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NOFA Vermont urges caution on S.45, recommends land-use planning and supports for farms
Summary
Maddie Kempner, policy director at NOFA Vermont, told a legislative committee that NOFA supports keeping farms viable but urged caution on S.45, recommending land‑use planning, expanded stewardship supports and careful drafting of definitions that could favor large operations.
Maddie Kempner, policy director at NOFA Vermont, told a legislative committee the organization supports the goal of keeping farms viable but urged caution on proposed changes in S.45, and recommended alternatives and further study.
NOFA Vermont, a statewide organization that represents roughly 1,600 members including farmers, gardeners and eaters, has not taken a formal position on S.45, Kempner said, but its farmer steering committee — which represents a range of farm types and scales — raised concerns about specific bill language. Committee members questioned the bill’s expanded definition of "nuisance," the inclusion of trespass within that language, and the phrasing used to define "generally accepted agricultural practices," which Kempner said could be expensive and might privilege larger operators.
"We strongly support the goal of keeping farms in business and maintaining farming as the cornerstone of Vermont's culture," Kempner told the committee. At the same time, she said the steering committee suggested alternate approaches to achieve the bill’s stated aims, including: expanding protections and supports within the framework of Act 250, limiting regulation of on‑farm small businesses, enacting liability protections for agritourism where appropriate, increasing financial and technical support for ecological stewardship practices through NRCS-style programs, and exploring direct payments to farms.
Kempner also urged the legislature to undertake regional and statewide land‑use planning to identify and protect current and potential farmland, arguing that planning can help balance farmland protection and housing needs.
Why this matters: Kempner said farmers face converging pressures — low producer prices, high land and housing costs, and climate impacts — and that policy changes should not exacerbate these stresses or unintentionally advantage large operations. She asked the committee to move carefully on S.45 and to give stakeholders time to refine language.
Committee members thanked Kempner and indicated there would be further opportunities for stakeholder input as the bill moves through deliberations.
