Agency of Agriculture warns of shrinking farmland and climate pressures; calls for targeted conservation and farmer support

Ryan Patch, policy manager at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, told the committee that Vermont’s land base and soils pose constraints for expanding agriculture and that the state has been losing farmland for decades. Patch used historical and recent data to show the shift from a largely agricultural landscape in the 19th century to one in which only a small percentage of statewide soils qualify as prime for farming.

Patch said Vermont contains about 5.9 million acres of land (including roughly 250,000 acres of inland water) and that prime statewide soils represent a very small portion of that total. He noted that, statewide, only about 4% of soils achieve the 'prime' rating and that approximately 9% of Vermont’s land area is actively used for agriculture. "Prime statewide agricultural soils are a finite and continuing shrinking resource," he said, framing the need for targeted land protection.

Patch reviewed policy tools and history, including use-value appraisal, Act 250 and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, and warned that recent reports and committees have included fewer farmers in deliberations, which has shifted the focus of recommendations. He presented charts showing sectoral economic shifts (finance and services have grown faster than goods-producing sectors) and noted that agriculture now contributes a relatively small share of state private-sector GDP.

On climate risks, Patch said Vermont is getting warmer and wetter overall, with episodic droughts during growing seasons. He cited an increase in precipitation since 1900 and noted 28 USDA disaster declarations covering freeze, excessive rain and severe storms in 2023–24. Patch presented agency modeling that linked conservation practices implemented since 2016 (cover crops, manure injection, nutrient management, precision agriculture) to both phosphorus reductions and greenhouse-gas sequestration; the agency estimated an estimated 86,000 metric tons of CO2e sequestration associated with practices funded and implemented since Act 64 (2015), at an average cost basis cited in agency work.

Patch closed by saying farmers are motivated and knowledgeable about soil health but face a financing gap: many lack the capital to implement resilience practices even when technical guidance exists. He urged continued attention to targeted land protection, program funding, and incentives to keep farmers economically viable as part of climate adaptation and food-security aims. The committee thanked Patch and signaled interest in continuing conversations about farmland protection and program design.