Together with the budget amendments in H.929, the changes to the Vermont Agriculture Assistance Programs (VCAAP) have passed (see page 143 onwards in the bill). The Governor’s signature can be expected very soon. Here is the summary of the achieved improvements:

• Timeline: the deadline for all VCAAP programs has been extended to November 15th 2020. 

• Eligibility: The “no net profitability” clause shall not be applied as a disqualifying criteria from CRF assistance by AAFM and applicants that had a net business profit between March 1, 2020 and August 1, 2020 will be reviewed for eligibility for assistance through the CRF Working Lands Grant Program. Notice: no additional application will be required, there’s different funds available under one and the same Agriculture and Working Lands Application.  

More good news: Sole Proprietors are eligible and shall not be disqualified because they have not filed a W-2 form in the 2018 or 2019 taxable year. 

• Reports: VAAFM is tasked to present a report on the remaining funds in the programs by October 1st - stay tuned for updates in this regard.

• Small Farmers Markets: AAFM will use $140,000 from the unexpended funds in FY 2021 to award grants up to $2,000 to farmers’ markets with gross sales of less than $10,000 in Vermont that have suffered lost revenues or expenses due to COVID-19. Notice: Farmers’ Markets with gross sales of more than $10,000 are eligible under the Ag and Working Lands Application. 

For more general information on the VCAAP applications, please read this Rural Vermont blog post.

The Agriculture and Working Lands Assistance program (formerly the Non-Dairy Agricultural Producer and Processor Assistance Program, read the press release here) is accepting applications from agricultural producers, commercial meat and poultry processors, commercial slaughterhouses, and farmers’ markets. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Currently the application deadline is Oct. 1st but Rural Vermont anticipates that the Legislature will make some critical improvements to this funding program, including extending the application deadline to Nov. 15th. Stay tuned for updates on these changes.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

• Visit the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets website (use automated chat feature for asking questions);

• Read the application guide, review this page-by-page summary of the application, check if you’re eligible with the flow chart, and prepare the required documentation before starting you application.

• Contact the AAFM hotline (802) 828-2430  select  #9  or email AGR.CovidResponse@vermont.gov to ask questions

• Please share your concerns and needs with Rural Vermont by contacting caroline@ruralvermont.org so we can help communicate them to VAAFM.

FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS:

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) Farm Viability Program is providing direct technical assistance with the application. Visit their website and complete their intake form;

• For more information, contact Mariah Noth (Mariah@vhcb.org or 802-828-1098).

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

(1) Farmers, food production businesses, commercial meat and poultry processors, commercial slaughterhouses, farmers’ markets, as well forest products businesses, dairy producers or processors, and agriculture producer associations are eligible. Find the definitions of these categories on the VAAFM webpage.

(2) To be eligible your business entity must have gross annual income of at least $10,000 to apply. (NOTE: The Legislature is expected to make a change that will provide eligibility for farmers markets that have less than $10K in annual income.) 

(3) Your business must have verifiable losses and/or expenses since March 1, 2020 associated with the COVID-19 public health emergency. Applicants should complete a W-9 form and provide all required documentation.

HOW TO APPLY

The current deadline to apply is October 1, 2020. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first served basis, so it is important to submit your application as soon as possible. 

Let us know about your experiences with the application process and reach out to us with any barriers you encounter in the application process. Contact caroline@ruralvermont.org

Join us as we call on Vermont’s legislature to reject S.54 and commit to working with our organizations, communities of color, and small farms and businesses across Vermont to develop legislation creating a tax and regulate system in our state which sets a new standard for equity, reparations, inclusivity and representation.

For multiple years, Rural Vermont and others have advocated for racial justice, criminal justice reforms, scale appropriate regulation, and agricultural and economic equity in proposed Cannabis Taxation and Regulation legislation at the Vermont Legislature.  We found our voices, and those of the communities we represent and are in solidarity with, rarely heard, largely ignored, and procedurally marginalized.  The result of this is a bill which, among many things: 

• does NOT adequately address the history and violence of systemic racism in cannabis prohibition or include BIPOC and other disproportionately impacted communities in the new market, and decision making processes in how the revenues from this market are spent; 

• which does NOT include adequate criminal justice reforms and continues the criminalization of cannabis; 

• which furthers industry consolidation by entrenching the monopoly status and licensing privileges of existing cannabis dispensaries in the State, most of which are owned by wealthy multi-state operators such as Curaleaf Holdings, LLC and iAnthus Capital Holdings, LLC;

• which pushes out small farmers and businesses by establishing multiple barriers to equitable market access, proposing an uncertain and political licensing process, and by implementing discriminatory zoning which states that cannabis and its cultivation will not be considered an agricultural product or crop (this legislation was never addressed in the House or Senate Agriculture Committees). 

S.54 passed both the House and Senate earlier in the 2019-2020 biennium and is now in the hands of a conference committee made up of three members of each chamber. The task of the conference committee, if and when it meets, will be to reconcile the two versions of the bill passed by the House and Senate.  There is significant pressure from a minority of well-funded organizations and companies to pass this bill, in particular given the budgetary challenges in the face of the global pandemic.  

It is critical that we not allow this crisis to serve as justification for a fundamentally inequitable bill which will further amplify existing inequities.  We ask the legislature to come together with us to begin an inclusive stakeholder process - uniting racial justice and agricultural and economic equity - to create a just and equitable platform for the legalization of cannabis in Vermont. 

Contact your representatives and urge them to say "NO!" to S.54!

You can find more details about us and our coalition members' opposition here:
Rural Vermont 
Justice For All 
Vermont Growers Association 
NOFA VT
Trace 

Read our joint press release here.
And, watch our Just & Inclusive Cannabis Policy Forum here:

The Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets just shared today that Vermont reached an agreement with the USDA to allow for state-inspected meat to be sold out of state. This means that state-inspected slaughter facilities will be able to process animals from USDA inspected facilities. State inspected slaughter facilities can apply to become part of the Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) program, contact Katherine McNamara (AAFM, 802-828-2426 | Katherine.McNamera@vermont.gov).

Hopefully, this improvement holds some potential to mitigate some of the pressing demand for slaughter facilities in the state. Rural Vermont believes that growing markets will not solve the lack of sovereignty in our food supply chain, like the right to slaughter livestock on farms and the farmers' right to perform that slaughter. Contact caroline@ruralvermont.org if you want to learn more about our On-Farm Slaughter campaign. 

Rural Vermont is plaintiff in a federal lawsuit that the Center For Food Safety filed today, July 28, against the Trump Administration’s Department of Agriculture (USDA) GMO labeling rules that implement a federal law that preempted the Vermont GMO labeling law in 2016. Read the press release here.  (Read the filed complaint here.) Spearheaded by George Kimbrell (CFS counsel in the case), Rural Vermont is tremendously proud to take our two decades long advocacy to the end game and together we’ll do everything we can to have the persistence of the food movement uphold what is the peoples demand: the consumer's right-to-know if their food was produced with Genetically engineered (GE) organisms. Transparent and clear GE labeling is a right enjoyed by many across the globe, and it's time we have that too. We give a shout out to the significant shepherding on this issue of the two former Rural Vermont Executive Directors: Amy Shollenberger (founder of Action Circles) and Andrea Stander (Rural Vermont Policy Consultant) – your passion got us here, let’s celebrate that today.

For more information please contact Rural Vermont’s Legislative Director, Caroline Gordon @ caroline@ruralvermont.org.

Rural Vermont acknowledges the need to spread the available information on all Agriculture Assistance Programs fast; help producers, processors, farmers markets, and slaughterhouse- managers find the answers to their questions; and make referrals to technical assistance providers where needed. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

• Visit the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets website;

• Contact the AAFM hotline 802-828-2430 and agr.covidresponse@vermont.gov;

• Voice your concerns and needs by filling out Rural Vermont & NOFA-VT’s survey.

FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS:

Visit the VHCB website and complete their intake form;

• For more information, contact Mariah Noth (Mariah@vhcb.org or 802-828-1098).

Dairy Assistance Program – Application launch 7/17 @ noon

VAAFM prioritized the launch of the Dairy Assistance Program. The program opened for applications on 7/17 at noon. Join a VAAFM webinar either on July 21, 22, or 23 to learn more about this program. Here’s a brief overview of the eligibility criteria and the documentation needed. 

Eligibility criteria:

• Dairy Producers and Processors (see definitions in Act 138). 

• In good standing with VAAFM

• Producing milk or dairy products (on March 1st or have a plan to restart production of some commodity)

  • “Commodity” will be interpreted as any agricultural product.  

  • IMPORTANT NOTE: producers/processors that went out of business due to CoVid-19 will not be eligible for this program.

• Experienced economic harm between March 1- December 30, 2020 through evidence of lost revenue or COVID-related expenses

• Only one State grant from COVID Relief Funds

Documentation needed:

• Unique Dairy ID number, provided by VAAFM via email in the week of July 13, 2020. For every unique Dairy ID, a distinct application is required.

• W-9 form (mailed or emailed)

• Total amount of funding received from other federal or state aid to avoid duplicative payments. VAAFM is interested in, e.g. PPP, EIDL, and Dairy Margin Coverage Program funds.

• Documentation of 

  • all additional expenses, e.g. selection of PPE, cleaning and sanitation supplies, workplace changes worker housing, loss of product, etc.  

  • or lost revenue since March 1, 2020 (receipts, invoices, etc.). Producer Application will be prompted to upload milk check or invoice plus indicate volume of milk weight/ month.

DOWNSIDES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AG ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS: 

VAAFM has prioritized the launch of the Dairy Assistance Program. As noted above, that program opened for applications (7/17) at noon. The downside of this program is that funds are capped, and that producers who went out of business (and who do not intend to restart production of some commodity), will NOT be eligible. Read more about the eligibility criteria of the Dairy Assistance Program here.

We are eager to learn more from AAFM and VEDA about the implementation of the Non-Dairy Assistance Program by early August. The downside here is the non-dairy program is only for producers and processors who did not have any net business profit between March 1 and August 1, 2020. Rural Vermont and NOFA-VT are deeply concerned the requirement could further delay and limit access to the programs. There is a very short implementation timeline that allows for unallocated funds to be reverted to the Dairy Assistance Program after September 15.

Learn more about the programs, and express your questions and concerns, through the Vermont Agency of Agriculture website (hotline 802-828-2430 and agr.covidresponse@vermont.gov).

The Farm Relief Bill, S.351 was signed by the Governor on July 2nd and is now called Act 138. The law appropriates $35,692,000 to farm and forest business for their COVID-19 related losses and/or expenses. Applicants must be in good standing with VAAFM, will be only eligible for one state program, and all funds will be provided as direct assistance grants on a first come first serve basis. 

VAAFM will administer the Dairy Assistance Program and the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) will administer the non-dairy as well as the forestry assistance program. VEDA may use not less than five percent and up to eight percent of each program’s funds to cover administrative costs.

The agencies must report back to the legislature on July 31st and September 1st regarding distribution of these grant funds to date. VAAFM announced the launch of the Non-Dairy Assistance Program for early August.  

DAIRY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Section 6 appropriates $25M to VAAFM to provide financial assistance to milk producers ($21.2M) and dairy processors ($3.8M) that have suffered economic harm caused by COVID-19. Grants amounts are capped as follows: $18,300 for small farms; $34,300 for certified small farms; $56,000 for medium farms; and $100,000 for large farms.

Processors are grouped in production levels and can receive: up to $31,000 for processing up to 500# of milk per day; $40,000 for up to 9,999#/day; $50,000 for up to 49,999#/day; and up to $60,000 for those who process 50,000#/day or more. 

NON-DAIRY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER AND PROCESSOR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Section 7 appropriates $5M to stabilize agricultural producers, commercial processors, commercial slaughterhouses, and farmers’ markets based on their lost revenues and expenses due to COVID-19. VEDA will administer the program and develop guidelines for eligible expenses. Applicants must not have a net business profit between March 1 - August 1 to be eligible. Rural Vermont and NOFA-VT fear the requirement could further delay the program’s short implementation timeline which could result in the reversion of the funds to the Dairy Assistance Program.

EDUCATION; OUTREACH; REPORTING; AND REVERSION PROVISION 

Section 8 - VAAFM must conduct outreach and education regarding the availability of financial assistance, as well as prepare a survey to help identify farmers and processors that are interested in technical assistance, succession planning, or similar services. Unspent funds from the non-dairy program (as of September 15th) may be reallocated to the dairy program, so-called “reversion.”

FOREST ECONOMY STABILIZATION GRANT PROGRAM 

Section 9 appropriates $5M to ANR to stabilize forest products businesses that have suffered economic harm. ANR will enter a Memorandum of Understanding with VEDA about the administration of the program. Maximum grant amount is $100K per business. Any unappropriated funds from the forest economy program (as of September 15th) may be reallocated to the economic recovery grant program.  Find more information here: https://fpr.vermont.gov/FESGrantProgram 

AGRICULTURAL FAIRS RELIEF ASSISTANCE

Section 9a appropriates $500K to agricultural fairs in the State that have suffered verifiable lost revenues or expenses caused by COVID-19 that occured or accrued between March 1 - September 1, 2020. Any remaining amount (also as of September 15th) will be reallocated to the economic recovery program.

FARM WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY

Section 10 charges VAAFM to post educational materials available from VOSHA related to farm worker health and safety on their website in English and Spanish.

COVID-19 RELATED CONSULTING SERVICES

Section 11 appropriates $192K to VHCB to provide business, financial, and mental health assistance to farm and food businesses that suffered losses or expenses due to business interruptions. 

One of the bills that was allowed to continue after the COVID pandemic moved the Legislature to virtual sessions was H.656, now Act 129. Titled: “An act related to miscellaneous agricultural subjects”, this bill was signed into law by the Governor on July 1st. 

Such a “miscellaneous” bill traditionally facilitates a series of technical corrections that the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets brings to the lawmakers’ attention. It is also usual for lawmakers to use such a bill as a vehicle for new provisions that would be unlikely to pass independently. So again, this year, the end result is 50 pages long and includes 33 sections. We did our best to summarize those sections that appeared to be the most relevant for you, beginning with those sections that are related to Rural Vermont’s policy priorities. You can read the entire bill here. Please contact Caroline Gordon, Rural Vermont’s Legislative Director with your questions and comments. 

• ATTENTION FARMERS:

  • Section 24 extends the renamed PAYMENT FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND SOIL HEALTH WORKING GROUP to continue their work until February 1, 2022. There will be five new members of the working group: a person engaged in farming other than dairy farming; a representative of an environmental organization; an agricultural economist; an ecosystem services specialist from UVM Extension; and a soil scientist. Additionally, AAFM is formally designated to provide administrative, technical, and legal assistance to the Working Group.

• ATTENTION HEMP GROWERS:

  • Section 25 allows AAFM to continue to operate the hemp pilot program during the 2020 growing season and growers shall not be in violation of the upcoming repeal of the federal Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 on October 31, 2020, for growing or cultivating hemp during the 2020 hemp season or marketing of hemp grown during the 2020 hemp season. 

  • Section 26 establishes labeling standards for hemp seeds, establishing important germination standards, feminized seed claims and protection from contaminants. AAFM’s rulemaking authority was extended to establish certification requirements for hemp seed and to potentially require the disclosure or labeling of the amount of cannabinoid in the seed.

• ATTENTION DAIRY FARMERS:

  • Section 31 launches a critical review, by the Commissioner of Financial Regulation, of the federal milk market order pricing system for dairy farmers to collect and assess data on the long-term sustainability and fairness to the dairy farming community in Vermont. A report on this review is due on January 15, 2021, and shall include: “recommendations for revising regulated dairy pricing and other market regulation in the State to improve the future viability of Vermont dairy farming.” A Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry will be established (not later than 45 days after submission of the report) including legislators and experts to implement the recommendations with draft legislation by December 15, 2021. 

• ATTENTION BEEKEEPERS:

  • Please be aware of more stringent regulations and timeframes:

    • Section 5 includes the new obligation for beekeepers to notify the Secretary of Agriculture as soon as practicable of the detection within an apiary or hive of American foulbrood disease or other disease designated by the Secretary. 

    • Section 7 changes that a person selling bees should have the apiary inspected prior to sale and once each summer instead of generally twice during summer season.

    • Section 8 changes the import requirement for colonies or used equipment to: 

      • have a certificate of inspection from the state or country of origin not older than 45 days prior to the import, a tighter timeframe than the previous 60 days. 

      • providing the Secretary with an approved import permit and certificate of inspection not less than 10 days prior to the import. Previously, submitting a copy of the inspection certificate 72 hours after entry into the State was sufficient. 

      • An import permit is not required for bees, used equipment, or colonies, that are transported within a 75 miles radius of their Vermont origin and are imported back into the State within 30 days, instead of the previous 90 day allowance. 

• ATTENTION MEAT PRODUCERS & PROCESSORS:

  • Section 2 codifies a duty for a livestock dealer, transporter, or packer to keep records when not otherwise already required by State or federal law. The records include:

    • all livestock purchased, repossessed, sold, or loaned including their official individual identification number,

      contact information of the person from whom livestock was obtained and to whom delivered.

  • Section 4 allows the Secretary of Agriculture to waive the USDA Animal Traceability rule on the official identification for interstate movement of livestock for certain types or categories of intrastate transport of livestock.

  • Section 11 strikes domestic rabbits from the definition of “Livestock” and “Meat food product” in 6. V.S.A. § 3302, effectively not requiring a VT meat inspection for rabbits. Restaurants still have to be FDA approved before selling rabbit meat, and be aware of differentiating requirements in other states that might apply to your business sales.

• ATTENTION FARMERS MANAGING MANURE:

  • Section 15 amends the requirements for custom applicators and excludes the “application of manure or nutrients by farm owner or operator on a field of another farm owner or operator when the total annual volume applied is less than 50 percent of the annual manure or agricultural waste by volume generated on the farm where the manure is spread, provided that the Secretary may approve the application of more than 50 percent of the annual manure generated on a farm by another farm operator when circumstances require and application of the manure would not pose a significant potential of discharge or runoff to State waters.” Yet, the Secretary of Agriculture may require compliance with the requirements for certification of a custom applicator.

  • Section 16 gives the Secretary the authority to require reports and prohibit the transport of non-sewage wastes to a farm for the deposit in a manure pit or the use as an input in a methane digester. 

• ATTENTION FARMERS & FOOD PRODUCERS:

  • Section 17 establishes a comprehensive catalog of definitions for the labels “Local,” “Local to Vermont,” “Locally Grown,” and “Made in Vermont.” Check out those definitions beginning on p. 20 of the bill to see if they affect your current labels. Compliance is required by January 1, 2021. 

Vermont’s Legislature, operating in its “new normal” of virtual Zoom sessions which are then livestreamed on YouTube, has been working furiously in the past week to pass essential bills before recessing until August 25th. 

Since mid-March, when the COVID-19 state of emergency closed the State House, the legislative leadership mandated that all committees focus solely on COVID related bills. 

Consequently, Rural Vermont’s Policy Team has been limited to working on just a couple of pieces of legislation. Below is a brief update on what we know currently. There are more details available on the Rural Vermont website and we will be providing a full report on the 2020 Legislative Session - to date - in a few weeks. If you have questions in the meantime, please reach out to us. 

Rural Vermont has worked intensely over the past few weeks, in close collaboration with NOFA-VT, in a strong and ultimately successful effort to ensure that the crucial non-dairy sector of our agricultural community would have equitable access to the significant COVID-19 Federal financial assistance ($1.25 Billion) that came to Vermont through the CARES Act. The original relief proposal presented by the Governor, through the Agency of Agriculture, to the Legislature, did not include ANY provision for economic relief except to dairy farms and dairy processors.

S.351 - An Act relating to providing financial relief assistance to the agricultural community due to the COVID-19 public health emergency

WHAT THIS BILL DOES:

S.351 appropriates $25 million to the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (AAFM) for The Dairy Assistance Program with $21.2M available for dairy producers (including goat & sheep dairies) and $3.8M for dairy processors to provide direct relief grant payments to eligible applicants that suffered economic harm due to COVID-19. The range of grants available is from $18,300 for small non-certified dairy farms up to $100,000 for registered large farms. Grants to processors range from $31,000 to $60,000 depending on their production volume.

The bill also appropriates $5 million to AAFM to establish a Non-Dairy Agricultural Producer and Processor Assistance Program (which includes entities such as slaughterhouses and farmers’ markets) to provide direct relief grant payments to eligible applicants that suffered economic harm due to COVID-19. Applicants will be eligible to receive between $2,500 and $20,000 depending on their annual gross sales. 

S.351 also includes an appropriation of $5 million to ANR to establish a Forest Economy Stabilization Grant Program providing grant payments to forest product businesses that suffered economic harm from COVID-19. This program will be administered by the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) under an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between ANR and VEDA.

S.351 also appropriates $500K for agricultural fairs for lost revenues or expenses that occurred or accrued on or after March 1, 2020 and before September 1, 2020 due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Finally, S.351 makes an appropriation of $192,000 to the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board to further support the technical assistance and counseling services, in response to the COVID-19 emergency, provided by the Farm Viability program.

Because this is an unprecedented piece of legislation geared to respond to the challenges of the times we are living in, the “devil” will be in the details and Rural Vermont will follow closely how this law is implemented.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT S.351 YOU SHOULD KNOW:

1. VAAFM will directly administer the Dairy Assistance Program - details on how eligible farms and processors can apply for grants through this program will be coming soon.

2. VAAFM is directed to enter an MOU with VEDA to have them administer and implement the Non-Dairy Producer & Processor Program - again, details on how the process will work will be forthcoming.

3. VAAFM will administer the Agricultural Fairs Relief program with a mandate to ensure that funds are equitably distributed among all fairs that can document losses/expenses due to COVID-19.

4. VAAFM is further directed to conduct communication and outreach to the agricultural community about these programs and provide, to the legislature, monthly reports on the implementation of these funding programs beginning on August 1, 2020

5. There are additional provisions in S.351 requiring that funds in these programs that are not allocated by Sept. 15th be re-allocated as follows:

   1. Dairy Assistance Program funds will be allocated to amended applications from dairy producers and processors who have not received the maximum amount for which they are eligible

   2. Non-Dairy Agricultural Producer/Processor Funds will be re-allocated to the Dairy Assistance Program

   3. The Forestry program and Agricultural Fairs funds will be re-allocated to the Agency of Commerce and Community Development for disbursement through other COVID relief programs 

NOTE: One critical requirement attached to the CARES Act money is that all funds must be spent by Dec 30, 2020 on eligible economic harm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The other bill that Rural Vermont has been following closely is the annual “must pass” Misc. Ag or “Ag Housekeeping Bill” - H.656. This bill has a reputation for becoming a “Christmas tree” and this year, because of COVID, is no exception. It is a long and complex bill with many disparate parts. We will be analyzing it more thoroughly once we are able to get access to the final text of the bill after it is signed by the Governor. 

H. 656 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

DETAILS ABOUT H.656 YOU SHOULD KNOW:

1. Last year, the legislature passed several requirements on the transportation of bees or used equipment into the state to protect Vermont beehives. These provisions have been adjusted to require a certificate of inspection 10 days prior to the transportation of VT colonies or equipment into the state (instead of 72 hours); importation of colonies or equipment from out of state will need a certificate 45 day old certificate of inspection (instead of 60 days)

2. Transportation of bees’ certificate of inspection within last 45 days prior of bringing them into the state rather than 65 days

3. Creates additional recordkeeping requirements for those who transport livestock

4. Inspection of rabbit meat is made voluntary 

5. The Payment for Ecosystems Services Working Group has been extended to 2022 to continue its work, with a new name and additional members

6. VAAFM is authorized to continue overseeing hemp farms under the 2014 pilot project law as the federal rules for the 2018 Hemp Law have not been finalized.

7. Provides greater protection for hemp farmers through stricter requirements for labeling of hemp seed regarding genetics and productivity

8. Repeals the 2020 sunset on the highly successful VHCB Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) grant program

9. Establishes a Task Force overseen by the Dept of Financial Regulation to investigate the feasibility and long-term sustainability of VT developing its own milk pricing system.

> Both S.351 and H.656 are slated to go into effect as soon as they are signed by the Governor.

The latest information we have indicates that the Legislature will be reconvening on August 25th. It is likely that some committees in both chambers will begin meeting again “virtually” before then - as permitted by leadership. The Administration expects to have updated information on state revenues and on any additional federal relief funds or changes in the rules for the CARES Act by August 15th.

Stay tuned for additional information as it becomes available!
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Caroline Gordon, Rural Vermont’s Legislative Director

In early June, the legislature began to consider Governor Scott’s proposed Restart Vermont Economic Recovery Package that included $50million in direct payments to dairy farmers and dairy processors. The proposal did not include funds for other farms and food processors and Rural Vermont criticized the proposal for not allowing all farms and food processors to apply and show their COVID-19 related losses and expenses. The Senate Committee on Agriculture was already working on its own farm relief bill which tried to look at long-term incentives for resilience in our food system as well as immediate relief. They passed a Farm Relief Bill that includes $19M funds to support dairy, $3.8M for dairy processors, and $7M for non-dairy farms, as well as $192K in funding for VHCB to provide technical assistance to farmers. Rural Vermont provided testimony on the bill and added joint recommendations with NOFA-VT. Meanwhile, the House Committee on Agriculture and Forestry decided against the inclusion of non-dairy farmers in their relief bill. It is challenging to participate and influence the rapid and still “virtual” legislative process which is supposed to come to an end on June 18th. With the current disparities among the two ag committees – there might be a committee of conference to negotiate the final Farm Relief Bill. 

The last dairy farmer in the legislature, Rodney Graham, spoke up in the House Ag Committee on June 9th 2020 and said “…we really need to be thinking about agriculture as a whole and not just dairy farms” he elaborated further: “The beef prices have crashed because of the slaughterhouses have shut down, the big ones, because of COVID. Produce prices are up because they couldn’t find people to pick their products because of COVID or they delayed some of the vegetable planting this year because they couldn’t get people here, etc. You know, all forms of agriculture are hurting and again, I don’t think we can do it in this bill, but I think that at some point we got to realize that agriculture is more than dairy. I understand the fact dairy farmers can make the point of hurting more than other commodities but I don’t know. The local beef markets- if you have one beef cow in your backyard that you take to slaughter and advertise it online you might be alright, but people that are actually in the beef business are taking a hit because they can’t move their product. The vegetable people as well and I’m sure other commodities, even maple syrup - we supplied a big restaurant but haven’t been able to sell any since restaurants stopped, that’s a chunk of money that we usually received. Every product across the board in some way or another has been affected by this - I just want everyone to know that.”

This week the legislature began to look at draft legislation to implement Governor Scott’s proposed $400M Restart Vermont Economic Recovery Package. This proposal includes $40M for direct payments to dairy farms and $10M for direct payments to dairy processors to be administered by the VT Agency of Agriculture. There are no funds allocated specifically for non-dairy farms and food producers - they are expected to compete with all other small businesses and non-profit organizations for various loans and grants to be administered by the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. (ACCD). Rural Vermont strongly believes the survival of ALL Vermont farms is critical to creating food security and food sovereignty for all Vermonters as well as preserving our agricultural heritage of working lands for future resilience. 

Rural Vermont’s Policy Team has also been following efforts by the Senate Agriculture Committee to develop a bill that would provide substantive economic support to all Vermont farms as they struggle with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their draft bill includes specific assistance to dairy farms as well as assistance to non-dairy farms. It also includes some support for migrant workers on dairy farms who have been excluded from all federal pandemic assistance. We are hopeful the Senate Ag Committee members will work to have their ideas incorporated into the Administration’s proposed Economic Recovery Package.

The Committee has also been discussing how they might leverage the large amount of money Vermont is receiving through the Federal CARES Act ($1.25 Billion) to help make Vermont’s agricultural economy more stable and resilient for the future. It has been painfully clear that the economic impact of COVID-19 has greatly increased the number of Vermonters struggling with hunger and a lack of food security. Vermont’s diversified farms are stepping up and contributing to that security. 

At the same time, all farms are also struggling to adapt to the loss of their usual markets (restaurants, schools, institutions) and make critical changes in their operations to protect themselves, their families, employees, and customers. Although some diversified farms have experienced an increase in demand for their products, as Vermonters seek more reliable and local sources of food, meeting that demand has required long hours, significant investments in technology as well as specialized equipment and supplies and the stress of constantly adjusting to a changing landscape of threat and opportunity. 

Rural Vermont is deeply concerned that although there is a substantial amount of money ($50M) in the Governor’s Recovery package earmarked for the severely struggling dairy industry, all other farms and food producers must compete with the entire universe of other small businesses and non-profit organizations in the state - for a proportionally smaller pot of money. This is not fair, and it is not a wise course of action given how much of Vermont’s economy is tied to agriculture. To ask farmers, at their busiest time of year, to become familiar with a state agency that is likely new to them and navigate what appears to be a complex and highly competitive process to access even the loans being proposed is patently inequitable.

The Governor’s proposal is new and complex with very few details available, so far, regarding how all of this money will be distributed. Everyone engaged in the legislative process is challenged to understand the proposal and there is extraordinarily little time left in the current phase of the legislative session to work out myriad details. Rural Vermont has testified (read 5/28 testimony here) on how non-dairy farms can be treated more equitably and will be continuously communicating with all the legislators who will be asked to shape this legislation. To do this we need your help so please read on!

ACTION ALERT: Contact your House and Senate Legislators THIS WEEK and demand fair treatment for Vermont’s non-dairy farms and food producers in the Governor’s $400M Restart Vermont Recovery Funding Package.
TESTIMONIALS NEEDED: Non-Dairy Farmers & Food Producers: We need your stories of how COVID-19 has affected your farm/food business. Contact Caroline if you would be willing to share your story.

…CLICK HERE to view older legislative updates.