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 the effect of a recent neonics restriction on seed availability and cost.

Coalition members said the neonics-related law adopted last year adopted standards similar to New York’s and that farmers are worried about whether seed varieties previously treated with neonicotinoids will remain available and affordable. The group asked for clarity on exemption processes for pest outbreaks and on the practical availability and pricing of replacement seed varieties.

Speakers also described acute labor concerns. Nasrath and other farmers said immigration enforcement and deportations are causing stress among farm workers, limiting mobility and harming productivity. “Many of them are afraid to drive to the local supermarket or the local Walmart like they used to,” Nasrath said, describing effects on workers’ well-being and on farm operations.

Small-farm viability emerged as a recurring theme. Coalition members said consolidation is increasing, putting family farms at risk as input prices and labor pressures rise. They urged state support for market development — including incentives to attract value-added processors and private buyers — as a way to expand markets for small producers.

Farmers described existing local programs the coalition runs, including a workforce development program that places high-school students on farms and a young-farmer support program funded by a grant from the Dairy Business Innovation Center. The coalition said those efforts support both conservation practices and the labor pipeline.

Several speakers emphasized the need for faster disaster-relief payments. Panelists recounted floods and droughts over recent years and called for a state-level emergency fund or faster delivery of federal disaster aid. A committee attendee said federal relief for several states, including New England, Alaska and Hawaii, was expected to be clarified within about six weeks and that separate legislation to create a standing disaster fund is being introduced in both chambers.

On legal protections, coalition members said they expect new "right-to-farm" legislation to be introduced soon that would offer arbitration and nuisance-suit protections for farms that follow required practices. One coalition speaker asked that farmers who have adopted cover crops, no-till and other practices be defended by state agencies if those operations face lawsuits.

Committee members told the coalition the committee expects to consider language from the Agency of Agriculture soon and that alternate language examined by the environment committee could shift responsibility toward the Agency of Natural Resources. Nasrath and others said the coalition will work with whichever agency ultimately oversees required agricultural practices.

The coalition also highlighted the sector’s economic contribution; coalition speakers said agriculture and related processing contribute billions to the state economy and help sustain tourism. They asked the committee to balance enforcement with protections for farmers who adopt conservation measures.

The committee did not take formal votes during the coalition’s appearance. Members signaled they expect to review proposed statutory language and federal funding updates in coming weeks and to continue discussions with the coalition and state agencies.

A copy of the coalition’s letter to the agencies is posted on the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition’s webpage, coalition representatives said.