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Connecticut River watershed farmers press for tailored water‑quality funding, manure storage and labor fixes
Summary
Representatives of the Connecticut River Watershed Farmers Alliance described region‑specific water‑quality work, the need for targeted funding, and practical farm challenges including manure infrastructure, cover crops, labor costs and recycling of bale wrap.
Leaders and members of the Connecticut River Watershed Farmers Alliance (CRWFA) told the Senate Agriculture Committee that farmers on both sides of the Connecticut River need watershed‑specific support for water quality, infrastructure and farm viability.
Mike Snow, executive director of the CRWFA, described an entirely farmer‑run group formed in 2016 to improve water quality and farm viability across a watershed that stretches from the Canadian border to the Massachusetts line. The alliance supports information sharing, equipment rental and grant‑supported practices such as cover crops and manure storage, and emphasizes that the Connecticut River watershed faces different soil and pollution dynamics than the Champlain Valley.
Speakers from the alliance described a range of farm operations and priorities. Bill Evans (Cloudland Farm) and Paul Dotan (Dothan Farm) recounted long family farm histories and the alliance’s effort to bring eastern‑Vermont farmers together. Beth Kennett (Liberty Hill Farm) described a 100‑cow registered Holstein herd that also hosts farm stays and participates in watershed programs such as pay‑for‑phosphorus pilots. Mary White said her dairy (about 125 cows) installed a manure pit and is moving to robotic milking to address labor shortages; she said those investments were supported by grants and bank financing.
Farmers told the committee about practical on‑farm challenges: cover‑crop timing and establishment to reduce spring erosion, the complexity and cost of injection equipment for manure application on smaller farms, and the expense and paperwork of hiring seasonal labor under H‑2A and state wage rules. Several participants urged more predictable funding to help farms install manure storage, cover crops and other water‑quality practices; a pilot “farm security” or emergency fund also received support for disaster recovery.
Charlie Gray and others described on‑farm market mixes (retail farm stands and some wholesale) and noted rising labor costs and regulatory paperwork have squeezed margins. Guy Crosby described a pilot to recycle bale wrap at scale and the logistical challenges of collection and storage. Walt Gladstone and others reiterated that permitting, nutrient management requirements and program timing vary across regions and urged policies tailored to the Connecticut River watershed’s soils and cropping systems.
Committee members thanked the alliance for the testimony and encouraged continued engagement; participants offered the group as a resource for technical feedback and local implementation suggestions.
