Food bank urges $1.5 million to buy local produce for Vermonters in need
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
The Vermont Food Bank asked the House Appropriations Committee for $1.5 million in FY26 BAA funding to fully finance the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters local purchase program so the bank can buy more Vermont-grown food for food shelves, meal sites and partner agencies.
John Sales, chief executive officer of the Vermont Food Bank, told the committee that the food bank can spend an additional $1.5 million this fiscal year to expand local purchases through the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters grant program administered by the Agency of Agriculture. Sales said $500,000 appropriated in FY26 funded large-scale direct purchases from 17 farms and was spent between July 1 and Oct. 6, and that additional funding would support 200–300 Vermont farms and help food shelves and partner programs across the state.
Why it matters: Testimony linked food-security and farm viability. Susan Drew, a food-pantry manager, described heavy local demand (about 500 visits per month) and said fresh local produce draws higher consumption and better nutrition for pantry clients.
What was requested: Full funding of the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program with an additional $1,500,000 in FY26 BAA funding to enable more purchases from Vermont farms and expand partner grants for culturally responsive foods.
What’s next: The committee recorded testimony and will review written comments and fiscal analyses before any budget adjustment is proposed.