1/29 A New Biennium Begins
In D.C., the first week of the new federal administration has brought a series of executive orders that directly threaten our communities and the wellbeing of many. Rural Vermont is in close dialogue with our federal delegation and allied organizations while we witness many proposed changes coming forth at high speed. Many of our community members are not safe, some are threatened with detention and deportation, critical funds supporting businesses and federal programs may be discontinued, and more. We encourage our members to be in touch about how these new federal policies impact you, your farm, and your community.
In Vermont, a new biennium has launched with many new legislators being assigned to new committees. The House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency and Forestry shrank from eleven to eight seats and welcomed four returning and four new members. The Senate Committee on Agriculture still has five seats and almost entirely new members, with the exception of Senator Brian Collamore from Rutland who has been serving on the committee for more than 20 years. At the beginning of a new legislative session, all committees typically invite relevant organizations and agencies to introduce themselves and their priorities. You can watch Rural Vermont’s introductions to both agricultural committees online (Senate; House). Check out our “2025 Legislative Bill Monitor” to track progress on some of the issues of most interest to the Rural Vermont community. Also check out our Activist Toolkit where we share tips and tricks to prepare you for your advocacy in the peoples’ house, and stay tuned for a Small Farm Action Day - announcement coming soon! Finally, we continue to offer audio recordings of our legislative updates so that you can get our briefing while you go about your farm chores or other daily duties. Tune in, be in touch, & speak up!