo, Executive Director and CoFounder, Vermont Growers Association; Virginia Renfrew, Lobbyist, Marijuana Dispensaries; Maddie Kempner, Policy Director, NOFA VT; Graham Unangst-Rufehacht, Policy Director, Rural Vermont

  • March 12 

  • March 17 

On Farm Slaughter/ Meat Processing - H. 315 & H. 420

Status: H. 315 - House concurred with Senate proposal of amendment with proposal of amendment; H.420 - passed the House. 
Current drafts: H. 315 House proposal of amendment to Senate proposal of amendment, H. 420 as passed by the House
Process ups: 

  • H. 315 - The Senate reserved 500K of the 3M going to Working Lands for slaughter and processing capacity grants and the House concurred.  

  • H. 420 - AAFM acknowledged the continued importance of on-farm slaughter and proposed the removal of the sunset of the law in the 2021 miscellaneous ag bill

Process downs: Without data that proves that on-farm slaughter is used at capacity by practitioners in registration and report numbers, legislators are hesitant to make improvements to the law. 
For more information on on-farm slaughter, please contact caroline@ruralvermont.org
Testimonials (excerpt):

Payment For Ecosystem Services - H. 420 & H.315

Status: H. 420 - Passed the House, referred to Senate Ag.; H. 315 - House concurred with Senate proposal of amendment with proposal of amendment
Current drafts: H. 315 House proposal of amendment to Senate proposal of amendment, H. 420 as passed by the House
Process ups: 

  • Senator Bobby Starr championed for PES & Soil Health research funding and managed to add 250K to H. 315 as requested in the PES & Soil Health working groups report. House concurred in their proposal of amendment.

  • Section 6 of H. 420 extends the PES & Soil Health Working Groups timeline into February 1, 2023 and gives the group until January 15 of 2023 to submit their report. 

Process downs: Why didn’t the administration request any funding for Payment for Ecosystem Services and Soil Health?
For more information on PES & Soil Health, please contact caroline@ruralvermont.org
Testimonials (excerpt): 

Rural Vermont