Bill H.386 would create a state agricultural land transfer assistance program, sponsors say

Representative Supernath introduced H.386 to the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency & Forestry, proposing an Agricultural Land Transfer Assistance Program at the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to help keep farmland in production as owners age or exit farming.

"This bill proposes to marry those two concerns in a way that collaboratively moves forward our vision to keep ag lands in farming," Representative Supernath said, summarizing the bill’s purpose to link sellers, buyers, technical assistance and potential financing.

Under the bill as described by Representative Supernath and by Michael Grady of Legislative Counsel, the program would direct the secretary of agriculture to create a succession‑planning toolkit (legal templates, lists of financing, education and professionals), host an online ag‑land portal to post farms and connect buyers and sellers, and provide at least three educational workshops per year. The secretary would also train or contract for "land transfer navigators"—staff or contractors who would meet sellers and prospective buyers, assist with regulatory and financing questions, and help shepherd transfers.

H.386 would create a five‑member Land Transfer and Succession Board to advise implementation. The bill text described the board as chaired by a designee of the secretary and including representatives from the Farm and Forest Viability Program, the Vermont Land Trust, Land for Good and the Vermont Farm to Plate Initiative. The secretary, after consulting the commissioner of taxes, would submit recommendations to the House Committees on Agriculture, Food Resiliency & Forestry and Ways and Means, and the Senate Committees on Agriculture and Finance, recommending tax incentives or other financial tools to facilitate succession and transfers.

The bill includes a $250,000 general‑fund appropriation to the agency for implementation. Legislative counsel noted the appropriation does not itemize staff positions; committee members asked about likely staffing needs and budgeting. A budgeting question cited a commonly used FTE cost estimate of about $125,000 per year for a state employee, which committee members used to consider how far the appropriation might go toward paid navigators or contracted assistance.

Committee members asked whether the program would serve both sellers who already have a designated successor and sellers who need help finding a buyer; the sponsors and counsel said the program is intended to help both. Members also noted existing organizations and services (Farm and Forest Viability Program, Vermont Land Trust, Land for Good and others) that already provide components of this work; the bill’s backers said H.386 is meant to centralize and coordinate those resources in a single, agency‑led hub.

Ending: Representative Supernath and counsel said the committee could expect a line‑by‑line review in subsequent meetings; several members signaled support for further discussion about tax incentives, staffing needs, and how to coordinate the program with existing nonprofit and federal resources.