Committee outlines budget priorities: local food, farm supports, conservation districts

The Agriculture, Food Resiliency & Forestry committee discussed which programs to emphasize in a letter to the House Appropriations Committee as it reviews the governor's recommended budget.

Committee members said base funding in the governor's recommendation includes $500,000 for the local purchasing incentive and $500,000 for the farm-to-school program, and they noted $200,000 for the fairs-and-fields program. The budget discussion also identified a one-time request of $850,000 to set up a database and contractor support related to CAFOs and ongoing negotiations with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Members also mentioned a request connected to the Land Access and Opportunity work and referenced possible use of cannabis excise tax revenue to support some proposals.

Why it matters: committee members said the letter to appropriations should both confirm support for items already in the governor's base and indicate priorities for additional funding if extra revenue becomes available. Several members argued for prioritizing programs that concurrently support farmers and food security, such as crop-cash programs, small-farm transition grants and food-bank initiatives.

Most members emphasized supporting programs that help both producers and people facing food insecurity. Multiple members advocated for the NOFA Crop Cash and Crop Cash Plus programs and for food-bank requests described variously as “Vermonters Feeding Vermonters” or similar food-bank asks. One member urged prioritizing working lands grant money and the small-farmer diversification and transition grant, proposing those be grouped as a single $2,000,000 request to improve the chances of partial funding.

Committee members also raised implementation and capacity questions. Several speakers said conservation districts spend significant staff time preparing grants and suggested funding to strengthen district capacity (for example, grant-writing support) would have a multiplying effect by enabling districts to secure and manage federal and state program dollars. Staffing shortfalls at agencies such as FPR (Forests, Parks & Recreation) and the agencies that support farmers were cited as constraints on delivering expanded programs.

The committee asked staff to draft a letter for members to review before it is transmitted to the House Appropriations Committee. Committee members said the letter should: confirm support for funding already in the governor's recommended budget (local purchasing incentive, farm-to-school, fairs-and-fields), state whether the committee supports additional targeted funding (crop cash, working lands, small-farm transition grants, food-bank requests), and note capacity and staffing needs for agencies and conservation districts. The committee also scheduled a presentation by Serve Learn & Earn and further line-by-line budget discussion with FPR at the next meeting.

A committee member summarized next steps: "We will have a letter for everyone to look at that tries to capture the committee's dealings here," and asked members to send suggested language for programs they want underscored.

Ending: The committee said it will circulate a draft letter to appropriations for member review and expects to submit a final letter in advance of the House Appropriations Committee's consideration. Serve Learn & Earn and FPR are scheduled to present at the next meeting to inform the committee's final priorities.