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Food banks, farm groups and community action urge expanded funding for food security and farm recovery
Summary
Witnesses including Vermont Food Bank, NOFA and VCAP requested multiple appropriations: $5 million for Vermont Food Bank responsive readiness; $20 million for a farm security fund for climate recovery; $500,000 for Crop Cash Plus and FarmShare; and $3 million for Working Lands Enterprise Fund.
Representatives of Vermont Food Bank, NOFA‑VT, Vermont Community Action Partnership (VCAP), and others urged the Appropriations Committees to fund a suite of food security and farm support programs in FY26.
Sarah Kevlin of Vermont Food Bank asked the committees to appropriate $5,000,000 to strengthen the food bank’s "responsive readiness," support food purchase and distribution, and help its network of more than 220 food shelves and meal sites meet surging need. "We are distributing twice as much food as we did before the pandemic," Kevlin said, and volunteers and partners report increases in client visits ranging from 20% to more than 100%.
Maddie Kempner of NOFA Vermont and others asked the legislature to appropriate $20,000,000 for a farm security fund to help farmers recover after climate emergencies or extreme weather events; Kempner described repeated crop, livestock and infrastructure losses and cited surveys showing low insurance coverage among Vermont farmers.
April Soones Palmer (Champlain Islands Farmers Markets) and Miranda Dalton (Waitsfield Farmers Market) testified in support of Crop Cash Plus and FarmShare, asking for $500,000 in base funding to expand programs that allow SNAP/EBT customers to use benefits for a wider range of local foods and to match benefits at markets.
Jenna O'Farrell, executive director of Northeast Kingdom Community Action and president of VCAP, requested $15,800,000 in Homelessness Prevention (HOP) grant funding for FY26; she noted that community action agencies serve thousands statewide across Head Start, shelter, food security and housing navigation services.
The Working Lands Coalition asked for an increase in the Working Lands Enterprise Fund to $3,000,000 from the governor's proposed $1,000,000, citing a 12‑year track record of investments that leverage additional funds for farm and forestry projects.
Why it matters: Witnesses said food insecurity and farm losses are increasing due to inflation and climate impacts; they argued state investment can strengthen emergency response, stabilize food distribution networks and help farms recover.
No committee vote was taken; the requests will be considered during budget negotiations.
