Vermont farmer urges House agriculture committee to reject proposed changes to right‑to‑farm law over pollution fears

Katie Steer, owner of Wild Earth Farm in Randolph Center, told the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry that she wants lawmakers to “vote down the proposed changes to Vermont's right to farm laws.”

Steer said she and her husband raise grass‑fed beef and lamb on about 100 acres and operate two Airbnbs to help pay mortgage and taxes. She described close, recurring impacts from a nearby industrial dairy and an uphill genetically modified cornfield with tile drains that she said causes runoff into a spring and pasture on her property. “We cussed in the water coming from the spring, and it is contaminated with herbicides due to runoff from this cornfield,” she said.

The testimony centered on S.45 and recent reporting about enforcement actions at a large dairy, which the witness and committee members said was widely covered by local outlets including the Vermont Daily Chronicle, WCAX, Vermont Digger and Vermont Public. Committee Chair David Durfee and other members encouraged cooperation with migrant‑justice groups and agricultural leaders to ensure safe workplaces and community impacts are addressed.

Steer said the bill's changes — which she described as allowing “physical invasion of property” — would, in her view, protect a small number of industrialized farms rather than the many small, diversified farms in Vermont. She added that odors, frequent truck traffic in summer, manure spreading and pesticide spraying already affect her household and farm operations. “Under these proposed changes, our neighbors could pollute and damage our farm with their farming practices and leave us powerless to do anything about it,” Steer said.

Committee members asked clarifying questions. Representative Butler asked whether Steer meant the bill in its entirety or specific House changes; Steer said she was speaking about the language changes related to trespass. Representative Nelson noted that current law requires compliance with required agricultural practices and that pesticides — including herbicides such as glyphosate — are regulated as pesticides under existing statute and should not leave a property. Nelson advised contacting the appropriate agency division for investigation if contamination is suspected.

Steer also raised the effect on farm viability and future generations, urging legislators to consider whether Vermont should accept industrial monoculture practices. She framed her request as a vote against changes she said would benefit agrochemical and pharmaceutical companies more than small Vermont farms.

The committee did not take a formal vote during the hearing; members indicated follow‑up is likely as the House and Senate versions of the right‑to‑farm language continue to move through review.