Vermont advocates ask legislature to restore Crop Cash Plus, opt into SNAP restaurant-meals program and boost emergency food funding

Members of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont and allied food-access groups told the Senate Agriculture Committee on Feb. 6 that restoring and expanding SNAP-related incentives and disaster food funding would support low-income Vermonters while putting dollars into local farms.

Joanna Doran, local food access director with NOFA Vermont, said the coalition came for “3 Squares Vermont Awareness Day” to outline funding requests. “We are here today with our partners and neighbors for 3 Squares Vermont Awareness Day to ask for your support on several requests that together will move us closer to a food secure Vermont and also ensures that farmers thrive,” Doran said.

The core requests presented to the committee were: $500,000 in base funding to sustain Crop Cash Plus and FarmShare (NOFA Vermont programs that increase SNAP purchasing power at farmers markets and subsidize CSA shares); legislation and startup funding to opt the state into the federal SNAP restaurant-meals program (a $75,000 startup appropriation and $100,000 for a Department of Children and Families staff position to run the…