[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6365130,"mediaKeyId","2160302-50cf024b13891e47d2204e8186cefe32","parentId",2160302,"title","UVM Extension reports progress on hemp fiber and local grain infrastructure for Vermont markets","audioSeconds",1941,"startMs",1276000,"endMs",3217000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160302-50cf024b13891e47d2204e8186cefe32&start=1276&end=3217","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160302-50cf024b13891e47d2204e8186cefe32/thumbnail_1276000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6365130/Vermont/UVM-Extension-reports-progress-on-hemp-fiber-and-local-grain-infrastructure-for-Vermont-markets","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365130-0d44464a8a2715396e409333cb47ac64/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442640&Signature=l~eYWqx-qUYZIuNmirKLTN3vfMaKEHrG2FT3xtExuNkER6V7RFV~~ebPo2X7am4O9FJEKESooYoMNYuFxYAwtqK33ZGtDQauj5NSQSXEOAwdNcSJOljrsS78XHaVDgOANFV9wqeAhY1V9u2sc2lbCTwT7E1bC1bd22xuITU6QasavesByFfEa2dYZuk06wmKeDvH61NrGBS6yFGVh5gxcpvIclRPYv245YGGGi06PPslvNSD-QtE6WbtcrwhqFJWj1C0y3JsX39sxNmWiHRbNrglbRKG7YwQYenz~erEBQfjawHwaZ8NAsYG~M7ZZHmFy07D2Tj08-piViI4t3DPqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-01-29T14:53:01Z","article","Heather Darby, University of Vermont Extension agronomist, told committee members that the Extension program is supporting farmers who are transitioning from dairy to grain and trying to build local grain and fiber value chains in Vermont.

Darby described efforts to connect grain growers with buyers such as brewers and distillers and to help farmers secure infrastructure through the Working Lands program (grants for bins, dryers and mills). She cited one example: corn from a Rutland farm that may be used by 2 Heroes Brewery in South Hero for a Mexican lager, and noted local investments such as NEK Grains and a stone flour mill manufacturer in Vermont whose owner (identified as Andrew Hein in the transcript) also runs Elmore Mountain Bakery.

On hemp fiber, Darby said Extension is working with Battenkill Fiber Mills and local clothing manufacturers to process small research‑scale harvests into yarn and fabric; the team is experimenting with combining hemp fiber and wool. She described basic harvest and processing steps for fiber hemp—sickle‑bar mowing, field retting, removing the core, combing long fibers and sending them to a fiber mill—and said the infrastructure and equipment are costly but that small‑scale processing for research and product prototyping is underway.

Darby also said acreage of soybeans has roughly doubled in the last five years in Vermont and that some farms are building local loops to keep grains in‑state for dairy feed and value‑added products. She highlighted that Extension runs about 55–60 research trials each year and hosts an annual field day that draws regional participants and federal delegates, providing farmers with demonstrations and contacts.

Ending: Darby said Extension will continue to support farmers with research, market connections and technical assistance as local grain and fiber markets develop.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Agriculture 2025-01-29 9:50 AM","oneSentenceSummary","UVM Extension described work on hemp fiber, local grain production and infrastructure (flour mills, bins, dryers) and efforts to keep grain local for value‑added products, including partnerships with Battenkill Fiber Mills and local mills/bakeries.","taxTitle","Agriculture, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",35161,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6365131,"UVM Extension tracks transition from neonicotinoid seed treatments; early results mixed",340,2439000,2779000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160302-50cf024b13891e47d2204e8186cefe32&start=2439&end=2779","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160302-50cf024b13891e47d2204e8186cefe32/thumbnail_2439000.jpg","/articles/6365131/Vermont/UVM-Extension-tracks-transition-from-neonicotinoid-seed-treatments-early-results-mixed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365131-9bf9d438eabe546551c95d11e793d046/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442640&Signature=hCLtvY90poXBwakzIgMim2IAWipls~H7v7mL0DJkmHWFrToWeSsq~ls3CxRZoDRYl37EF3bMrSO4lggL-hj9e-tuvDTcLWTHV43sFPWD7PYAC1PjnMBXHtSYtB3hbI3TfhfS8VT4E2-8~ea5vhIcSyFdOHyGRCrUNXGHm7qwDxP8sWcpC6u0cE4jKshvNtUZkggUsToPE~VM6Av6yZJpc9W-q0B9HNN8LFSOAU8dcrU1ocqQA-Qeg4y2h~tUmE3YtBR9JWnUv7-MDIcByJLMYSMCj7NTmpaWZuZHwQnFyA-jym3y2TWgXn1qFsX2kPxrOQ8KUuHFKg~mEZuwK6bisQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heather Darby told committee members that UVM Extension began studying neonicotinoid (neonic) seed treatments before Vermont’s recent law that restricts their use and that the program’s work now emphasizes managing pest risk and documenting where farmers may see crop losses without treated seed.

Darby said there was mixed evidence nationally about the degree to which neonics caused pollinator declines; high‑profile honeybee losses circa 2012–2015 raised concern and prompted further study. Extension and Cornell researchers have examined how seed coatings and planting equipment release dust from planters and whether changes in coatings or the use of different fluency agents reduce dust emissions.

Darby said one year of her group’s data shows that seed coating retention depends on the seed company and that some fluency agents (graphite is commonly used) abrade coatings and increase dust. She said certain alternative fluency agents appear to suppress dust better and that an alternative class of insecticide, diamides, can be effective but is more expensive than neonics and is less broad‑spectrum.

Because Vermont and New York passed similar restrictions, Darby said one farmer concern is whether seed manufacturers can economically produce and inventory non‑treated seed options. She said Quebec uses non‑treated seed for some crops, and diamide‑treated seed is already available from some suppliers. Darby said the Extension work will continue to monitor pest pressure, crop loss risk and the effect of repeated use on soil residues of neonic compounds.

Darby framed the work as transitional: measuring risk and alternatives so farmers can adopt new practices without undue crop loss.","Darby described UVM Extension work studying the effects of banning neonicotinoid seed treatments, including collaboration with Cornell, field sampling for planter dust and evaluation of alternative seed treatments such as diamides.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6365140,"UVM Extension warns of legacy phosphorus, outlines tile‑drainage research and nutrient management work",1377,956000,2333000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160302-50cf024b13891e47d2204e8186cefe32&start=956&end=2333","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160302-50cf024b13891e47d2204e8186cefe32/thumbnail_956000.jpg","/articles/6365140/Vermont/UVM-Extension-warns-of-legacy-phosphorus-outlines-tiledrainage-research-and-nutrient-management-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365140-cd89312e9df5ff855ba54ba5b8dcd95f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442640&Signature=naCnVM1lmAuFyWWa84xuZXc4Q93sGokxg6RNPenWmiTRvry8CLXN89VMKlIEywy2qJ0MgbCFk6-4g6uIcRBlLHV-rEgeojBFlFKswRgCunOshUGYzFuALnZ4nSGA-Ycf-VDzr4pb4Wvt7PEdnD2BUu4PMNPRuYG9HwJwMArc1D4XuADgZczj4TARAxbQk-vK43Efvrlggcga73Q40-4LwAqUg6n942edI-Pe~fimtXgkHg9bPs64MalvRjNw70SiQOd7luetpzWgnCbqCKPj43m8~Lup4SjxQWbwuJAyCesZpZYx~AsxGl6MZRYHaJm7g1p3TiATm3HdQMTilD3q1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heather Darby, professor and soil specialist at University of Vermont Extension, told a legislative committee that much of Vermont’s soil phosphorus results from long‑term fertilizer and manure applications and that phosphorus binds strongly to aluminum in many hill soils, reducing plant availability and leading farmers historically to apply more phosphorus.

Darby described research at a commercial site called Discovery Acres in St. Albans Bay on Jewett Brook (within a watershed identified as impaired). The site compares tile drainage and non‑tile systems and evaluates best management practices to minimize environmental impacts while maintaining yields. Funding for the site originally came from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture and the Lake Champlain Basin Program, she said.

Darby said phosphorus is relatively immobile in many soils and accumulates over time; it moves off fields mainly attached to eroded soil. She noted that while many Vermont fields are phosphorus‑deficient, concentrated dairy areas with long histories of manure application can have individual fields with high phosphorus; the state’s approach is to manage those fields so levels do not increase and to implement drawdown plans where appropriate.

Darby said mandated buffers, cover cropping, no‑till and nutrient management plans are among the practices used to reduce soil loss and phosphorus transport. She said legacy phosphorus in lake and stream sediments can release over time and contribute to cyanobacteria blooms in places such as St. Albans Bay. Possible remediation approaches mentioned in discussion included targeted alum treatments in confined water bodies, but she said large‑scale remediation is difficult and context‑specific.

Darby emphasized extension education: farmers attend nutrient‑management classes, create farm plans and implement practices tailored to local soil and watershed conditions. She said researchers are developing “strategic tillage” trials to alleviate compaction in no‑till fields in ways that minimize erosion risk.","UVM Extension described causes of elevated soil phosphorus in some Vermont fields, ongoing tile‑drainage trials at Discovery Acres, and extension work on nutrient management plans, buffers and practices to limit phosphorus transport to waterways including Saint Albans Bay.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6365141,"UVM Extension outlines on‑farm precision agriculture trials, variable-rate fertilizer tests",242,257000,499000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2160302-50cf024b13891e47d2204e8186cefe32&start=257&end=499","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2160302-50cf024b13891e47d2204e8186cefe32/thumbnail_257000.jpg","/articles/6365141/Vermont/UVM-Extension-outlines-onfarm-precision-agriculture-trials-variable-rate-fertilizer-tests","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6365141-78c3b101352fb320b99530c087050c35/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442640&Signature=jstI01t1uceCOIRkuWOwRXzCf6zDvWiwvNnL29RoBHKJ02Oiz-tjTX9glJQ8d-b8aoOuZVyEPHlYCIvWQkiT3PHvGDER7qRIe3e0slj-WaO5lnzxauz31cQQHFdf8HhpwrFSxOLedzqGF8DnngrrtcOvu4Jt80X1mijTd2lOgvcY7KYycSbVOyXwmdsYiCsevw~AsFbKIwYahoIXKLHrlDGtAd3Ey1m-7~i3IIggUk0zIFu~1Ajc5UmhGPDELLDSZFmUaIHIKDUnXjJXm7k0si1ib17Mp0ebUttxQu-htuvqHv1KCxTLz9tHGYrs6hEwvnpnbhubdWGJlz4q0D1vMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heather Darby, a professor and agronomist with University of Vermont (UVM) Extension, told a legislative committee that UVM Extension is running applied, on‑farm research into precision agriculture to help Vermont farmers get better yields while reducing inputs. She said the program uses satellite and GPS data, yield monitors and zone‑based soil sampling to create maps that allow variable‑rate fertilizer application across fields.

Darby said last year five farms participated in a variable‑rate fertilizer pilot supported with funding from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture. Researchers mapped yields and soils in zones and used a spreader that reads application maps to change fertilizer rates in real time as it moved across a field. The project aims to determine whether the approach reduces fertilizer use, maintains or improves yields and provides a return on investment for farmers.

Darby described the research as part of a wider “on‑farm precision network” that will help farmers share data and experience. She said major challenges include the volume of data generated and the skills and equipment needed to collect, process and deliver usable recommendations to farmers. Darby said not every farm will adopt these tools because they require management capacity and can be costly, but she noted both large and smaller operations are experimenting with precision systems, including yield monitors and livestock collars.

State support for the work comes via grants to purchase equipment and to fund research staff. Darby said the team purchased a spreader capable of reading application maps through funds from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture; her Northwest Crops and Soils Program includes 14 grant‑funded staff and a central research site at the Rainville farm that has hosted research for about 15 years.

The researchers are still analyzing the first year of data to determine whether the technology optimized yields and reduced fertilizer inputs, Darby said. Investigators will refine sampling, data integration and implementation procedures and expand the network of participating farms as they learn what works in Vermont soils and climates.

Darby framed the trials as part of meeting two goals: keeping farm practices economically viable while protecting natural resources. She said precision approaches also apply to manure management, where computerized spreaders can change manure application rates by field zone, and that the state has been supportive of precision manure management through grant funds. Ending: Darby invited follow‑up questions and offered to provide contacts and research results after the committee meeting.","University of Vermont Extension researchers described ongoing trials using satellite/GPS mapping, yield monitors and variable‑rate fertilizer application on Vermont farms, noting early results from five participating farms and state grant support for equipment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

UVM Extension reports progress on hemp fiber and local grain infrastructure for Vermont markets

UVM Extension tracks transition from neonicotinoid seed treatments; early results mixed

UVM Extension warns of legacy phosphorus, outlines tile‑drainage research and nutrient management work

UVM Extension outlines on‑farm precision agriculture trials, variable-rate fertilizer tests