Committee considers $1.5 million budget adjustment to support Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program

A legislative committee on agriculture and food policy agreed to seek more information from Hunger Free Vermont and a regional food bank before deciding whether to support a $1.5 million budget adjustment to the current year to bolster the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program.

The committee’s conversation centered on whether to signal support to the Appropriations Committee for the food bank’s formal request. Speaker 1 said the food bank had made “an official ask to the Appropriations Committee” for additional funding to support monitoring and program operations, and members discussed scheduling a brief update so the panel could consider a statement of support.

Why it matters: Committee members framed the request against broader fiscal constraints. Amy Schallenberger, a staff member, told the committee there was a reported surplus of $73,000,000 in the July forecast, but she cautioned that the executive board was meeting and the number could change. Speakers also noted competing demands, including a roughly $33,000,000 transportation shortfall mentioned during the discussion.

Context and history: Members said the food bank had requested $2,000,000 last year and received about $500,000; the current $1.5 million request is intended to address the remainder of the fiscal year. Several members said they would welcome testimony focused on what program operators are hearing on the ground and how federal program changes have affected local need.

What members said: A committee member identified in the transcript as Speaker 5 urged caution about relying on one-time funds for recurring needs, saying officials must “be careful where we go with it” when federal programs shift. Speaker 5 also argued that food assistance should be nonpolitical, adding, “The one thing I would ask is it’s non political and food is food.” Amy Schallenberger told the committee Appropriations was nearly finished with its work and that the governor’s budget address the following Tuesday would affect timing for any statement to Appropriations.

Next steps: Members asked staff to schedule testimony from Hunger Free Vermont and the food bank as soon as possible—ideally before the governor’s address—and discussed brief windows on Tuesday morning or between the floor session and lunch for a 30-minute hearing. No formal motion with recorded text or a vote on the BAA request appears in the transcript; the committee recessed to allow Rural Vermont to set up for the next presentation.

Note on procedure: The transcript records informal agreement to hear additional testimony and to consider supporting the Appropriations request; it does not record a formal committee vote or an adoption of a position on the record.