Farm advocates and food banks ask Vermont Appropriations for $5.5 million to bolster SNAP and local-food programs
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Summary
NOFA Vermont, local farmers and food-hub operators asked the Appropriations Committee to fund NOFA's $500,000 ongoing request for Crop Cash programs and to approve a $5 million FY27 appropriation for the Vermont Food Bank to expand Vermonters Feeding Vermonters and disaster response capacity.
Joanna Doran, local food access director with NOFA Vermont, told the House Appropriations Committee that 3 Squares Vermont (the state name for SNAP) is both a food-security lifeline and an important stimulus in Vermont communities. "3 Squares Vermont helps nearly 10% of our state buy groceries each month, and that is approximately 63,400 people in Vermont," she said, and noted the program keeps more than $12,000,000 in the state economy each month.
Doran asked lawmakers to support two budget items: $500,000 in ongoing funding for NOFA Vermont to sustain Crop Cash, Crop Cash Plus and Farm Share programs that increase SNAP purchasing power at farmers markets and farm stands; and a $5,000,000 FY27 appropriation for the Vermont Food Bank, including allocations Doran described for network partners, the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program and ready-response funds for disasters and emergencies.
Farmers who testified described how the programs affect both customers and farm viability. "In 2025 season, Crop Cash accounted for nearly 10% of my gross income," said Stoney Thompson of New Tradition Farm, who said Crop Cash doubled EBT purchasing power for shoppers and provided critical spring cash flow through Farm Share payments. Mark Montalban of Greenacres Homestead said SNAP and Crop Cash consistently generated substantial market-day sales: "At the Winooski Farmer's Market, I was averaging 22.4% of my daily sales on Sunday from people using PropCash."
Emmett Mosley, supervisor for the Addison County food hub at CVOEO, described the hunger-relief network's role in purchasing and distributing Vermont-grown food. "In 2025, we served about 12,000 food-insecure Vermonters," he said, and reported his agency distributed roughly 300,000 pounds of produce and spent about $100,000 buying dairy, eggs and produce locally with a small allocation.
Committee members asked technical questions about SNAP retailer participation and program reach; Doran said retailer enrollment in SNAP is voluntary and that assistance is available to help stores and markets apply for authorization. No formal committee action or vote was recorded during the testimony; witnesses were asked to provide further detail to staff as needed. The presenters asked the committee to prioritize these investments to support both food security and the economic health of small farms.