Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Agriculture Food Resiliency Forestry topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Vermont bill would allow state‑recognized Abenaki tribes to farm on public lands
Summary
Rep. John O’Brien introduced House Bill 343 to give state‑recognized Native American tribes access to state lands for farming. Committee members discussed history, existing programs and interagency coordination; no committee vote was taken.
Rep. John O’Brien, R‑Windsor‑Orange‑1, introduced House Bill 343 to the House Agriculture Committee, saying the bill would make state lands available “for farming by citizens of the state recognized Native American Indian tribes.”
The measure, O’Brien said, is intended to address what he and witnesses described as a lack of tribal farmland in Vermont despite a long history of Abenaki agriculture in the region. He told the committee that tribes currently own little or no farmland in the state and that some Abenaki agricultural activity — including a herd of bison — takes place on privately owned land by arrangement.
Committee members and witnesses placed the proposal in historical and policy context. O’Brien described the Abenaki as long‑term residents and early agrarians in the region, and members pointed to state forestry and park holdings — described during the discussion as roughly 350,000 acres — as a potential supply of suitable floodplain soils. The bill’s sponsor said earlier drafts also included cultural and religious access but that the current draft focuses on farming to make it a straightforward agricultural bill.
Speakers identified a list of state parties that would likely need to negotiate implementation details, including the Agency of Natural Resources, the Agency of Agriculture and the Land Access and Opportunity Board. Committee discussion cited existing state programs that permit certain uses of state lands — for example, limited tree tapping for maple sugaring — as precedents staff and agencies could adapt. Members also noted prior measures that provided hunting or fishing license accommodations for Abenaki people.
Several committee members encouraged the sponsor to bring witnesses who can explain cross‑border tribal relationships and recognition issues that have complicated similar bills in past bienniums. O’Brien said he expected legislative staff or agency staff to walk the committee through the bill language at a future meeting; the committee chair said staff (Michael Grady) would try to present the draft while discussion remained fresh.
No formal motion or vote on the bill was recorded at this meeting. Committee members described the measure as reintroduced after earlier versions stalled and said more work with witnesses and agencies is expected before any committee action.
