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Senate committee backs bill to formalize ‘Vermonters Feeding Vermonters’ grant program to support local food distribution
Summary
The committee voted to report favorably on H.167, which would create a recurring grant program in the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to fund the Vermont Food Bank’s purchases from local growers and subgrants to distribution partners; implementation is contingent on appropriations in the FY‑26 budget.
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to act favorably on H.167 on May 9, a bill that would establish a recurring Vermonters Feeding Vermonters grant program in the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and authorize subgrants through the Vermont Food Bank to local food suppliers and distribution partners.
James Duffy of the Joint Fiscal Office explained that the bill “establishes a new grant program within the Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets. This would be the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters grant program,” and that the measure is intended to “regularize, routinize” funding that in past years has often been handled as a direct legislative appropriation to the Vermont Food Bank.
Duffy said the House originally included a recurring $2 million appropriation for the program, but that recurring language was removed in House Appropriations and implementation was made contingent on an FY‑26 appropriation. “There is a $500,000 appropriation in the one‑times to AAFM in the FY '26 budget,” he said, and he added his understanding is the committee of conference budget includes that $500,000 as well.
Amy Schaltenberger, representing the Vermont Food Bank, told the committee the Food Bank has operated this model for years and the bill would create a formal partnership with the Agency of Agriculture. “The money is allocated through the agency to the Food Bank, and they use it for two things, primarily,” she said: contracting with Vermont growers to purchase mostly produce for distribution through food shelves, and providing small grants to network partners so very small food shelves can purchase or receive local produce.
The bill explicitly authorizes the Food Bank to make subgrants to distribution partners and places primary reporting responsibility on the Food Bank rather than imposing additional reporting duties on agency staff. Committee members asked whether the subgrantees currently receive budget money; testimony in the hearing did not provide a definitive, itemized list of current subgrantees or past funding recipients.
The committee recorded a 4‑0‑3 roll and moved H.167 favorably. Committee discussion noted that the funding the bill would rely on appears in the FY‑26 budget as a one‑time appropriation, and that any recurring appropriation beyond FY‑26 would be subject to future legislative action.
