Champlain Valley farmers press committee for clearer water rules, faster disaster relief and legal protections

Representatives of the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition told a legislative committee on agriculture and environment that farmers in the Champlain Valley need clearer regulatory protections, faster disaster relief and help with labor and market access to keep small farms viable and continue water-quality work.

The coalition’s executive director, Vijay Nasrath, said the group — roughly 200 members with about 30 active farms — has been working with the Agency of Agriculture and the Agency of Natural Resources on Lake Champlain water issues and wants legal clarity if new state rules or federal EPA directives change compliance requirements. “We need to be practical and think about those issues as well,” Nasrath said.

The coalition emphasized that progress has been made on required agricultural practices and conservation efforts but warned that several outstanding issues could slow or reverse gains. Members raised specific concerns about: the implementation pathway for an EPA-related directive and proposed statutory language the agencies plan to present to the committee; uncertainty about federal funding for conservation programs; and…