Vermont Farm Bureau briefs House Agriculture, Food Resiliency & Forestry Committee on farm relief, labor and equine concerns

Representatives of the Vermont Farm Bureau told the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency & Forestry that their top priorities this session include a proposed emergency farm relief program, agriculture labor and immigration policy, water-quality enforcement, and changes to how equine businesses and forestry are treated under state programs.

The Farm Bureau briefing was given to committee members by a delegation that included Amber Perry, the Farm Bureau administrator and chief lobbyist; Gwen Zakov, the group’s contract lobbyist; Mary White, the organization’s first vice president and a dairy farmer; and county leaders and field representatives. Chair David Durfee invited the group to introduce themselves and outline issues they expect to bring to the committee’s attention.

The Farm Bureau asked lawmakers to treat the organization as a resource for producers and said it is coordinating with other groups on several proposals. "We have just shy of 1,500 members," Amber Perry said, noting the bureau’s effort to bring members into legislative hearings. Gwen Zakov described her role as watching committees outside Ag — "Transportation, Natural Resources, Environment ... basically any other committee that's dealing with water quality, transportation, those sorts of issues" — because those committee actions can affect farms and forestry operations.

Why it matters: lawmakers said they expect bills this session that could change which agencies handle water-quality enforcement, alter definitions used for property-tax and grant eligibility, and create an emergency fund for farms. Those changes would affect access to state programs and to grant and relief dollars for dairy, diversified farms and equine businesses across the state.

Emergency farm relief and forestry inclusion

Farm Bureau leaders said a bill to create an emergency farm relief program will be introduced in both chambers and that the group is working with NOFA, UVM Extension and other partners on policy design. Jackie Lipstein and others on the Farm Bureau team said one outstanding question is whether forestry operations should be explicitly included in the relief measure. "Part of the challenge, with forestry is that the foresters don't own the land that they're on," a Farm Bureau speaker said, asking the committee to consider how losses to foresters would be counted.

Labor, immigration and the Ag Labor study committee

The Farm Bureau discussed ongoing labor concerns and U.S. immigration policy for agricultural workers. Representative Richard Nelson asked, "Will Farm Bureau come out with a policy to urge Washington to fix the immigration issue?" Amber Perry said national Farm Bureau meetings reset prior policy annually and promised to report back after the American Farm Bureau convention in San Antonio on position updates. The group also described the Ag Labor study committee that was created after the Senate temporarily removed an exclusion for agricultural laborers from collective bargaining rules; Farm Bureau leaders said the committee shifted focus to housing and minimum wage and that the Senate will review the committee report in coming weeks.

Water quality and agency roles

Speakers told the committee they support keeping direct-discharge enforcement with the Agency of Natural Resources while indirect discharges remain under the Agency of Agriculture. The Farm Bureau noted the Clean Water lawsuit filed by Conservation Law Foundation and said the EPA was expected to respond to the agency’s reply; the group said they will monitor any resulting proposals in Natural Resources and Agriculture hearings.

Equine industry: definitions, taxes and access to aid

Heidi Krantz of the Vermont Horse Council told the committee the state’s statutory definitions are inconsistent across programs and that many equine businesses are excluded from benefits tied to agricultural classification. "Those businesses fall under the required agricultural practices, but they seldom are included in any of the benefits that would, fall to other agricultural businesses," Krantz said, adding that the Horse Council has roughly a 300-address mailing list and provided research from Vermont Law School on statutory definitions to the committee.

Krantz and others described local examples where former dairy barns converted to equine operations lost access to property-tax treatments or grant eligibility, creating higher tax burdens for owners who continued farming-related activities. Committee members asked for a Horse Council follow-up presentation; Farm Bureau leaders said they will arrange it.

Fairs, infrastructure and the Rutland State Fair example

Farm Bureau members raised concerns about recent enforcement of an "impervious surface" mitigation rule affecting several county fairgrounds. Jeff Schall and other fair advocates said the Rutland State Fair was told by regulators that mitigation would cost about $3,000,000 and could require demolition of buildings and parking areas. Farm Bureau staff asked the committee to discuss the issue with the Institutions Committee and flagged a legislative day on February 19 when fair representatives will meet lawmakers.

Education, workforce pipeline and the 2+2 program

Speakers praised the 2+2 program that partners Vermont Technical College and UVM, saying it has kept young agricultural leaders in state. Andy Burch, who described himself as a 2+2 alumnus, said the program helped him restart a dormant dairy operation: "we're milking just over 50 cows," he said, adding that the program’s scholarship and connections had helped graduates remain in-state. Farm Bureau members said funding and enrollment at satellite campuses had fallen, reducing 2+2 participation; they offered to help re-promote the program to legislators.

How members are organized and next steps

Farm Bureau officials described a mix of county leaders, field staff and lobbyists who will bring members to testify on particular bills. Mary White, the Farm Bureau’s first vice president and a Corinth dairy farmer, said crop insurance and flood resilience "is something that I think we do need to discuss this year and is high priority for everyone." The group urged lawmakers to reach out when they need producer expertise.

The committee did not take formal action during the briefing. Members invited Farm Bureau and Horse Council representatives to return for more detailed briefings on the equine definitions, the proposed emergency farm relief program and the fairgrounds mitigation issue.

Ending note

Farm Bureau members said they will continue coordinating with allied groups including NOFA, UVM Extension and the Working Lands Coalition and will report back after national Farm Bureau policy meetings. The Farm Bureau also flagged a legislative day for fairs on February 19 and promised to provide follow-up materials and witnesses when requested by the committee.