Senate Committee on Agriculture

 

AGENDA

 

Zoom

January 25, 2022 - January 28, 2022

Last Updated 1/27/2022 1:59 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3ogCBBT6D13zAYmsLI0Oiw/featured

 

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

15 minutes after Floor                   S. 258 - An act relating to amending the Required Agricultural Practices in order to address climate resiliency

Introduction and walk-through

Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Sen. Christopher A. Pearson, Sponsor

Sen. Anthony Pollina, Sponsor

Ryan Patch, Agriculture Climate and Land Use Policy Manager, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

 

11:00 AM                   Slaughter and Meat Processing

AAFM slaugherhouse support and on-farm slaughter rules

Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Steven Collier, General Counsel, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Julie Boisvert, Meat Inspection Section Chief, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Abbey Willard, Director, Agricultural Development Division, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

 

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

 

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

9:00 AM                   Climate Action Plan

 

Abbie Corse, Member, Agriculture and Ecosystems Subcommittee, Vermont Climate Council

Jane Lazorchak, Director of Global Warming Solutions Act, Agency of Natural Resources

Jared Duval, Member, Climate Council

Lauren Oates, Interim Director of Government Relations and Policy,The  Nature Conservancy, Vermont Climate Council

Ryan Patch, Agriculture Climate and Land Use Policy Manager, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

 

10:30 AM                   Break

 

10:45 AM                   The Abbey Group

Local Food initiatives

Nina Hansen, Chief Operations Officer, The Abbey Group

 

11:15 AM                   Vermont Farm Bureau

Update  

 

-                                   Vermont Fairs and Field Days

Update

Jackie Folsom, Lobbyist, Vermont Farm Bureau and Vermont Fairs and Field Days

 

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Thursday, January 27, 2022

9:00 AM                   S. 188 - An act relating to regulating licensed small cannabis cultivation as farming

Kyle Harris, Board Member, Cannabis Control Board

 

9:55 AM                   Break

 

10:00 AM                   Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Budget for Working Lands Grants

Diane Bothfeld, Director of Administrative Services & Dairy Policy, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Abbey Willard, Director, Agricultural Development Division, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Amy Mercier, Financial Director, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

 

10:30 AM                   Committee Discussion and Agenda Planning

 

10:40 AM                   Break

 

11:00 AM                   Rural Vermont

Update

Caroline Gordon, Legislative Director, Rural Vermont

Graham Unangst-Rufehacht, Policy Director, Rural Vermont

Elena Roig, Legislative Intern, Rural Vermont

 

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Friday, January 28, 2022

9:00 AM                   Climate Action Plan

 

Lauren Oates, Interim Director of Government Relations and Policy, The Nature Conservancy in Vermont

Jane Lazorchak, Director of Global Warming Solutions Act, Agency of Natural Resources

Jared Duval, Member, Vermont Climate Council

Abbie Corse, Member, Agriculture and Ecosystems Subcommittee, Vermont Climate Council

Ryan Patch, Agriculture Climate and Land Use Policy Manager, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Peter Walke, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation

Collin Smythe, Environmental Analyst, Agency of Natural Resources, Air Quality & Climate Division

Jackie Folsom, Legislative Director, Vermont Farm Bureau

 

10:30 AM                   UVM Extension

Hiring staff

 

-                                   On-farm Slaughter

Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

11:15 AM                   Committee Adjourns

 

11:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

ATTENTION WITNESSES

 

Please email handouts to the committee assistant at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting time. With few exceptions, any documents you send to a committee assistant, are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s web page.

 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Linda Leehman at lleehman@leg.state.vt.us