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Food‑security coalition urges $5 million for Vermont Food Bank, expanded farm programs
Summary
Members of the Food Security Roadmap coalition asked legislators to fund the Vermont Food Bank at $5 million for emergency readiness and to increase base funding for programs that put federal and philanthropic funds to work for low‑income households and farms.
Becca Warren, manager of the Vermont Food Security Roadmap Coalition, outlined a package of budget requests to keep the state on track with the roadmap to statewide food security. Warren asked the legislature to appropriate $5,000,000 for the Vermont Food Bank for responsive readiness, $20,000,000 for a farm emergency fund, and full funding for the Land Access and Opportunity Board.
Emmanuelle Sumayon, food‑and‑nutrition program coordinator at Capstone Community Action, described recent shortages at a local pantry and said her customers — including injured workers and seniors on fixed incomes — need responsive supplies from the Food Bank. "Without the Vermont Food Bank, we could not do this work and share these resources with people who need them," Sumayon said, requesting $5,000,000 for the Food Bank to support food purchase and distribution.
Joanna Doran of NOFA Vermont asked the committee to convert $323,000 in one‑time funding for Vermont 2‑1‑1 to base funding and to increase base funding for Crop Cash Plus and FarmShare programs to $500,000. Doran described Crop Cash Plus as a recent expansion that allowed low‑income Vermonters to buy meat, eggs and dairy at farmers markets, producing additional farmer revenue.
Nut graf: Testimony combined emergency food needs and farm viability proposals, asking the committees to fund both immediate food‑bank capacity and programs that support farmer income and low‑income household access to fresh food.
Ending: Witnesses said they would file written testimony with program details and asked the legislature to act in the FY26 appropriation process.
