Agency releases preliminary drought survey: 200 responses, about 79,000 acres impacted and $15.9M estimated losses
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Summary
The Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets presented a preliminary drought survey showing 200 responses from all 14 counties, roughly 79,000 acres affected and estimated losses exceeding $15.9 million; the report signals feed shortages, water scarcity and potential long‑term impacts for maple and other perennial crops.
Abby Willard, agriculture development director for the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, presented preliminary results of a drought survey the agency ran from Oct. 17 to Dec. 15, saying, “we received 200 responses across the 14 counties.” The agency said respondents reported roughly 79,000 impacted acres and estimated cumulative losses that exceeded $15.9 million.
Why it matters: the preliminary dataset, Willard said, shows broad geographic and sectoral impacts — the greatest number of responses came from Addison, Rutland and Orleans counties — and points to stressors producers expect to carry into the coming year. About 50% of respondents told the agency this was the worst drought they had experienced, and 99 respondents (about half of those who replied) reported needing financial assistance.
Key findings: Willard described the sector and size mix of respondents as roughly equal shares from dairy, produce/horticulture, livestock and diversified operations (including maple and crops), with 78% of responses coming from small farms. She said 64% of respondents reported no crop or livestock insurance and 68% reported no insurance enrollment in the previous three years. The agency estimated production loss at approximately $10.8 million and coping costs at just over $5 million; the reported maximum individual claim in the dataset was $2,000,000, attributed to a maple operation.
Producer impacts and coping: Willard and committee members discussed immediate producer responses: hauling water, drilling wells, paying for alternative water and buying supplemental feed at elevated prices. These actions are time‑consuming and costly; the agency noted feed shortages were regional across the Northeast, forcing some producers to purchase feed from other states. Some livestock operations culled or sold animals early to reduce feed needs, which may have lasting revenue implications.
Maple and perennial crops: the agency cautioned that the maple sector’s high per‑producer estimated losses may be driven by a small number of large, self‑reported estimates and requires further validation. Willard said the sugaring season will provide clearer information about actual maple production impacts.
Organic and certification questions: committee members asked whether organic producers could access conventional feed without losing certification. Willard said Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) and other certifiers were engaged and that producers can submit alteration claims for feeding plans; the agency is following up with VOF and NOFA for clarification on collective dispensation options.
Limitations and next steps: Willard emphasized the dataset is preliminary, under review and has not been fully scrubbed for outliers. She said the agency will publish a final report and Power BI datasets on its website once data‑cleaning and report writing are complete and offered to return to present the finalized analysis. The report, she said, will be used to support requests for federal or state resources and to inform resilience legislation.
The agency noted several producers described their financial health as vulnerable; eight respondents listed closing their business as a potential option. Willard said the agency will continue to work with federal partners and state stakeholders to identify financial and technical assistance options.
